Climate Change & Environmental Impacts In The Indian Context

India is the country 5th most vulnerable to climate change globally. NITI Aayog in 2018 estimated that more than 600 million Indians will face acute water shortages in the coming years. MIT estimated that flash flooding will significantly increase in 78 of India’s 89 urban areas if global temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The rise in sea surface temperature has already resulted in more intense cyclones and sea-level rise.

UNICEF’s 2019 report, an Environment Fit for Children, states that climate change is a direct threat to a child’s ability to survive, grow, and thrive. Extreme weather events such as cyclones threaten their lives and destroy infrastructure critical to their well-being. Floods compromise hygiene and access to water and sanitation facilities and services, leading to diseases such as cholera, to which children are particularly susceptible and vulnerable. Droughts lead to crop failures and rising food prices, which for the poor mean food insecurity and nutritional deprivations that can have lifelong impact. The wider impact of temperature rise is eroding environmental assets such as ground cover, forests, etc., leading to increased frequency and magnitude of natural disasters and wider environmental degradation.

The WHO predicts that an additional 250,000 climate-related deaths will occur globally – per year – between 2030 and 2050, given the current trajectory, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress. UNICEF estimates that by 2040, almost 600 million children globally are projected to be living in areas of extremely high water stress.

Air pollution and environmental sustainability are grave concerns in India. 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India (according to the IQ Air Report, 2020) and a Lancet study from 2018 estimates that air pollution in India killed 1.24 million people in 2017 (12.5 percent of total deaths). Yale’s Environmental Performance Index ranked India at 177 out of 180 countries, based on four performance indicators measured in 2018.

On June 5th this year, World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s role in climate change is negligible but the country is working on a long-term vision in collaboration with the international community to protect the environment.

“Large, modern countries (rich nations) of the world are not just exploiting more and more resources of the earth, but they are also responsible for maximum (cumulative) carbon emission. The average carbon footprint of the world is about four tonnes per person per annum compared to just about 0.5 tonnes per person per annum in India,” said PM Modi while addressing an event at Vigyan Bhawan.

As a populous, tropical, developing country, India faces a bigger challenge in coping with the consequences of climate change than most other countries.

Climate change is a global phenomenon but with local consequences. We must take rapid action to increase our commitments to shift onto a path of decarbonization and accelerate the production of energy from renewable sources and reduce fossil fuel dependency.

About Urvara Krsi

Urvara Krsi promotes sustainable and environment-conscious cultivation of niche agricultural crops and agroforestry. We engage in the production & supply of high-quality planting stock and technology to farmers, and are a leading agricultural raw material provider to agro-based industries.

Incorporated in 2019, Urvara Krsi currently operates in four states of India: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. We have three (3) main Business verticals, viz. Commercial Agroforestry, Cultivation of Agricultural crops in contract farming models, and Agricultural Consultancy.

Through our B2B consultancy services, we cater to companies looking to enhance their farmer network, strengthen their R&D, and experiment with new crops and geographies by enabling clients to collaborate closely with local communities to identify new crops, launch pilot projects, and set up dedicated, cost-effective cultivation programs.

Urvara Krsi acts as the opportunity bridge between small-holder farmers and industrial buyers exploring new geographies with backward linkages through farmers’ networks.

To partner with Urvara Krsi, or to learn more about what we do, please Contact Us.