Journal of Global Resources

Volume 2

January 2016
Page 12-25
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online)

2
GLOBAL WARMING - CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES:ISSUES AND STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
B. L. Teli
Professor & Head, Department of Geography
H.N.B. Garhwal University, Campus Pauri, Uttarakhand, India
Email: blteli33@gmail.com
Abstract: The global environment is facing a number of problems due to increasing biotic
pressure, deforestation, over exploitation of resources and pollution. The environmental
degradation can be observed in the form of soil erosion, decreasing productivity of agriculturalland, climatic changes, lack of forests and forest products, decreasing capacity of pastures etc. Not
only these but the pollution is at the all time high, has not only polluted the earth but affected theupper strata as well by creating a hole in the Ozone (O3) layer. It may have serious implications on
the human health, his activities and plants. It may also reduce crop yields significantly. The
developing countries face a near crisis situation, economic as well as environmental. The
Himalayas are no exception of it. In this region the natural balance between environment forming
and conserving forces on the one hand and degrading and depleting on the other, has been
disturbed. It is the function of soil-water-forest conservation, population and pollution control
measures to restore this balance, even if the face of ever increasing pressure on the environment
to provide food, fodder, fuel, industrial raw material etc.
Keyword: global warming, climate change, environment, forest land, air and water
The perfect environment is a combination of abundant forest land, fresh air and clean water.
Unfortunately, the constantly rising levels of air, water and land pollution have served as adeterrent in maintaining the earth’s environment. Human activities like using non biodegradable
objects like polythene that clog up water drains, discarding technological devices like refrigeratorsthat affect our Ozone layer and increased use of vehicles that spread harmful fumes in the air are
the major causes leading up to environmental damage. In an effort to rise global awareness to takepossible action to protect nature UNEP has taken various activities to help in spreading awarenessregarding ways to safeguard the environment. The world environment day theme for the year 2015
is “Seven Billion Dreams, One Planet, Consume With Care” and the host country is Italy while wasin 2011. The day 5TH June is celebrated in the world under United Nations Environment Program
for the judicious use of nature and natural resources, world economy, biodiversity and ultimately forhuman welfare to save the planet earth. At the end of nineteenth century the world faced two main
problems-industrial revolution and population explosion which resulted in overexploitation of natural
resources and growth of urbanization. It lead to industrial smoke, deforestation, pollution of natural
resources, soil erosion, greenhouse gases, ultimately global warming and climatic change. The
Earth’s climate has always been, and still is, constantly changing. The causes of climate change
are mainly by natural and human being. These are volcanic eruptions, ocean current and Earthorbital changes, solar variations, Agriculture, deforestation and greenhouse effect. Global warmingis neither temporarily nor spatially uniform, the main cause of the present global warming trend ishuman expansion of the greenhouse effect. Global warming is the increase in the averagetemperature of earth’s near surface air and oceans which affects the life forms on the earth
surface, of since the mid of 20th century and its projected continuation. According to the 4th
assessment report by Inter governmental Panel on Climate Change,2007,global surface
temperature has increased o.74-+ 0.18*C during the 20th century while it increased 0.6*C during

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1860-1950 only, though, it was expected to increase @0.005*C per year but it increased 0.17 *C
in1958.
It is observed that most of the temperature increased since the middle of 20th century, hasbeen caused by increasing concentration of greenhouse gases which resulted from human activity
such as the burning fossil fuel and deforestation. Global dimming are result of increasing
concentration of atmospheric aerosols that block sun light from reaching the surface has partiallycountered the effects of warming induced by greenhouse gases. Climate model projections
summarized in latest IPCC report indicate that the global surface temperature is likely to rise afurther 1.1 to6.4*C during the 21st Century. Warming of globe due to natural factors (CO2, CH4,
N2O, water vapor present in the atmosphere, trap the outgoing terrestrial radiations and thus warm
up the earth surface) is not an unusual phenomenon. The earth is kept warm due to this, what is
known as the ‘‘green house effect”, without it, the earth would be a frozen wasteland because theaverage temperature would have been 33*C lower than it is now. The GHG contribution in global
warming is 15*C.
According to world Meteorological Organization (WMO) the year 2003 has gone down in
the history as the third warmest on record. A record heat wave scorched Europe in August 2003,
claiming an estimated 35000 Lives. In France alone 14802 people died from the scorchingtemperature –more than 19 times the death toll from the SARS epidemic worldwide. The warmest
year ever was1998 and the second warmest were 2002. Therefore, to arrest the global warming
process, Kyoto Protocol was ratified in 2005 by both developing and developed nations for its
implementation. In this agreement, while there is no cap on the emission of GHG for developing
nations, but the developed 40 nations have to cut drastically their emission to bring down 6 percent
than 1990 level during 2008-2012. If this protocol is scrupulously followed by the nations, the global
warming will be halted to save the mankind from miseries.
The almost apocalyptic list of global warming and climate change includes• Accelerated glacial melt around snow covered areas which will eventually lead to asignificant scarcity of water resources across the world and India too.
•
Increased water precipitation might mean that certain areas will be flooded and facedrought in the same year and long term patterns.
• Rising sea levels would mean disastrous consequences for coastal areas, inundating
low lying habitation structures.
• Extreme weather events like tornados and cyclones will occur with increasing
frequency and greater severity.
• An increased spread of water born diseases such as malaria, dengue etc.
Climate Change
If the Ozone layer reduces it will have many disadvantages cancer, poisonous crops and many
more disease. The climatic change is visible in the form of more rainfall in upper latitude andsubtropical regions, while tropical and Mediterranean regions are having less, more hot waves,
floods, droughts intensity and frequency is increasing. Heavy snowfall, dangerous sea floods, allthese requires new sustainable planning. There are many more such challenges before ouryoungster who are wise to use the development programs of twenty first century. The Universities
and colleges can play a major role in science and technology, environmental science, economic
cooperation etc. We have to include environmental conservation activities in our daily habits andplan according to the environment. Universities could provide leadership and effective groups forconservation, economic development, and social wellbeing. The increasing natural hazards anddisasters and bio-diversity lost due to global warming. The climatic change is due to the methods ofrice production, livestock farming and use of chemical fertilizer. In India 28 percent greenhousegases are produced by the system of farming. Rice farming system, nature of land and animals
produce 30 percent methane and nitrous-oxide. The modern rice planting system is considered toanti-environment but the Indian method is not. Modernization of farming and green revolution has

13

put more use of fertilizers to increase production, is the second most important cause of harmful
gases. The third danger of climatic change is the gases produced by animals. The production ofgreenhouse gases produced is:
•
•
•
•
•

China has a population of 20.19 percent -carbon production 19.12 percent of the word,
America has a population of 4.59 percent- carbon production 18.44 percent,
European Union (27 countries) population of 7.58 percent -carbon production 13.37 percent,Russian Union population of 2.2 percent -carbon production -5.19 percent,India population of 17.6 percent -carbon production -4.91 percent only,

Population is considered as a great destroyer of Environment. The growing population ishaving a great pressure not only on environment alone but also on the standard of living,education, habitat, health, food security, nutrition, transport etc related problems too. Certainly the
population is at its explosion, everyday 2 lac baby are born and 7.5 crore population is increased
every year on the earth resources (not applicable in African countries). Population explosion insixties terrorized the world and Paul Alliech wrote a book on population Bomb. It was1650 million in
1900, 2000m in 1927, 3000m in 1959, 4000m in 1974, 5000m in 1987, 6000m in 1999 and 7000m
in 2011. But the population control policy of India, china and many other countries of the word haveled decrease in birth rate of the world population. The fertility rate of India has decreased from 5
percent in 1971 to 2.54in 2011, though the word growth rate is 2.1 percent (has been appreciatedby UN Secretary too). The population might further decrease and one of the reasons is the girls are
not willing to become a mother. It is true in case of Europe, East Asia, North America andCaribbean islands. Even than it has again become a problem for developing world that the birthrate has decreased but the population is increasing. Europe is having low birth rate and elder’spopulation is high and by 2050 every 7th person will be of 80 years in Italy and Germany andhence, the young population will be less and pressures will be more. More Population is notdangerous for environment but more use is dangerous. The countries’ having more population ispoor but less resources and has low level of resources and hence have lees effect onenvironment. The rich countries 50 crore people is 7 percent of world population but produces 50
percent of the greenhouse gases and 50 percent of the world population are poor and produces
only 7 percent greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gases produced by a American or European
person is more than an African village. Hence low as well as high population is equally harm-full forenvironment.
Efforts against Global Warming
It was really the Rio Summit in 1992 and to some extent the earlier Stockholm conference in 1972,
advocated as new paradigm of Eco-development under the chairmanship of Maurice Strong, thathighlighted the price that societies, locally and globally were paying for the kind of economic growthand development being pursued, and brought the concern for environment in focus of the global
agenda. John Mac Conela of Sanfransisco suggested in 1969, 21st March as Earth Day in
UNESCO Conference but alternatively, 22nd April was considered as earth day. The Ozone hole,acid rain, nuclear other toxic wastes, chemical and pesticide industries, the fear of global warming,
pollution of rivers and oceans, deforestation and the accompanying soil erosion, and the loss of
bio-diversity, are just a few highlights of the development model sweeping across the globe.
However, last two decades has witnessed a number of global, national, regional and local
conferences to ponder over the issue of environment and climate change which have resulted insome important international protocols in order to find out some decisive solutions. The mega earth
Summit-1992 &2002, Montreal protocol-1987, Kyoto protocol-1997, Copenhagen Accord-2009,
Cancun conference -2010 etc., are a few glaring examples which shows serious concern of the
global community. Among these only Kyoto Protocol on Ozone depletion was result oriented withlegal international binding. The West does not want to shoulder its responsibility as it would
hamper its prosperity. Clean/green technology is costly and is monopoly of developed West is notwilling to transfer/help to developing world.

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Climate Change and Environment
The growth of population coupled with uneven economic development is imposing environmental
degradation and exploitation of natural resources. Many of our indigenous valuable floral, faunaland physical resources are on the verge of extinction. Vehicular emission and industrialization
have added toxic gases to the atmosphere resulting health hazards, global warming
warm
and climatechanges. The earth in terms of resources and expending number of users of these diminishing
resources today emerges as the most serious question for the generations to come.
Climate change is likely to:• 15 to 200 crore people displacement with in the country and out of the nation.
• 75 percent of the earnings will be spent on food while generally it is 40 percent• 50 percent increase in malnutrition of 5years and below children• 80 percent increase in extreme environment
environm
events- flood, cyclone, earth quake,disasters, etc.(10--18 percent torrential rainfall has already increased)• 20 percent decrease in global GDP• 1.5 lac people died in 2000.
• 07 percent decrease in water for irrigation.
• 18 percent desiccation in drinking water.
• 20 percent decline in agro products.
• 25 percent increase in natural disasters.
• 30 percent increase in temperature (Ocean temperature increased by 02*c during last
40 years)• 2.5*c temperature will be high by 2050.
• 5.5m glaciers
ers will melt after 50 years.
• One Carbon credit is equal to one ton emission of (CO2)Carbon dioxide
Environment, etymologically means surrounding is the sum total of all external conditions andinfluence affecting the life and development of organisms. Mo
Most
st of the people associate it witheither animals, scenic visitor or with pollution, sanitation and wastes. But, the environment is theentire assemblage of natural resources from which people draw their sustenance and which
provides all raw materials for industrial and agricultural production. Changes in environment,
therefore, affect people’s lives .It emerged in the form of resource degradation and environmental
pollution. Today the world has grown smaller people have become almost one community. Political
Politic
and military alliances have created large multinational groups; industry and international trade haveproduced a global economy worldwide, communications are eliminating ancient barriers of15

distance, language and race. We also being drawn to gather by the grave problems we face: over
population, industrial development, dwindling natural resources and environmental crisis thatthreatens our air, water and trees, along with beautiful life forms on the small planet we share.
Environmental Challenges
The control of environmental pollution and or degradation is the main issue. Due to adoption ofmodern means of science and technology, the man is modifying the environment according to his
own need and requirements. The Euro-centric model of development is synonymous with theeconomic growth, led by rapid industrialization, mass production and mass consumption of energy.
This paradigm has opened Pandora box and led the world to devastating degradation of
ecosystem. With the results the ecological system has mostly been jeopardized. The existence oflife has been put into danger. Both the natural and cultural hazards have forced the large scale
environmental degradation and ultimately ecological imbalances. The natural hazards included
floods, droughts, desertification, water erosion and atmospheric pollution while cultural hazards
include over population slums, poverty, deforestation and pollution; the environmental degradation
is increasing the trends in desertification and waste land and deteriorating the agricultural products
even in such areas where once the flourishing lands were found. There are so many facts about
earth climate which are not disputed; these are sea level rise, global temperature rise, warming
oceans, shrinking ice caps, declining Arctic sea ice, glacial retreat and ocean acidification. Climate
impact had mostly on agriculture, glacial retreat, coral reefs bleaching, health etc.

Impacts of Global Warming
The global environment is facing a number of problems due to increasing biotic pressure,
deforestation, over exploitation of land resources and pollution. The environmental degradation canbe observed in the form of soil erosion decreasing productivity of agricultural land, climaticchanges, lack of forests and forest products, decreasing capacity of pastures etc. Not only thesebut the pollution is at the all time high, has not only polluted the earth but affected the upper strata
as well by creating a hole in the ozone(O3) layer. It may have serious implications on the humanhealth, his activities and plants. It may also reduce crop yields significantly. Every year more than
1000 animals’ species and 20,000 flowering plant species are in danger of existence and morethan one third of the known bio-species have already been lost. A number of planning’s andtechnological, polluted inputs used for human welfare are becoming an environmental problems
due to the population explosion, illiteracy, poverty, economic and social inequality, materialistic andconsumption oriented life system and the industrialization has polluted the total environment.
Hence, the useful life saving system has been narrow down and poisoned.

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•

Earlier the effects were limited to wildlife, plants and natural landscape only but now a days
the environmental degradation, Physical and Chemical pollution and resource deteriorationis seen clearly everywhere.
• The human economic activities have affected the 20,000 crore hectare land bought under
agricultural uses. It has lost 2 crore Sq. Km. area, which is more than the present
agricultural area.
• The human activities such as-construction, mining, soil erosion, desertification and salinity
take away as much as 50,000 to 70,000 Sq. Km. agricultural land every year.
• Erosion alone takes away 250 crore tones of soil every year. We have already lost 5 lac sq.
km. area of cultivated and pasture lands under desertification.
•
Every year the urbanization, in the developing world, take away 3,000 Sq. km. area.
• Carbon-di-oxide (CO2) has increased by 36 lac tones while the 24 lac tones oxygen (O2)
has been lost from our environment. The temperature is increasing and the problem ofgreen house effect is felt.
•
Ozone (O3) layer has lost 7 percent over the Antarctica environment and it may further
loose in the coming year.
Third most deteriorating effect of industrialization is, ‘Acid Rains’ which has imbalanced thetotal environmental system. About 40 percent of the total permanent water supplying drainage isconverted into waste lands. Every year more than 60 lac ha forests are cut down for various
purposes. So, we are losing 100-200 crore tones oxygen (O2) every year. According to the ‘Red
Data Book’, 400 Birds, 138 Amphibians, 305 mammals and 193 fish species and sub-species arein danger. Similarly 25,000 plant species are also in danger. According to another reportapproximately 20,000 plant species and 900 animals’ species of chordate group are in danger.
The ecological imbalance and environmental Issues are perceptible in the form of excessive siltload in river channels and torrents during rains, eroded and denuded hills as a consequence toover grazing, low percentage area under forest cover with much less density then optimum,
gradual disappearance of humans from forests, lack of natural regeneration, drying of perennial
springs and early drying of ephemeral springs, reduction in miscellaneous and broad-leaved
species with ecological retrogression, an increase landslides, rock falls and debris, wild life is being
fast exterminated and both man and environment are becoming poorer.
Global Warming and Population
In 1992 in the U.S. alone 14 million crimes were reported. Murder rates tripled in Germany, drug
related crimes doubled in Denmark and Norway and 30 fold in Japan, such are the integral part ofthe development model selected. Schumacher was one of the first economists in the U.K. whoraised the voice against the kind of development and economic development taking place in thewest. He observed, “How can one argue that American economy is efficient if it uses 40 percent of
the world’s primary resources to support 6 percent of the world’s population without any observable
improvement. Improvement is the level of human happiness well-being and peace? Barbara ward
too wrote about the bankruptcy of over development concept and processes. As early as 1962, shewrote, “The gap between the rich and the poor has become inevitably the most tragic and urgent
problem of our day”. According to the U.N.D.P. report “The richest fifth have 84.7 percent of
G.N.P., 84.2 percent of world trade, 85.5 percent of world savings and 85 percent of domestic
investment. The poorest fifth have 1.4 percent of GNP, 0.9 percent of world trade, 0.7 percent ofdomestic savings and 0.9 percent of domestic investment and is spite of the Rio Conference
pointing out the global and environmental dangers of such disparities and inequalities, and in spiteof the world forum agreeing to the need for urgent action. Nothing concrete has happened. In factglobally, the poor become poor and rich countries richer. While, India has one of the highest
numbers of milliners, there are also millions who are barely surviving.
Pollution
Air pollution is one of the main avoidable causes of disease and death globally. It causes 8 million
deaths/yr which increased fourfold across the globe and China and India are by far the worst

17

affected countries. About 4.3 million deaths each year, most of developing countries, areassociated with exposure to household (indoor) air pollution. A further 3.7 million deaths a year are
attributed to ambient (outdoor) air pollution. According to World Health Organization about 60
percent deaths are accounted only in China and India in particular is chaemia, myocardial
infarction, stoke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancers. Apart from carbon dioxide,
methane 18 percent chlorofluorocarbon 14 percent is responsible for global warming. Methane isincreasing at the rate of 1 percent, Nitrous oxide 0.25 percent and chlorofluorocarbon 5 percent per
year. According to Japan Govt. reports America produces 22.2 percent, China 14 percent, Russia
6.6 percent, Japan 4.9 percent, India 4.2 percent, Germany 3.6 percent, England 2.3 percent andother countries emit 42.6 percent carbon dioxide. If it continues the temperature will rise by 2.5 to
5.8*c in 2100. The temp has already increased by 0.6 percent in the present century. Glaciers are
melting specially in the Himalayan region.
Table 1: Growth in CO2 Emission during Last Five Years
Sr. No. Country
Growth percent
Emission crore tons
1
China
44
239.5
2
India
43
59.6
3
Russia
02
44.9
4
Japan
01
33.6
5
America- 11
140.3
Source: Earth Policy institute, 2014.
Global Warming and Oceans
A few days back 500 billion tones glacier block broke away in Larson Sea of Antarctica. Thismelting may increase up to 5 meter sea level. So, we have to reduce greenhouse gases 60.-70
percent at the level of 1990, below the level of 5.2 percent. Otherwise the 50 percent population
will be effected by floods, sea water level will rise the salinity on productive land will increase as
well ground water salinity too. Many islands will go down and coastal settlements will be
submerged as produce environmental refugees. It is expected that low laying coastal systems arevulnerable to sea level rise and storm surge-the Arctic, Africa Small Islands, and Asian and African
mega deltas. India is supplying even drinking water to Maldives islands through ships and planes
where the water scarcity has already been felt in November, 2014. It is understood that theincreasing sea level might grow to merge Maldives, Fiji, Tuvalu, Kiriviti, Vanuatu, etc islands.
According to the ISRO and Indian Water Commission from1989-91to 2004-06, during the last 15
years India has lost about 250 sq km. to sea as per satellite studies. Though, during this we got
177 sq. km. coastal area, however, we lost about 73 sq. km. land area. The cyclone of 1999,
tsunami of 2004 and many more natural hazards are understood to be due to global warming. The
sea level is rising by 3.2mm per year due to climate change. At present about 10 crore people areresiding above 1000mm of sea level and according to IPCC if the sea level may rise about 203 to
406 mm by 2090 with respect to 1990.
Table 2: Per capita CO2 Emission in the World (tons) 2011.
Sr. No.
Country
Per Capita Emission
percent to world Average
1.
America
16.94
376.4
2.
China
5.92
131.1
3.
France
5.04
111.1
4.
Sweden
4.75
104.4
5.
Mexico
3.96
88.9
6.
India
1.41
31.1
7.
Bangladesh
0.36
8.9
WORLD
4.5
100.0
Source: International Energy Agency, 2011.

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According to the Central Pollution Control Board of India the capital city Delhi 32 percent
children had inhaling problem while in rural areas it is 18.2 percent in 2008. Not only this but 43.5
percent school goers had lungs problem and hence low efficiency while it is 25.7 percent in rural
areas.
Table 3: Carbon dioxide Emission by Different Countries in the World
Sr. No
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

CountryUSA
China
RussiaJapan
India
Germany
England
Other Countries

Percentage of the world
22.2
14.0
6.6
4.9
4.2
3.6
2.3
42.2

Source: International Energy Agency, 2015.
Not only this but pollution is more dangerous than any other problems at preset in the world
which kills more than 8.8 million people while others are such as- smoking kill 6.2 million, 1.2
million, mal nutrition, 3.4million T.B./malaria/HIV, 3.1million road accidents and 0.5 million people
killed in riots every year (Global Allianz of Health and Pollution, WHO) and most of them come fromdeveloping and poor countries. About 8.5 million kids are killed by pollution in the world and 3000
are killed in Delhi alone while 0.5 million are die in India alone. More than 400 million people inIndia are suffering from pollution based diseases- heart, lungs, cancer, and many more. According
to WHO report 2014 the air pollution is increasing at its poisonous level and environment isdeteriorating day by day which commonly take away three years of an INDIANS life, hence it has
been put in the list of most polluted countries of the world. The Scientists of University of Chicago,
Howard and Yale have warned that 66 crore people are residing in unhygienic conditions where air
pollution is beyond the standard. If India could manage to control the pollution we can increase 3.2
years of life of each Indian and ultimately saving 250 crore years of life. Due to this pollution the
productivity will decrease and disease will increase and ultimately increase in health expenditure.
The Albido will be changed and sky will become blue to WHITE. As per air quality index of WHO,
World Bank, 6.20 lac people due to pollution, 6.60 crore people inhale polluted air, which cause 23
percent children’s death. The death rate is 154.8 persons per thousand due to pollution. The
market of air purifiers is increasing at the rate of 50 percent annually. It is clear that 13 Indian cities
are included among the twenty most polluted cities of the world where particulate matter 2.5 levelsin the air is more than 60 microgram/m3Table 4: India's most polluted cities and their level
Sr. No.

Name of the city

Particulate matter 2.5 microgram/m3 (60+)

1
Delhi
2
Patna
3
Gwalior4
Raipur5
Ahmadabad
6
Lucknow
7
Firozabad
8
Kanpur
9
Amritsar
10
Ludhiyana
11
Allahabad
12
Agra
13
KhannaSource: Global Allianz of Health and Pollution, WHO

153
149
144
134
100
96
96
93
92
91
88
88
88

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It is not the vehicles’ on the road pollute (5 percent) India but the contribution of the
production of power is maximum (14 percent), followed by other natural factors (11 percent),
industrial pollution (7 percent), fossil fuel (7 percent) and agriculture contribute (6 percent) only intotal pollution as per Nature Magazine. To control the pollution we have to increase carbon stock
which is stored by plants during their survival and left out when a three is cut down hence
environmental imbalance is created. According to Forest Survey of India Report, 2013, Arunachal
Pradesh has 527.45 Million m3 Uttarakhand 492.42 m m3 is second, third is Chhattisgarh with
423.42 and 384.17 is Karnataka and J&K is fifth with 377.25 mm3 Carbon Stock. Most of the rivers
are polluted and their number is increasing day by day. In 2009, 121 Indian rivers were polluted
which increased to 275 in 2015 by increasing the disposable west from 38000 MLD to 62000 MLD.
Health and Climate
Nowadays we are use to for electronic goods and electronic waste is increasing but its unsafe
disposal is dangerous. This waste is mostly from manufacturing sector 13 percent, domestic waste
is 16 percent and 71 percent comes from government departments and industrial areas out of
which only 1.5 percent is recycled, 8 percent is waste disposal in public places and remaining 90.5
percent is in unorganized sector. Most of this electronic waste is disposed by the people residing inslums who are unknown to its after effects hence 76 percent workers are ill and unhealthy.
Global Warming and Climate Change
The use of fertilizers to increase production emits carbon dioxide and coal, petrol, gases etc also
jointly produce 2 billion carbon dioxide. Chlorofluorocarbon produces 14000 times more heat thanthe carbon dioxide. The relative concentration of green house gases is CO2- 60 percent, CH4- 20
percent, CFC -14 percent, N2O- 6 percent. The concentration of CO2 in the environment increased
from 280 PPM to 368 PPM from 1956 to 2001. In the coming year the hot wave will be common in
England and snow fall in Dubai hills. The affects of global warming is continued in the Himalaya as
early as 1842, but it has increased after 1971 seriously. Glaciers are reducing very fast in J&K,
H.P. Uttarakhand, Nepal, Tibet and China. The Gomukh glacier was receding at the 7.3 meter
since 1935 and after 1971 it receded 34 meters per annuam and today it has gone 19 km. back. As
such, the effect of climatic change has not been mapped out. However, the World Bank Staffers
estimated that environmental damage in India amounted Rs.34000 crore each year. Increase in there-occurrence of floods, droughts, cyclones, rainfall feathers change, unprecedented heavy
snowfall in USA (15, Dec, 2010) and in W. Europe (03.01.11) blocked the life too. Volcanic smoke
also paralyzed life in the W. Europe, heavy rainfall in northern India in the year 2010, 2013
Uttarakhand, 2014 J&K, disturbed the system during rainy season and in 2015 heavy rainfall during
March- April not only disturbed the normal life due to flood but created a problem of food security
by destroying crops vegetables and fruits and their flowers too. It is also under stood that above
5500 m. only snowfall occurs but due to global warming and climatic changes it rains and even as
early as in November, 2014 and in early 2015 the white disaster occurred in America and so on.
Climate Change & Food Security
The contemporary world in general and India in particular, is facing a new kind of security
challenge due to deteriorating stock of food grain and fast depleting water resources. 52 percent
land has lost its productivity due to heavy use of fertilizers, pesticides and lack of water
management practices. Land is losing Zink, iron, magnesium, sulphate costing Rs. 520028400
crore. According to the Soil and Land use survey organization 131.15 lac hectares in U.P., 41.62
lac hectares are in Haryana, 32 lac hectares are in Punjab and 19.14 lac in H.P. land eroded andlost fertility. As much as 1736.40 lac hectares are land (52.85) is losing productivity due to salinity,
water logging, deforestation and crop rotation. Water logging and soil salination has wiped out
great civilization. Babylonian civilization in the present day in Iraq and once flourished Mohanjodaro
civilization came to an end when the river floods brought about water logging. Uncontrolled
application of water, pesticides, herbicides, weedicides and fertilizers have begun the land to goout of production and changed the food chain and habitats. Apart from this Lantana, Partheneium,

20Eupatorium, water Hyacinth- are steadily populating our forests and grasslands have threatened
not only livestock and crop genetic resources but flora and fauna as well.
Global Warming and Agriculture
The share of agriculture in GDP as sharply declined from 61 percent in 1950-51 to 24.2 percent in
2001-02 and 13.9 percent in 2013-14, whereas the dependence of the population has only
marginally declined from 77 percent to 69 percent and 56 percent during the period. Agriculture
sector provides employment to 56.7 percent of the national work force, which is the single largest
private sector occupation. Agriculture accounts for 14.7 percent of total export earnings andprovides raw materials to a large number of industries. Spectacular achievements have been madepossible through the expansion of irrigation facilities, increase in net sown area, land reforms, useof high yielding variety seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides, farm machines, infrastructuredevelopment etc. The size of holdings has reduced from 2.28 hectare in 1970-71 to 1.57 hectare in
1990-91. So, the pressure on per unit of land has increased by 2.25 times. Per capita availability ofagricultural land in the country has declined to 0.14 hectare in 2000 from 0.48 ha in 1950, which is
projected to be 0.1 hectare by 2025. Therefore it is a must to evolve new approach or paradigm
shift in agricultural development by raising the productivity of land and water in a manner which issustainable over the longer term.
Global Warming and Water Resources
Regarding the water resources, oceans covers 70.8 percent area up to the depth of 3.8 km. andhas 97.6 percent water of geo-sphere- 1400 million qm3. Land cover 29.2 percent area and 2.4
percent of total water – of this 78 percent is locked in glaciers, 21 percent as ground water and only
1 percent as surface water, humidity, soil moisture etc. 45 percent of the rain water is lost in sea
and 20 percent percolates into ground and remaining 35 percent is lost by evaporation in India.
Global warming will affect the precipitation pattern all over the globe. world’s most dramatic
monsoon occurs in India .due to increased temperature South Asian Monsoon will become
stronger with 20.0 percent increase in rainfall in Eastern India by 2050 &10.0 percent reduction in
rainfall is expected in sub Saharan African areas and yield from such areas will reduce up to 50.0
percent by 2020. In case of annual crop, the duration between sowing and harvesting will shorten,which will lead to decrease in productivity. Yield of crops like-mustered, bajara, wheat, rice cornsoybean, and barley will decline by 3.0 to 5.0 percent for every one degree of temperature
increase. Higher temperature, humidity, and increased rainfall will increase infection of fungal,
bacterial diseases and pests on crops. Further, the adaptive capacity of dry land farmers, forest
dwellers, fisher folk and nomadic shepherds is very low. The IPCC, in its report 2007, predicts thata 2.7-4.3*C temperature will increase over India by the 2080. The panel also predicated anincrease in rainfall over the Indian sub-continent by 6-8 percent and that the sea level rise by 88cm
by 2100.
Global Warming and Sea
Due to global warming the sea water level might rise up to 7 meters in coming centuries. If
Greenland’s 3000 meter thick glacial belt melts due to global warming the New York & Tokyo cities
will submerge in the sea. It is estimated that the Greenland glaciers are rapidly melting, if it
continuous to melt in the coming centuries the water level might rise up to 7 meters. Centre forInternational Climate & Environment Research, at Oslo, specialist Pal Parturd says that today themain problem is Antarctica melting snow will create a problem. Today, the only alternative is tominimize the greenhouse gases. Researchers feel that due to global warming the Siberian ice ismelting and freezed greenhouse gases are coming out to increase the temperature. Due to theenvironmental dryness & heat the Amazon basin rain forest are decreasing. Expert Stefen
Ramsforb at Postdum Institute for Climate Effect Research & expert in sea waves said any short ofnegligence with environment should be taken as an accident of Atomic power plant. If the cold
water wave starts moving towards north Atlantic the temperature might further go down instead ofincreasing.

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STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Global Conservation and Forests
National forests are working assets especially in tropical countries. They absorb rain water andrelease it gradually into streams/ rivers and lakes, thereby extending water availability into the dry
season when it is most needed. They also act as reservoirs, absorbing monsoon rainfall, checking
the impact of torrential rainfall and thus preventing floods. World watch Institute, (paper 117, Alen
Thein Dec. 1993,) that in India, forest provided water regulation and flood control valued at U.S.
dollar 72 billion per year, 20 percent GDP. Every year destroyed forest lost could have provided 0.8
percent GDP per year. The right choice today is to make forest conservation our foremost national
policy. When conventional and economists calculates the value of a 50 year old• tree- timber is 50 thousand,• while, it contributes during its lifetime Rs. 124030 worth of oxygen,• Rs. 2480000 in recycling value,• Rs. 2480000 worth of air pollution reduction and•
Rs. 1240000 in erosion control,
Totaling to Rs. 6440000 along with contribution in terms of climate precipitation, pest control, andmaintenance of sustainable health and preservation of all life components. After independence
India has lost 89232 billion due to soil degradation. India loses more than 10 percent of its GDP on
account of destruction and degradation of the countries natural resources.
Green Bonus
The third world countries and tropical regions are having more forest area which helps incontrolling the clime change absorbing the carbon. But due to population growth anddevelopmental goals these countries are having more pressure on forests hence, losing forests. To
achieve developmental goals these countries must be provided green bonus by virtue of forest
conservation/ preservation which help in carbon absorption. India has 690899 sq. km. forest area
and conserve 60 million tons carbon each year and Uttarakhand has 24.50 thousand sq.km forest.
From 1995 to 2005, 6047 million tons carbon was absorbed and hence, demand for green bonus isviable from the developed countries where forests are already existed. It is increasing at the rate of
138 million tons.
Table 5: Carbon Absorption by Indian state forests
Sr. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

State
Arunachal Prad.
Uttarakhand
Maharastra
Karnataka
Chhatishgarh
J&K
Andhra Pradesh
OdishaHimachal Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh

Absorption (m.t)
567.205
481.006
440.698416.889404.450375.133
370.765358.815342.460
342.767

Source: Forest Survey of India, 2015.
Community action and India on Climate Change
India’s approach to the negotiations is fully anchored in the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. As apart of voluntary action to address climate change related concerns, India launched its National
Action Plan on Climate Change on 30 June 2008. It outlines a national strategy that aims at
enabling the country adapt to Climate Change and enhances the ecological sustainability of India’s
development. ‘The Green India’ project launched to cover six million hectare of degraded
forestland through aforestation measures, is an important contribution to the objectives of National
Action Plan. Meeting of National Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Authority are periodically22held. India, being vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change, is very conscious of its global
responsibilities towards climate as also the need to minimize adverse effects of climate change on
its large population. Though, India’s total carbon dioxide emission are about 4 percent of total
global CO2 emission, India is committed to contribute to climate protection by de-coupling the
growth of its emission from the increasing economic development. India’s energy intensity of
production has been falling with improvement in energy efficiency, autonomous technologicalchanges and economical use of energy. India’s climate modeling studies show that its per capita
emission will be around 2-2.5 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents by 2020 and around 3.3-5 tons by
2030 as compared to around1-1.2tons presently. Prime Minister has already stated that India will
never allow its per capita emission to exceed that of developed countries.
The climate change is a real problem and that it is here today. India is highly vulnerable tothe impacts of a human- induced climate change in the coming years. And in the event of suchcatastrophes occurring, there is a strong belief in the Indian fraternity that we will be paying
for sins committed by others. The industrialized countries are squarely, categorically, andexclusively responsible for climate change, Prodipto Ghosh, 2005. Developing countries are
not and will not be significant contributors to the problem for a long time. India is doing enough tocombat this problem. In terms of per capita emission of the green house gases that may cause
climate change, India is less than one quarter of the global average and is less than one-twentiethof the US per capita emission. Policies that encourages sifts in energy use from coal to natural gas,promotion of renewable energies and the adoption of more efficient technologies in the industrial
sector have been put in place to curtail growth in the rate of green house gases emission. Despite
its economic growth, India is facing seriously sustainability challenges including inequitable income
distribution, ecological degradation and depletion of natural resources. In this rural development is
the key to successfully overcoming these challenges, which can become more serious due toclimate change. The partnership between different actors like local and district administration,village community, NGOs, forest and allied departments, private investors etc. will ultimately resultin win-win situation for all.
1. There are some limitations for each and every human being which should not be crossed.
Such as- climate change, biodiversity and nitrogen cycle limits are under threat and thefour others should not be disturbed for the survival of life are phosphorus cycle, use ofwater resources, salinity and acidity of oceans, and land use change of the earth. We areon the tipping point and beyond that there might be serious changes which will not bereversible. We have to plan for sustainable development of the universe. To save the life
over the universe the scientist (1575) of the word has appealed not to change the lifesaving system of the universe. Change by not wasting electricity, using efficient electricaldevices and opting for public transport, thereby reducing the level of unnecessary
greenhouse gases emissions.
2. proper use of natural resources by R3- reduce, reuse, recycle, don’t waste energy, reduce
your carbon footprints and use eco friendly products, prevent fire, save habitats and biodiversity.
3. Use second generation bio-fuel and agricultural waste: - by using new technology waste
woods be changed through breaking cellulose into liquid. It might become true in near
future.
4. Carbon container techniques: to store the carbon of power plants & refineries undergroundinstead of leaving freely to the environment, so as to reduce the global worming many
governments of the world planning towards.
5. Wind Energy: 30 percent of the world energy could be produced and environment may besaved from pollution and energy crisis.
6. Solar Energy: More than the world production of energy could be collected from solar
energy. We have to invest is Solar Panels to collect energy to protect environment & savemoney.
7. Domestic Micro generator: The produced energy could be used for household use &heating water etc.

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8Renovation of old buildings environment friendly- proper ventilation could save energy andprotect greenhouse gases emersion by 80 to 90 percent.
9 Separation of Carbon from burned coal- charcoal from agricultural waste burning, coalmade by burnings waste could be saved for 100 years.
10 Tidal Energy: Tidal and wave energy could be produced at a low carbon level. The energy
production system extract energy from waves is 50 meter deep water. The gravitationalpart is connected to sea water base and electric upper part. Neodymium-iron produced
gravity, produces energy on electric coil by pressing forward & backward.
11 Biogas Use- Wastage Methane gas may be produced to use biogas.

Conclusion
John Mac Conela of Sanfransisco suggested in 1969, 21 March as EARTH DAY in UNESCO
conference but ultimately 22 April was considered as EARTH DAY. We need to have a newparadigm of development, holistic and ecological in its approach. We need to shift from analysis tosynthesis from linear to non-linear thinking, from reductionism to holism, a shift from alienation tocommunity embeddedsness. With such an approach, development, ecology and religion meet. As
Gandhi remark “The whole Gamut of man’s activities today constitutes an individual whole” youcannot divide social, economic and religious work in water tight compartments- the spiritual law
does not work in a field of its own but express itself through ordinary activities of life. Let us listen to
Gandhi- “A man who was far ahead of his times”. According to Mahatma Gandhi ‘Nature hasenough to meet everyone’s need, but no one's greed’. Hence “we must think globally and act
locally”. Let us make conservation a habit and follow the three green rules-Reduce, Reuse andRecycle (3 R) for saving our lovely planet, the earth. We need to understand that situation with ourenvironment is rapidly moving from bad to worse and if immediate efforts are not made, we mightcome to a situation where nothing can be done in the matter. One needs to truly understand andaccept his duties towards the environment and act towards it every day to make a change andsave the environment.
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