ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF GLOBALWARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN INDIA

Author: Seema Ghatak

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5555/book.001.07

Abstract:
Global warming or climate change refers to the variation in the earth’s global climate or in regional climates over time. The term describes changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years.The global environment is changing with the buildup of various gases in the atmosphere. Carbon oxides, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and many other gases are produced by burning of fossil fuels, by deforestation, by modern agricultural practices and operations etc. The increase in the atmospheric concentration of these gases has created number of problems like green house effect, acid rain and depletion of ozone layer. These changes are very dangerous to the human health. The environmental change would mean hotter summer, colder winter, rise in sea level (melting of ice and glaciers), change in monsoon pattern, extinction of bio-diversity, devastating floods etc. After Independence, Government of India launched a series of economic plans for rapid expansion in agriculture, industry, transport and other infrastructure, with a view to increase production and employment, to reduce poverty and inequality of income and wealth and to establish a socialistic society based on equality and justice. Due to high degree of modernization, mindless and ruthless exploitation of natural resources, we ended up degrading our environment, spoiling our climate, soil, water and all biotic factors. Thus, India got caught in a vicious circle and degradation of environment got hastened due to more pressure of increasing agricultural production. The problem of pollution is the degradation of natural capital. Natural capital consists of forests, minerals, soil etc. As a result of increase in production there is depreciation of physical capital, i.e., machine, etc. Man makes provision for its replacement. But the depreciation or degradation of natural capital is not cared for.
Key words: Climate change, Global warming, Ozone hole.

References

• 1
  Aaron Cosby, Warren Bell, and John Dershane, ‘International Climate Change Cooperation and Sustainable Economic Growth: Summary’,
• 2
  International Institute for Sustainable Development, at http:// www.iisd.org/pdf/2005/climate_economic_growth
  _sum.pdf.
• 3
  Bhattacharya., Rabindra, 2014, Environmental Economics, Oxford University Press, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi.
• 4
  Datta and Sundaram, 2013, Indian Economy, S. Chand Publishing, Ram Nagar, New Delhi.
• 5
  Lekhi, R.K., 2007, Development and Environmental Economics, Kalyani Publishers, Rajinder Nagar, Ludhiana.
• 6
  Misra, S.K. and Puri, V.K., 2006, Economics of Development and Planning, Himalaya Publishing House, Girgaon, Mumbai.
• 7
  Puri, V.K. and Misra, S.K., 2013, Indian Economy, Himalaya Publishing House, Gurgaon, Mumbai.
• 8
  United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, at http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/ conveng.pdf.