By Dr. P. K. Jena in Bhubaneswar, July 15, 2016  : Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) has made an assessment that, by the year 2030, the global warming which causes climate change, may kill 250,000 people per year and in this disaster, India may contribute significantly to global death toll. The WHO further indicates that, most of the death will be caused from deadly diseases like Malaria, Dengue, Cholera, Diarrhoea, Heat stress, and Malnutrition.

The heaviest burden is likely to fall on children, women, and elderly people particularly those belonging to poor families. The WHO has advised various countries including India to give more attention to protect the people from the risk of infectious diseases, poor environmental condition etc. due to climate shift.

Global warming caused due to the release of increasing amounts of green house gases (GHG) like carbon dioxide, methane, sulphur and nitrogen oxides, chlorofluro carbon etc., is the most complex problem being faced by human society in recent years. This is primarily due to various human activities in the industrial, urban, transport and agricultural sectors.

While the global warming due to the natural process has been an extremely slow one, various anthropogenic activities have been facilitating it in a much faster rate. At present, for example, the global cement industries contribute around 6% of green house gases. The cities being the key hubs of the transportation sectors, it is reported that, the transport system alone is responsible for 23% of world’s energy related GHG emission. Out of this, 75% comes from the road vehicles. Similarly, the heavy industries including thermal power plants also contribute quite significant amounts of green house gases.

Since the industrial revolution till date, the earth temperature has gone up by about 1⁰C and it is apprehended that, it may rise between 2⁰C & 6⁰C by the end of the current century, resulting in the melting of glaciers and sea ices, fluctuation in weather, rise in sea level, frequent drought and flood, adverse effect on fresh water resources, environment and human health. These effects have caused a lot of concern for all human beings. In this regard, the effort like the “Kyoto Agreement” between various nations to reduce the emission of green house gases is noteworthy. In order to cut down the rate of global warming, and climate change, the human activities particularly in the industry, mining, transport and urban sectors have to be suitably modified and implemented.

In India, the industrialization and urbanization are taking place at a very fast rate. It has got also a great role to play in controlling the global warming while pursuing developmental programmes for the people in the country. As India has got limited reserves of fossil fuels and as these are mostly responsible for global warming, it is necessary to develop and utilize maximum amounts of renewable energy from resources like biomass, sun, wind, and small hydro power, industrial and urban organic wastes.

At the same time it is necessary to minimize the release of particulate matters and green house gases from the use of fossil fuels by applying better technology.

In view of the serious situation created due to global warming-climate change, the States and Central Governments of India should take various urgent measures to abate and mitigate global warming by mainly implementing the following six programmes.

1)         Reducing the use of fossil fuels and releasing the minimum amounts of green house gases and particulate matters in the industrial, transport and domestic sectors,

2)         Developing renewable energy sources like solar, biomass, wind, small hydro power and nuclear for domestic and commercial purposes,

3)         Applying better technology for conservation of energy resources and releasing less amounts of GHG,

4)         Greening the mining, industrial, barren and urban areas through large scale plantation of fast growing and commercial species,

5)         Keeping the land and water bodies free from wastes and effluents like domestic, commercial and agro wastes, urban sewage, human excreta, animal dung etc., and

6)         Protecting the people from extreme weather events and out breaks of infectious diseases.

• ( Dr. P. K. Jena Former Director General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, India)