Climate Change

After the record-breaking rains that led to extreme floods in May and June 2022, Assam is reeling under drought. In this article, we analyse various human-induced and geological factors contributing to this calamity. While the government is pushing for more connectivity through roads and railways coupled with flood control through dams and embankments over the fragile ecology, these measures may have turned against the people and ecology of the region.

Assam in Northeast India has become more vulnerable than ever as millions have been displaced by floods due to excess pre-monsoon rains followed by a rain deficit. Aiding this vulnerability is a large infrastructure push in these regions primarily by the Central Government. In this article, we report the 2022 floods as the disaster unfolded in the state.

Scientific institutions like IPCC must communicate with the masses for effective climate action.  

There are some welcome allocations and indications of shifts in thinking (e.g. in agriculture and climate). However, overall, environment continues to be a ‘sideshow’ – it is given a few token sops, while in fact financial allocations continue to fuel an economy that is fundamentally unsustainable. 

The Glasgow climate conference has delivered enough to keep the hope alive for meeting the 1.5°C climate goal.

A great hype has been created around the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) at Glasgow. John Kerry, the US climate Czar, has repeatedly called the meeting the world’s “last best chance” to avoid climate hara-kiri. Similar sentiment has been expressed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. More than 100 world leaders attended this climate gala in the first week, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden.

On the first day of the Glasgow climate conference – COP26 – the biggest announcement came from India. Ending speculations on whether India ‘will’ or ‘can’ make a net-zero pledge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country will reach net-zero emissions by 2070. How ambitious are these targets?