Climate change to hit human health, economy, says Punjab Governor

CHANDIGARH: Climate change has posed a serious challenge and scientists believe that rising temperature of the earth will raise sea level, which will affect agriculture, forests, fresh water supply, human health and also the economy.



Expressing these views while giving valedictory address at 13th Punjab Science Congress on a very important theme on "Climate Change : Concerns and solutions", Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Shivraj V Patil said that no country can remain insulated from the dangers posed by the change. The poor and developing countries are particularly vulnerable due to lack of technology and resources and limited ability to afford the cost of adapting to the changing climate.

He said efforts of each individual counts and the time starts now to take action immediately as the nature has its own vengeance, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, climate shifts are claiming thousands of lives every year. "We should join hands to save the planet to save lives. India is also getting affected by drastic climate changes. Increasing number of automobiles and rapid industrialization are adding to this change," he said.

Appreciating the role of Punjab University for showing concern on climate change, Patil said human activity in the form of a greater emission of green house gases such as carbon dioxide is considered to be the primary factor responsible for warming the earth's temperature. According to the fourth assessment report of the Inter Governmental Panel on climate change, the Himalayan glaciers are receding faster than in any part of the world and if the present rate continues than the Himalayan Glacier will likely disappear by 2035.

The Punjab Governor further disclosed that an effective way to check the climate change is to adopt a sustainable development pathway by changing to environmentally sustainable development process and adopting environmentally sustainable technologies with a focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy and conservation of forests and water resource. He said a holistic approach can help in protecting the environment. He mentioned in his speech that today a gentleman met him who wrote a book documenting gurudwaras named after 19 species of trees. He said many of us worship the trees also. Protecting living and non-living things is a super science, he added.

Patil said though the country as a whole is affected by climate change but a predominantly agricultural state like Punjab is more vulnerable to it. Already, the effects of this change are being felt in the state in the form of elevated mean annual temperature, erratic monsoons, depleting ground water table, which are having serious impact on agriculture, food supply, price index, power supply, and the health and socio-economic status of the people. Patil said that the temperature in the arctic circle has drastically risen, which causes melting of the ice-cap there.

The largest single block of Ice which was standing firm for 3000 years, started cracking in the year 2000. Now it is breaking into pieces and one day will disappear. Scientists fear that if this is the rate of melting of the palor Ice cap, then by the end of this century, the arctic could become ice-free. Therefore, it is important to formulate strategies to reduce vulnerability.