All about the State of the Global Climate report:
Important Aspects of the State of the Global Climate Report:
- With a range of error of ±0.12 °C, the average temperature increase from pre-industrial levels has been 45 °C.
- The increase in temperature is almost reaching the 5 °C limit that several countries have agreed upon.
- According to the WMO study, 2023 broke several records and was by far the warmest year ever.
Records indicating an increase in sea temperature:
- glacier retreat
- The Antarctic’s declining ice cover
- Global sea level rise
- 2023 marked the highest recorded amount of ocean heat content, with ocean temperatures hitting a record high.
- Ocean current system known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is slowing down.
- In 2023, the average sea surface temperature (SST) reached a new high globally, with several months surpassing earlier records by notable amounts.
- The average daily coverage of marine heatwaves over the world’s oceans was 32%, significantly higher than the previous record of 23% set in 2016.
- Extreme weather phenomena including heat waves, deluges of rain, and tropical cyclones have become more common.
- The production of renewable energy increased dramatically in 2023, with additions to renewable capacity rising by nearly 50% over the year before.
Causes of environmental degradation:
- Industrial advancements since the middle of the 18th century
- Mechanisation and technological advances have been the main forces behind this advancement across all industries.
- Since the Industrial Revolution, there has been a significant increase in the use of natural resources for the purpose of advancing society.
- Natural resource usage has fueled progress at the expense of the environment.
- The dependence of energy needs on natural resources has had a significant impact on the climate.
- The usage of fossil fuels has resulted in significant greenhouse gas emissions, which have raised global temperatures directly.
- The Paris Agreement calls for limiting the increase in temperature to no more than 2 °C over pre-industrial levels and working towards a maximum of 5 °C.
- It developed into an international treaty with legal force.
Additional climate action:
Actions taken by India:
- Climate Change National Action Plan (NAPCC)
- Specifically, the National Solar Mission (NAPCC).
- The National Green Hydrogen Mission is firmly committed to the plan for energy transition.
The Way Ahead:
- The WMO report emphasises the need for coordinated public response, like to that which transpired during the COVID-19 epidemic.
- The WMO report should cause a wake-up call for all of mankind during this election season, but especially for all political parties.
- Concerns about climate change voiced by the UN, WMO, and scientific community should spur political parties of all stripes to clarify their plans of action.
- Political parties need to make a commitment to raising public understanding of climate change and outlining specific actions that will help slow down global warming.
- Political parties must to outline the actions they plan to take to lessen global warming’s effects on India.
- The demands placed on India’s leadership about climate change initiatives will be closely monitored if the country is to take its proper place in the international order and be recognised as a true world power in the “Amrit Kaal.”
- The media plays a critical role in drawing attention to the negative environmental effects of traditional voting procedures while also highlighting creative, environmentally friendly alternatives.
- Adopting environmentally friendly election procedures can assist India in serving as a model for other democracies globally.
