Flooded By Climate Change: Will India Sink Or Swim? | Insight | Full Episode

Summary

India, the world's second most populous nation, is grappling with the devastating impacts of climate change, including severe heat waves, droughts, and floods. The monsoon season's intense rainfall has led to widespread flooding, claiming lives and displacing thousands. Experts link the worsening situation to global warming, with climate patterns disrupting agriculture and livelihoods. The country's efforts to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability are under scrutiny, as the poor bear the brunt of these extreme weather events. The script calls for global cooperation to combat climate change and protect vulnerable populations.

Takeaways

• 🌍 India is experiencing extreme weather events such as severe heat waves, droughts, heavy rain, and floods, which are attributed to climate change.
• 💧 Increased rainfall and water levels in rivers have led to devastating floods, causing loss of life, displacement, and destruction of livelihoods.
• 🌡️ Climate change and global warming are believed to be exacerbating the situation, with more intense and prolonged rainfall events overwhelming river and drainage capacities.
• 🌪️ The monsoon season in India, which normally brings necessary rain, has been disrupted, leading to long periods of drought followed by sudden intense rain.
• 🏭 The impact of climate change is evident across India, from Assam in the Himalayas to Mumbai on the western coast, affecting both rural and urban areas.
• 🏠 The poor and marginalized are disproportionately affected by these natural disasters, often losing their homes, farmland, and means of subsistence.
• 📉 Economic costs and human casualties from extreme weather events are significant, with an estimated 5,600 deaths annually, a figure that may be an underestimation.
• 🌊 Floods are a recurrent phenomenon in India, causing significant economic losses, and climate change is intensifying their frequency and severity.
• 🛣️ Unplanned urbanization and destruction of natural barriers like wetlands and mangroves have worsened the impact of flooding in cities like Mumbai.
• 🌳 The government and citizens must work together to address climate change, focusing on sustainable development and environmental conservation.
• 🌿 India has made commitments to the Paris Climate Accord and is taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but challenges remain in balancing economic growth with environmental protection.

Q & A

What are the major climate challenges India is currently facing?

India is experiencing severe heat waves, droughts, heavy rains, and floods. These extreme weather events are linked to climate change and are causing significant damage to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

How is the increased rainfall affecting India's rivers and people?

The very high rainfall is causing rivers to overflow their banks, leading to floods that have resulted in the loss of lives, displacement of thousands, and destruction of homes and livelihoods.

What is the impact of climate change on India's monsoon season?

Climate change has disrupted the monsoon season, leading to long spells of drought followed by intense rainfall within a short period. This has exacerbated flooding and affected agricultural patterns.

How does climate change affect the frequency and intensity of floods in India?

Climate change is causing more extreme rainfall events, leading to sudden flooding. The nature of flooding is changing, with newer areas being affected each year and the extent of flooding increasing.

What are the economic and humanitarian consequences of the floods in India?

The floods have caused significant economic damage, with millions of hectares of cropland submerged and assets destroyed. They have also led to humanitarian disasters, with thousands losing their lives and many more rendered homeless.

How is the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the situation in India?

The COVID-19 pandemic has added to the challenges India is facing, with the country dealing with a surge in infections while also grappling with the aftermath of floods and economic disruptions.

What measures has the Indian government taken to mitigate the impact of floods?

The government has built dams, barrages, levees, and embankments to control water flow. However, experts suggest that these measures are limited and that a more sustainable approach is needed.

What role does urbanization play in the flooding issues in cities like Mumbai?

Unplanned urbanization and destruction of natural barriers like wetlands and mangroves have led to increased flooding in cities like Mumbai. The city's drainage system is also overwhelmed, contributing to the severity of the floods.

How is climate change affecting the frequency and intensity of cyclones in India?

While the number of cyclones may not have changed significantly, their intensity has increased due to climate change. This has led to more severe impacts on coastal regions.

What steps is India taking to meet its commitments under the Paris Climate Accord?

India is ramping up its alternative energy sector, installing solar power, and working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The country is committed to keeping the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius.

What is the potential future impact of climate change on Mumbai?

Studies predict that Mumbai could be at risk of being submerged by 2050 due to rising sea levels and coastal flooding. Immediate steps to protect the environment and restore biodiversity are crucial to prevent this scenario.

Outlines

00:00

🌞 Climate Change Impacts in India

India is grappling with the devastating effects of climate change, experiencing severe heat waves, droughts, heavy rains, and floods. The country's second-most populous status is further complicated by the loss of lives, displacement of thousands, and the destruction of livelihoods. The script discusses the increasing intensity of rainfall and its impact on river systems, leading to floods that have claimed over a thousand lives and left many homeless. The narrative also touches on the economic and humanitarian disaster following lockdowns due to COVID-19, and the challenges of balancing economic growth with climate change mitigation.

05:01

🌧️ The Changing Nature of Floods in India

This paragraph delves into the changing patterns of rainfall and flooding in India. Scientists link the worsening situation to climate change and global warming, noting that while the total annual rainfall may not have changed significantly, the number of rainy days has decreased, leading to more intense and concentrated rainfall events. This results in sudden flooding, affecting areas not typically prone to such disasters. The monsoon season, crucial for India's agriculture, is also disrupted, with long periods of drought followed by short, intense rainfall periods. The human and economic costs are highlighted, with the poor and marginalized bearing the brunt of these natural disasters.

10:21

🏡 Economic Losses and Recurrent Floods

The economic impact of floods in India is underscored in this paragraph, with a focus on the recurrent nature of these disasters and their disproportionate effect on the poor. The narrative discusses the loss of lives, livelihoods, and the economic burden caused by floods, which are estimated to cause 10% of global flood losses. The government's efforts to manage these disasters are highlighted, but the long-term solutions and the need for a more sustainable approach to development are emphasized. The paragraph also touches on the challenges faced by farmers in Assam, whose crops and livelihoods are threatened by annual flooding.

15:33

🌊 Floods and Pandemic: A Double Blow

This paragraph describes the compounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and flooding in India. The script highlights the destruction of crops and the inability to sell livestock due to lack of customers, exacerbating the economic hardships faced by farmers. The government's limited response, in the form of food grain provision, is mentioned, but the overall inadequacy of support is emphasized. The paragraph also discusses the challenges faced by Bihar, a state prone to annual floods, and the impact on the lives and livelihoods of its residents.

20:50

🏙️ Mumbai's Struggle with Flooding

The paragraph focuses on Mumbai, India's financial capital, and its increasing vulnerability to severe flooding due to climate change. The city's unplanned growth, destruction of wetlands and mangroves, and inadequate drainage systems are identified as contributing factors to the flooding. The script predicts that parts of Mumbai could be submerged by 2050 due to rising sea levels and coastal flooding. The narrative calls for immediate steps to protect the environment and restore biodiversity to prevent the city from going underwater.

25:52

🌳 Environmental Degradation and Urbanization

This paragraph discusses the environmental degradation in Mumbai and its impact on the city's ability to cope with flooding. The destruction of natural barriers like wetlands and mangroves, coupled with poor urban planning, has led to increased flooding. The script highlights the need for a change in mindset towards a more sustainable approach to development, emphasizing the importance of living with nature rather than trying to control it. The paragraph also touches on the challenges faced by fishermen and the broader implications of climate change for the city's future.

30:55

🌍 Global Cooperation Needed for Climate Change

The paragraph emphasizes the need for global cooperation in addressing climate change, highlighting that no single nation can tackle the issue alone. The script discusses India's commitment to the Paris Climate Accord and its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for a joint global effort to reduce emissions are underscored. The paragraph also calls for a shift in perspective, prioritizing the environment over economic development at the expense of nature.

35:58

🏗️ India's Infrastructure and Climate Resilience

This paragraph explores India's efforts to build infrastructure like dams, barrages, levees, and embankments to manage water flow and mitigate flood risks. However, experts argue that such measures are limited in their effectiveness and that a more sustainable approach is needed. The script discusses the concept of 'sponge cities' that can absorb and slowly release water, allowing for a more harmonious coexistence with nature. The paragraph also touches on the broader challenges of climate change adaptation and the need for a shift in mindset towards prioritizing the environment.

41:01

🌱 The Path to a Sustainable Future

The final paragraph discusses the challenges and potential paths for India in achieving a sustainable future amidst climate change. The script highlights the need for a global effort to address climate change and the importance of intergenerational responsibility. The narrative underscores the urgency of the situation, emphasizing that the choices made today will impact future generations. The paragraph concludes with a call for collective action and a commitment to finding a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily attributed to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. In the video, it is depicted as the driving force behind the extreme weather events in India, exacerbating conditions like heat waves, droughts, heavy rains, and floods. The script emphasizes the link between climate change and the increasing severity of monsoons, leading to devastating floods and loss of life and livelihoods.

💡Monsoons

Monsoons are seasonal wind patterns that bring heavy rainfall to certain regions, notably South Asia. The video discusses the impact of climate change on the monsoon season in India, which has traditionally occurred from June to September. It highlights how climate change has disrupted this seasonal cycle, causing intense rainfall events that lead to sudden flooding and the inability of rivers and drainage systems to cope with the excess water.

💡Floods

Floods are a natural disaster that occurs when an excessive amount of water overflows onto normally dry land. The script describes the worsening flood situation in India, with increasing intensity and frequency due to climate change. It mentions how floods have caused the loss of lives, rendered thousands homeless, and destroyed agricultural lands, affecting the livelihoods of farmers.

💡Drought

Drought is a period of unusually low precipitation, leading to a shortage of water. The video script contrasts the flooding with long spells of drought in India, illustrating the erratic and extreme weather patterns caused by climate change. Droughts are mentioned as another adverse effect of climate variability, impacting agriculture and leading to food insecurity.

💡Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions are gases released into the atmosphere that trap heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. The script notes India as the world's third-largest emitter of these gases, primarily due to industrialization and urbanization. It discusses the challenge of reducing emissions while maintaining economic growth and the nation's commitment to the Paris Climate Accord targets.

💡Paris Climate Accord

The Paris Climate Accord is an international agreement aimed at combating climate change by limiting global temperature rise and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The video script highlights India's commitment to the accord, which includes ambitious pledges to reduce emissions and transition towards renewable energy sources, such as solar power.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation is the removal of trees and forests, often for agricultural or urban development. The script mentions deforestation as one of the factors contributing to climate change, as well as the destruction of natural barriers like wetlands and mangroves that help mitigate flooding in cities like Mumbai.

💡Urbanization

Urbanization refers to the growth of cities and towns, often at the expense of rural land and natural habitats. The video discusses the unplanned urbanization in Mumbai, which has led to the destruction of natural drainage systems and increased vulnerability to flooding. It also touches on the broader issue of urbanization contributing to climate change through increased emissions and loss of green spaces.

💡Heat Waves

Heat waves are prolonged periods of excessively hot weather, which can be deadly and cause significant strain on ecosystems and human societies. The script describes severe heat waves in India as part of the country's experience with climate change, impacting agriculture, health, and overall quality of life.

💡Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a model of progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video script suggests that India needs to find a sustainable development path that prioritizes the environment and addresses the root causes of climate change, such as reducing emissions and protecting natural ecosystems.

💡Extreme Weather Events

Extreme weather events are severe meteorological occurrences that deviate significantly from the norm, such as intense storms, hurricanes, or droughts. The script emphasizes that climate change has led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of these events in India, causing widespread destruction and displacement.

Highlights

India is experiencing severe climate impacts, including heat waves, droughts, heavy rains, and floods, affecting its 1.3 billion people.

Over a thousand people have lost their lives, and tens of thousands have been left homeless due to extreme weather events.

Climate change is linked to worsening flood situations in India, with intense rainfall events overwhelming river and drainage capacities.

The monsoon season in India, typically from June to September, has been disrupted by climate change, leading to droughts and intense rain periods.

India's top weather expert, Anand Sharma, monitors weather patterns and acknowledges the role of climate change in intensifying floods.

The poor and marginalized are disproportionately affected by natural disasters, losing homes, farmland, and facing starvation.

India faces significant economic losses due to floods, with the potential for worsening conditions as climate change continues.

The northeastern state of Assam endures some of the highest rainfall globally, leading to recurrent severe flooding.

Farmer Kalilu Rahman's village was submerged by the Brahmaputra River, highlighting the struggles of farmers during floods.

The state of Bihar is ravaged by annual floods, with major rivers breaching embankments and affecting millions of people.

Climate change's impact is evident across India, from Assam to Bihar and Mumbai, with extreme weather events becoming the norm.

Mumbai, India's financial capital, faces the risk of being submerged by 2050 due to rising sea levels and coastal flooding.

Unplanned urbanization and destruction of natural barriers like wetlands and mangroves exacerbate Mumbai's flooding issues.

India has committed to the Paris Climate Accord, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

The country is taking steps to adapt to climate change, such as building infrastructure to control water flow, though challenges remain.

Sustainable development and a shift in mindset towards living with nature rather than controlling it are crucial for India's future.

Global cooperation is necessary to address climate change, as individual efforts are insufficient to combat this intergenerational issue.

Transcripts

india

is oscillating between severe heat waves

and drought

heavy rain and floods

climate change is now wreaking havoc in

the world's

second most populous nation very high

rainfall and therefore water coming into

the rivers is increasing

more than a thousand people have lost

their lives and tens of thousands

have been rendered homeless it takes

away

livelihoods takes away assets of people

destroys everything that has been built

over years

but are these seasonal phenomena

becoming worse as the years go by

can india mitigate the adverse impact of

climate change

without jeopardizing its economic growth

objectives

and how long can the poor bear the brunt

of the devastation caused by the extreme

weather events

[Music]

[Music]

first covet

then and economic and humanitarian

disaster

that came about following a total and

prolonged lockdown

and now torrential rain and widespread

floods

india a country of 1.3 billion

people is facing dire challenges on

multiple fronts

as it struggles to get a grip on the

soaring covet infection numbers

another calamity is staring the nation

in the face

heavy monsoon rain has caused rivers to

overflow their banks

flooding millions of hectares of

cropland and killing

more than a thousand people so far

tens of thousands of villagers are

submerged rendering

millions homeless

[Music]

the flood situation in india is

absolutely

brutal it's uh we've had floods in

multiple states

recently even in rajasthan in the jesuit

district for example which is actually a

desert

and which is a desert because it's not

got flooded

um and it doesn't have much rainfall

we've had

floods in places like telangana we've

had floods in

andhra we've had floods in maharashtra

gujarat

of course in assam and bihar as we

always do

so even even madhya pradesh so

it's it's really extraordinary how the

deluge has come and swept over

all of india and every every single

territory

even though it's a recurrent phenomenon

in india this year it has been much

worse

it rains so much that there is an

intense rainfall event

which leads to sudden flooding

[Music]

scientists believe that the worsening

situation is linked to climate change

and global warming

the flood situation is becoming worse

every year

due to intense rainfall that continues

for days

overwhelming the water carrying

capacities of the rivers

and drainage systems the monsoon season

in india

normally stretches from june to

september when winds gather moisture

from the indian ocean arabian sea and

the bay of bengal

and culminate in rain over land

from october to december the winds

reverse direction

but climate change has disrupted the

seasonal cycle

there are now long spells of drought

followed by scanty rainfall

and then intense rain within a short

period

what we have seen now over the past few

years

is that it's not the floods but the

nature of flooding that is changing

and the nature of flooding that is

changing is happening

because you are seeing more extreme

rainfall event

so you are getting massive rain falling

in short durations

which is exacerbating the flooding and

that is why you are beginning to see

newer areas coming under floods

each year and you are beginning to see

the extent of therefore the flooding

also increasing

the impact of climate on india is now

here

if you look over the past few years the

amount of rain

over the year hasn't changed but the

number of days

that it is rainy has dramatically

declined

so when it rains it pours and we have

floods

and then you have many days without rain

so we have droughts

now the same area has got both floods

and droughts

similarly if you look at cyclones the

number of cyclones haven't changed but

the intensity of the cyclones has become

much stronger

than it was earlier the short point is

climate change is here and we are

feeling its impacts on a daily basis

watching the changing weather patterns

intensely is anand sharma

who keeps a close eye on the cloud

formations and wind directions

all over the subcontinent on a daily

basis

he is one of the country's top

weathermen

sharma admits that climate change adds

to the problem of climate variability

leading to floods if you see past 100

years data

around point 0.7 degrees celsius

increase in temperatures for the past

hundred years so there is a global

warming

and scientists are linking that warming

to climate change

that it will change the patterns or

there could be more

intense rain in some area there could be

droughts in other areas

and if there is intense rainfall

especially in

areas which are prone to flooding there

could be

increase in flooding so climate change

is an added pressure

[Music]

the impact of the vagaries of nature is

devastating

from the northeastern state of assam in

the himalayas

to the popular state of bihar in the

plains to the vibrant city of mumbai on

the western coast

climate change is clearly evident all

across the nation

though extreme weather events have an

impact on the whole country

it is the poor and marginalized who

suffer the most from frequent natural

disasters

their houses and farmland are submerged

wiping out their meager incomes and

pushing them

to the brink of starvation and death

apart from the economic costs the human

costs

are incalculable recent study suggests

that every year

around 5 600 people die from extreme

weather events in india

but experts think this number could be

an underestimation

since deaths from droughts are not

included

49 year old rina mudoy is facing extreme

hardships

following devastating floods in the

babetta district of assam this year

rina is living making pots and plates

from clay

to support her ailing husband and two

daughters

and her family spent the night awake

praying for the deluge to stop

but the rain kept falling and the water

kept rising

um

foreign

after daybreak the rain relented for a

while

but the whole village was already

submerged by the nakanda river

which was in spain

making a living from earthen pottery is

an extremely difficult task

even in the best of times but doing so

amid heavy rain and floods is an

impossible

proposition

but

india specifically faces uh huge

losses due to flood you know worldwide

uh

the 10 percent loss due to floods

globally

happens in india and as far as flood

disaster is concerned it is the

most economic loss causing disaster to

the tune of more than 50

losses is due to floods and it is such a

recurrent phenomena

and for centuries it is happening but

there isn't much cure in sight what we

see

is still that the poor people they are

affected the most

they are the ones who lose their lives

they lose their livelihoods

[Music]

rebuilding lives from scratch is a

herculean task for the poi

there's no immediate end to their misery

since scientists believe extreme weather

patterns are becoming more frequent

due to climate change many states are

vulnerable

since major rivers flow through them

according to the national disaster

management authority

more than 40 million hectares or 12

percent of india's total geographical

area are prone to floods

[Music]

more than a million people have so far

been evacuated in 11 states

at least 180 000 houses have been fully

or partially damaged how long will the

poor

face the vagaries of nature what can be

done to help relieve their pain and

suffering

[Music]

the north eastern state of assam is

known for its natural beauty

and the famous asam tea

located along the brahmaputra and the

barak river valleys in the himalayas

it's also a region known to endure some

of the highest rainfall in the world

with the warm moist winds from the bayer

bengal

converging on a narrow zone along the

mountains

the rainfall and flood situation in the

state is showing no signs of improving

over the years

this year has been no exception with

thousands of villages flooded

and tens and thousands of villages

rendered homeless

around 140 people have so far died in

the floods in the state

with more than 56 000 homes partially or

completely

damaged more than 265

000 hectares of cropland have been

submerged destroying the means of

livelihood of tens of thousands of

farmers

fifty-five-year-old farmer kalilu rahman

couldn't save his crops as the swirling

waters of the brahmaputra river

submerged his village in june and july

is

farmers like rahman have learned to live

with the usual vagaries of nature

they know what to do when the rains

begin

moving the cattle to higher ground or

building higher platforms

but this year's rain and the flood were

different

there was no warning as the rain poured

and the floods

engulfed his village

[Music]

the floods dealt a double blow during

the coveted pandemic

firstly raman's crops were destroyed in

the floods

and he can't even sell whatever he has

such as cattle

to make a living since there are no

customers

[Music]

foreign

rahman was hoping that the government

would step in to alleviate their

suffering

but the government provided some food

grain that was not enough

i

the eastern state of bihar is in the

gangetic plains

but it's also ravaged by floods every

year

since several major rivers flow through

the state

including the ganges the kosi

and the bhagmati being one of the most

populous states with more than 100

million people

bihar finds itself mostly at sea when

the mighty rivers breach their

embankments

during the monsoon more than 8.5 million

people have been affected in the state

this year

with around a thousand villagers reeling

from the consequences of heavy rain

32 year old porter abdul ahab received a

frantic call from his wife

as water levels in his village in

zamasti pour

district began to rise abdul was then

far away in gorakpur

but he knew he had to somehow reach

foreign

foreign

abdul reached his village around eight

in the evening

he saw water had already reached his

doorsteps

and was rising steadily

foreign

foreign

foreign

the rising water level was not the only

danger that abdul and his family faced

the water brought in snakes and leeches

that threatened their lives

some

the small plot where abdul had planted

rice samplings

was submerged as well

in bihar farmers have lost their

standing their crops

completely they've lost their land

completely and what makes it really

complex is

that no longer is the kosi um

depositing silt in their farms it's

actually

putting in sand which means that the

land is getting

less and less fertile so they've lost

not only crop but also fertility

hundreds and thousands of homes have

been lost livestock has been lost

and we're looking at some smaller

numbers of debts but

overall massive massive entry of these

people

who are flood affected back into poverty

see bihar plus even

many more people get affected this year

also 85 lakh people have got affected

there

though the live lost as compared to

assam has been less it's 27

uh but uh the disruptions are massive

and

uh the worst part is at it it's showing

an increasing trend

because for the last few years it has

been a yearly feature

every year it is happening and there is

no end inside no respite is seen

and you know as the state government's

efforts in being

you know making embankments and all they

are sometimes even proving uh

counterproductive

in terms of their prolonging the floods

the flood waters are not even receding

because of the embankments and all

the scale of the humanitarian crisis is

so huge that both the state

and federal governments are at their

wit's end

they're also completely overstretched

amid a raging

pandemic in both states i'm sure

governments are doing what they can

governments today are completely

overworked overstretched fatigued

we have to understand that this crisis

as i said has come on top of that other

mult you know pandemic that they are

already dealing with and it's the same

civil public services that are being

called out whether it's called out for

the pandemic or for floods

but i'm sure governments will do what

they can but the larger question that we

ask have to ask is

do we have the right strategy that

governments can employ

so that next year the flood is not so

bad otherwise we are on

a constant fire fighting effort and this

year the fire fighting of floods is even

worse

because we have covet to deal with at

the same time

there's no doubt that the dates are

working very hard they've set up these

you know these relief camps in bihar

they're giving out

meals the heart has been flooded for

decades

you know but the reason we don't have

these kinds of

deaths is because we have a whole

process to you know

reduce that that doesn't reduce miseries

overall it reduces loss of life

people still lose everything they have

and

you know on an annual basis but they

have made

all these efforts but you know all these

efforts are really about mitigating

something that could be reduced in

impact

and could have perhaps even with

long-term

um governance and where the focus on the

root causes

it could have even been dramatically

reduced

it's not just the villagers that are

bearing the brunt of climate change and

natural disasters

india's financial capital mumbai home to

20 million people

is now facing massive flooding every

year

will large parts of mumbai go underwater

in a few decades

as some scientists have predicted

[Music]

mumbai india's commercial capital

a vibrant densely populated city of 20

million

mumbai has bored the brunt of massive

flooding caused by relentless storms and

heavy downpours

the rainfall is said to be the heaviest

since 2005

and reached new areas which had never

experienced it before

according to a recent study mumbai is at

risk of being submerged by 2050.

the study predicts that climate change

has contributed to rising sea levels

and coastal flooding will likely be far

greater than ever before

for people in mumbai the gloomy

prediction comes as no surprise

since they are already paying a heavy

price with severe flooding

every year

there is absolutely no doubt that mumbai

is a victim of climate change

i wish it were only climate change and i

wish we knew what to do

to make sure that the worst impacts of

climate change and flooding could be

avoided

[Music]

originally built on a series of islands

the city has always struggled to

accommodate

millions of people who are drawn by its

industries

trading hubs and its port

unplanned and unchecked growth that

followed has led to the destruction of

wetlands and mangroves

that once acted as a natural barrier

against

nature's extreme events

bombay city that lives right on the

coast

and we've had our fair share of floods

from 2005 to july onward

we've been having floods every year

sometimes more sometimes less

but the reasons for this are not very

difficult to

to a certain we filled up our wetlands

we have destroyed almost all our natural

drainages and at this moment in time we

have built up

to the extent where the flood waters and

the storm drains that used to

allow water to exit those storm drains

are choked with plastic garbage

if you look at cities like mumbai and

chennai which are on the coast

we have the additional problem of high

tides

and if there is a strong rainfall event

which occurs at the same time as the

high tide

then the water is nowhere to go just

stands there so

urbanization population growth

in areas which were flood plains and

high rainfall and high tides together

lead to the kind of problems that we

have in mumbai

climate change is the root cause but

then you have a drainage system you have

2

000 brains above ground and some 400

underground and these haven't been

desilted these haven't been modernized

as the city has increased you've also

had a huge amount of deforestation again

in bombay i'm talking

off bombay precisely as an example i

mean the

ra forest is an iconic example of how

your the metro just cut off 2 000 trees

on top of that the mangroves are just

being 15

or so have anyway been lost although

that number is contested

but you're cutting off further things

because of

the navi mumbai airport the navy mumbai

airport and other kinds of

infrastructure

so basically the only natural barriers

you have

to protect you you are doing away with

them so

we're talking of a combination of

climate change and

extraordinarily poor planning and

extraordinary per

urban uh you know planning that

kind of makes these you know freak

events much much more

severe

restaurant owner rakesh gupta is a

witness to the city's unplanned growth

over the years

64 old gupta's restaurant has been

closed for months

following the lockdown but he faced

double jeopardy this year when his home

in the low-lying area in the eastern

suburb of chamber

turned into a virtual pond during heavy

showers in august gupta knows he and his

neighbors are paying a heavy price

for the unplanned growth and destruction

of the city's biodiversity

number of population

when the heavy downpour started in july

gupta and his family sat on their bed

keeping a close eye on the rising water

foreign

foreign

can't leave his home when the rain and

high tides come

and they happen quite often when the

fishing village is flooded

35 year old patel and other fishermen

depend on the sea

as their main source of income

they go out to fish mostly along the

coastline at the break of dawn

and come back around noon they again go

out to fish in the late afternoon

but the regular flooding in the village

has disrupted their lives

and livelihoods

the plight of those living near the sea

has been highlighted in a new study

that says almost 3 million people living

within a kilometer from the city's

coastline

are under severe threat for flooding

storm surges

and rise in sea levels the study

also predicts multiple hazards hitting

the city's coast in the coming years

with increasing intensity due to climate

change

the yearly flooding has made the sinking

city scenario all the more real

the city continues to grow at a frantic

pace

at the cost of its environment

experts believe that large parts of

mumbai will be submerged in future

if immediate steps are not taken to

protect its environment

and restore its biodiversity

it it'll go under water because the

water has no place

else to escape and it does not get

filled into the aquifers the way it

should

our wetlands are being so rapidly

reclaimed to put up tall buildings we

are blocking all the drainages

so as far as mumbai is concerned at one

level

we have the green land ice shelf that's

going to be melting the arctic is

melting our glaciers are melting the

water is going into the sea

the sea levels will rise then mumbai is

facing a situation where without rain

just at high tide we are beginning to

see coastal flooding

now i shudder to think what will happen

if we have a sea surge and a cyclone at

the same time

the last time the last cyclone hit us it

was at low tide

if it was at high tide we probably might

have lost 200 400 500 lives i don't know

but we are mismanaging our drainages we

are mismanaging

the forests and the the system that

actually refills our aquifers

and uh we're completely

making sure that the wetlands into which

all the water would gather

uh are now flat lands we're making a

swimming pool for ourselves

despite the looming disaster experts

believe that the government on its own

cannot restore the balance between

nature and development

they argue the task should be shared by

both the government

and the citizens to save the city from

going underwater

i don't think that decision makers have

fully comprehended what the impact of

climate change rising seas cyclones

could be

mumbai doesn't have a disaster plan and

apart from that

i really do feel that the citizens are

equally to blame because we are

voting for people who are doing the

wrong thing

and we need to be able to convey to

those people who are politicians

bureaucrats

businessmen that look we want you to do

the right thing for us on the long term

solutions won't happen overnight

climate change is a global phenomenon

and unless

all nations make a joint effort to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions

our planet will continue to see extreme

events

endangering the lives and livelihoods of

hundreds of millions

across the world india has committed

itself to meeting the paris climate

accord targets

at reducing greenhouse gas emissions

but will these targets be enough for

india to mitigate the impact

of natural disasters in the country

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industrial revolution population growth

rapid urbanization and massive

deforestation

factors which have contributed to the

earth's rapidly changing global climate

and extreme weather events and the

situation

is expected to worsen if nothing is done

to address it

india one of the country's worst hit by

the adverse effects of climate change

is also home to one third of the world's

1.2 billion people

who are living in poverty as a

developing nation

it needs to grow the economy because

that's the only way to help the poor and

vulnerable

lift themselves up from their current

state

and rapid industrialization is seen as a

natural step for the nation

to make that leap forward it's not

surprising then

that india is now the world's third

largest emitter of greenhouse gases

after china and the us and it now has to

play its part

in cutting down the nation's high carbon

footprint

while not jeopardizing its economic

growth prospects

we need to find out which are the

sectors which are

contributing more to greenhouse gases

and thereby contributing to warming and

change

so we need to identify those sectors

and act and find out efficient

and those technologies which has

low carbon footprint

indian prime minister narendra modi has

vowed that india will go above and

beyond

the 2015 paris accord on combating

climate change

the accord aims to keep global

temperature rise this century below

2 degrees celsius and aims to limit the

temperature increase

even further to 1.5 degrees celsius

it also aims to limit the amount of

greenhouse gas emissions

to the same levels that trees soil

and oceans can absorb naturally

as it ramps up the country's alternative

energy sector

india installed 7.3 gigawatt of solar

power last year

strengthening its position as the third

largest solar market in the world

can india meet the goals it has set for

itself

very ambitious pledges at paris

in fact the climate transparency group

says

that india is the only g20 country whose

pledges

are on track to take the world towards 2

degrees centigrade

increase over earlier temperatures no

other country in the world no other g20

country in the world has as ambitious

pledges

compared to its own use of uh

and emissions of ghg gases

which take it on the two degree path

yes we are well on track to meet it the

challenge in the paris targets is that

we are

we've been so severely hit by covet i

mean so many of our resources have gone

just to fight covet in different ways at

different levels

so we might we might find that

challenging but

um i mean there is a chance that we meet

it

there's a high chance so i'm not a

pessimist i'm an optimist about the

paris targets but i believe that

the paris targets alone might not be

enough for our country

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india is one of the most climate

vulnerable nations on the planet

a land of varying topography and

climatic zones

it routinely suffers from extreme heat

and drought

to severe rains and floods

according to the global climate risk

index

it ranked among the top 10 affected

countries in 2018

to reduce the risks india has taken

major steps to deal with the natural

disaster

it routinely faces

for example the government has built

dams

barrages levees and embankments to

control the flow of water

but experts believe such measures are of

limited use

since a river in spain easily breaches

such fortifications

one of the things that we have learned

over the years not only as far as floods

are concerned but in many many areas

you need to live with nature not

control nature many cities in the world

have tried to control rivers and floods

by building embankments by channeling

reverse through

but whenever there is an excess flow and

excess flow happens

then it overflows into the city this is

as much true of cities in france and

germany as it is of cities in india

on the other hand making cities

such that they can take in the larger

amount of water and slowly release it

the so-called spawn city

is a alternative which allows us to

live with nature rather than fight

nature the entire

approach till now has been to build

dikes and embankments to

to to somehow you know it's the same

approach

of conquering nature that i am going to

find a way that i will put i will hold

the river down

because the river must not flow against

my wishes

so it's a very masculine approach

towards river management

but it has failed and what we are not

realizing

is that we are not going to be able to

succeed to be able to

conquer nature to be able to

to to control the river we should be

finding ways

of being able to let the river water

provide the bounty that it can

without the destruction the government

would require

to mitigate the and adapt to climate

change

if you really want to address these

floods because we are always going to

have these freak weather

in events now so first of all

i think we really have to put the

environment on priority

not the currently we think of it as a

nuisance that's coming in the way of

building a highway but we have to change

that and we have to understand that this

is our barrier

so i think we need a complete shift in

perspective

the mindset is changing there are

greater awareness

and commitment today to find a

sustainable development path

but the change is not quick enough to

make any difference

to the lives of people such as farmer

kali raman in assam

when flood water rises all they can do

is to watch as it destroys everything

that they hold dear

right before their eyes no one has come

to their rescue

especially now when the government is

too preoccupied with the challenge of

containing the spread of the pandemic

which has ravaged the lives of so many

of its residents

foreign

foreign

climate change threatens to push

hundreds of millions into poverty

increasing the vulnerability to climate

impacts

it has already led global temperatures

to rise about one degree celsius

above pre-industrial levels but it's

often the poor and the most

vulnerable who have had to take the

brunt of nature's fury

the path india chooses to achieve a

sustainable future

will impact not only the country but the

whole world

as well can india chart a new course

for a nation that's struggling to deal

with the challenges of climate change

and achieve a higher growth rate

despite the uncertainties and risks many

believe

the country can still do much more to

make this planet

a better place to live in future

i don't think india can ever deal with

it on its own i think you know

whether it's covet whether it's climate

change

we need global cooperation and i think

one of the biggest lessons that we've

learned today

is that the world is not acting as one

the world is acting as separate

and that is why we are losing the battle

on kovit and we are certainly losing the

battle

on climate change and climate change is

reminding us very firmly that we are

doing this

is the ultimate adventurer of all time

it's called intergenerational climate

it's

the adventure that we are embarking on

now is

intergenerational colonization we

will not be remembered well by our

children

and their children and this is not a

matter of ethics

this is a matter of pure survival

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you