Indian Updates: Global warming may cause extreme droughts in India, World Bank warns (19 Jun 2013)

Global warming may cause extreme droughts in India, World Bank warns
PTI | Jun 19, 2013, 06.00 PM IST

WASHINGTON: Global warming could lead to more extreme droughts in large parts of India, resulting in widespread food shortages and hardship in the country, in the next few decades, a new World Bank report warned today.

The impact of a possible global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius in the next few decades threatens to trap millions of people in poverty, according to the report.

The soaring temperatures will also drive regular food shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Shifting rain patterns in South Asia due to warming could leave some parts under water and others without enough water for power generation, irrigation, or drinking, the report said.

"Events like the devastating Pakistan floods of 2010, which affected more than 20 million people, could become common place. More extreme droughts in large parts of India could lead to widespread food shortages and hardship," the report said.

Another impact of climate change could be degradation and loss of reefs in South East Asia possibly resulting in reduced fish stocks and coastal communities, while cities could be more vulnerable to increasingly violent storms, it said.

The new report builds on a World Bank report released late last year, which concluded the world would warm by 4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century if we did not take concerted action now.

This new report looks at the likely impacts of present day, 2 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius warming on agricultural production, water resources, coastal ecosystems and cities across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.

Source: 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/Global-warming-may-cause-extreme-droughts-in-India-World-Bank-warns/articleshow/20665577.cms

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Publication: Global warming may up flood risk in India, Southeast Asia by Yukiko Hirabayashi at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Engineering Innovation (10 Jun 2013)

Global warming may up flood risk in India, Southeast Asia
PTI | Jun 10, 2013, 09.51 PM IST

TOKYO: Unchecked global warming may increase the risk of flooding at the end of this century in 42 per cent of the Earth's land surface, including parts of India, Southeast Asia and Africa, a new study has warned.

According to a research team led by Yukiko Hirabayashi at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Engineering Innovation, the number of people exposed to the risk of flooding would increase from the current estimate of 5.6 million to 80 million by 2100 if temperatures rise by 3.5 C degrees during the period.

"An ensemble of projections under a new high-concentration scenario demonstrates a large increase in flood frequency in Southeast Asia, Peninsular India, eastern Africa and the northern half of the Andes, with small uncertainty in the direction of change," the study said.

However, flood frequency is projected to decline in certain areascovering 18 per cent of the land surface, it said.

The research team made the projections based on the output of 11 existing climate models and its own programme designed to forecast river inundation, The Japan Times quoted Kyodo News agency as reporting.

If global warming progresses without effective countermeasures, many of the world's 29 major rivers would see massive floods, which currently occur once a century, at an increased frequency of every 10 to 50 years, the researchers said.

The study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Source: 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/Global-warming-may-up-flood-risk-in-India-Southeast-Asia/articleshow/20526776.cms

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New Books: Health and Climate Change Modelling the impacts of global warming and ozone depletion By Pim Martens (1 Jun 2013)

Health and Climate Change

Modelling the impacts of global warming and ozone depletion

By Pim Martens

Published 1st June 2013 by Routledge – 204 pages

Descriptions:

'Understanding how complex ecological and climatic change can influence human health is the new challenge before us. The book confronts these multidimensional risk assessments head-on and will catalyse the important interdisciplinary and integrated approach that is the new paradigm now required for environmental and public health research.' Dr JONATHAN PATZ Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health 'This book provides a sturdy foundation for thinking about how best to tackle a varied spectrum of population health hazards posed by different aspects and combinations of global change processes? it alsogoes that extra mile by estimating the attributable population burdens of disease or mortality that are likely to result from these aspects of global change. It is heartening to see the results of this mathematical modeling being presented in policy-relevant terms.' From the Foreword by TONY McMICHAEL Health and Climate Change is the first major study of the potentially devastating health impacts of the global atmospheric changes which are under way. Using the best available data, the author presents models of the most plausible future courses of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and schistosomiasis; skin cancer caused by nozone depletion; and cardiovascular and respiratory disorders caused by higher temperatures. Current epidemiological research methods are not well adapted to analysing complex systems influenced by human intervention, or more simple processes calculated to take place within the distant future. Health and Climate Change proposes a new paradigm of integrated eco-epidemiological models for these areas of study. It will be essential reading for those concerned with public health and epidemiology, environmental studies, climate change and development studies. Originally published in 1998

Contents:

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes Foreword by Tony McMichael Preface 

1. Introduction The Issue Scope and Objectives Outline
2. An Eco-Epidemiological Modelling Approach Introduction Limitations of Conventional Epidemiology Eco-Epidemiological Modelling Discussion
3. Climate Change and Vector-Borne Diseases Introduction The Vectors and Their Diseases Epidemic Potential Climate Effects Malaria Prevalence Climate Scenarios Changes in Potential Risk Areas Changes in Malaria Prevalence Local Estimates: Model Validation Model Limitations and Uncertainties Discussion and Conclusions
4. Modelling Malaria as a Complex Adaptive System Introduction The Genetic Algorithm Modelling Adaptation by Genetic Algorithms Modelling Experiments Discussion and Conclusions
5. Climate Change, Thermal Stress and Morality Changes Introduction Health Impact Assessment Thermal Stress in a Number of Cities Cardiovascular Mortality and Sensitivity to Adaptation Discussion and Conclusions
6. The Impact of Ozone Depletion on Skin Cancer Incidence Introduction Modelling the Cause-Effect Chain Ozone Depletion and Skin Cancer Risk in the Netherlands and Australia Uncertainties Discussion and Conclusions
7. Discussion and Conclusions Introduction Major Findings Future Research lines Epilogue References Index

For more information: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415848800/

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International Conference on Climate Change and Coral Reef Conservation will be hosted The Ministry of the Environment of Japan and Okinawa Prefecture on 29-30 Jun 2013

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The Ministry of the Environment of Japan and Okinawa Prefecture will host an International Conference on Climate Change and Coral Reef Conservation at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) from the 29th to the 30th of June this year. This conference aims to showcase and discuss advanced measures and researches on climate change and coral reef conservation in small islands, and to propose the features of a sustainable island in harmony with nature to the international audience. 

For more information: http://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/npr/iccccrc2013/ 

Source: http://www.env.go.jp/en/headline/headline.php?serial=1953

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