Erratic weather patterns are becoming more common these days.
Sadly, international efforts are falling short of strong outcomes due to failures to take up coordinated action.
What are the recent climatic trends?
Weird Weather - In recent months, 140 wildfires raged across California and 80 people were killed in similar wildfires in Greece.
Europe has been sizzling under heat waves and unseasonal dust storms have killed over 500 in India.
Torrential rains in Japan and other such extreme rain events are devastating crops and homes across vast parts of the world.
All of these weather events are far beyond normal variability (or stationarity), and is indicative of a new era of the unprecedented.
What we know for certain is that this intensity, variability and ferocity of weird weather will only get worse from here.
Climatic Impact - The connection with weird weather and climate change is also being seen through studies called attribution.
The “World Weather Attribution Network” estimates that climate change has more than “doubled the likelihood of the European heat wave”.
It has also tripled the likelihood of drought in Cape Town — the South African city that narrowly missed Day Zero, when it would run out of water.
What is does the numbers say?
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will soon release its 1.5°C report on the impacts of the world reaching that level of temperature rise.
Notably, there has already been a little over 1°C rise now in comparison to the pre-industrial period, which has already generated adverse effects.
Any further increase is hence only likely to aggravate this trend, which is already creating immense losses of lives and properties.
While the western world is largely embracing cleaner technologies, India and China continue to depend on coal as a vital resource.
With the massive volumes of coal that India uses, it is likely to increasingly get targeted at international forums for being irresponsible.
Although, India has been a very small emitter in the historical and per capita measures, it will nonetheless be pressured on climatic forums.
What is the way ahead?
India’s Case - Even if not for retarding climate change, pollution levels in our cities itself is reason enough for us to adopt clean energy source.
In this context, we need to close old and polluting thermal plants and new emission standards must be implemented as early as possible.
Pet coke has already been banned, including its import from the US and massive renewable energy projects and natural gas projects are taking over.
Worldwide - The problem also is that the world is still not anywhere close to giving up its fossil addiction, and renewable energy uptake has been marginal.
In recent years, the demand for coal is rising and investment in oil and gas is up and all of the climate change solutions are fighting to even survive.
Considering our vulnerability, strong and coordinated action is needed to be taken by all countries with equitable “burden sharing”.
