Global warming in India

The effects of global warming on India vary from the submergence of low-lying islands and coastal lands to the melting of glaciers in the Indian Himalayas, threatening the volumetric flow rate of many of the most important rivers of India and South Asia. In India, such effects are projected to impact millions of lives. As a result of ongoing climate change, the climate of India has become increasingly volatile over the past several decades; this trend is expected to continue.

Greenhouse gases in India

Elevated carbon dioxide emissions contributed to the greenhouse effect, causing warmer weather that lasted long after the atmospheric shroud of dust and aerosols had cleared. Further climatic changes 20 million years ago, long after India had crashed into the Laurasian landmass, were severe enough to cause the extinction of many endemic Indian forms. [] honour former U.S. Vice President Al Gore with an award for promoting awareness on climate change that they say will have a devastating impact on their homeland.

Meghalaya -- meaning 'Abode of the Clouds' in Hindi -- is home to the towns of Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, which are credited with being the wettest places in the world due to their high rainfall.

But scientists state that global climate change is causing these areas to experience an increasingly sparse and erratic rainfall pattern and a lengthened dry season, [cite web |author=Kharmujai RR |title=Wet Desert Of India Drying Out |date=3 March 2007 |url=http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Wet_Desert_Of_India_Drying_Out_999.html |accessdate=2007-12-01 ] affecting the livelihoods of thousands of villagers who cultivate paddy and maize. Some areas are also facing water shortages.

See also

* Environment in India
* Global warming in China

Citations

Further reading

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External links

* [http://www.csmworld.org/public/climatechangeindia.html Climate Change India] ,

General effects overview

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Maps, imagery, and statistics

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Forecasts

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