Climate change will lead to many changes in global development and security especially energy, water, food, society, job, diplomacy, culture, economy and trade. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines climate change as: “Any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity.” Global climate change has emerged as a key issue in both political and economic arenas. It is an increasingly questioned phenomenon, and progressive national governments around the world have started taking action to respond to these environmental concerns. This book discusses the issue of food and water security in India under the context of climate change. It provides information to scientists and local government to help them better understand the particularities of the local climate. It offers insight into the changes to natural ecosystems which have affected the local Indian population. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to Indian society. It can lead to serious impacts on production, life and the environment. Higher temperatures and sea level rise can lead to flooding and cause water salinity problems which bring about negative effects on agriculture and high risks to industry and socio-economic systems in the future.

This report focuses on the risks of climate change to development in Sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia and South Asia. Building on the 2012 report, Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must be Avoided, this new scientific analysis examines the likely impacts of present day, 2°C and 4°C warming on agricultural production, water resources, and coastal vulnerability. It finds many significant climate and development impacts are already being felt in some regions, and that as warming increases from present day (0.8°C) to 2°C and 4°C, multiple threats of increasing extreme heat waves, sea-level rise, more severe storms, droughts and floods are expected to have further severe negative implications for the poorest and most vulnerable. The report finds that agricultural yields will be affected across the three regions, with repercussions for food security, economic growth, and poverty reduction. In addition, urban areas have been identified as new clusters of vulnerability with urban dwellers, particularly the urban poor, facing significant vulnerability to climate change. In Sub-Saharan Africa, under 3°C global warming, savannas are projected to decrease from their current levels to approximately one-seventh of total land area and threaten pastoral livelihoods. Under 4°C warming, total hyper-arid and arid areas are projected to expand by 10 percent. In South East Asia, under 2°C warming, heat extremes that are virtually absent today would cover nearly 60-70 percent of total land area in northern-hemisphere summer, adversely impacting ecosystems. Under 4°C warming, rural populations would face mounting pressures from sea-level rise, increased tropical cyclone intensity, storm surges, saltwater intrusions, and loss of marine ecosystem services. In South Asia, the potential sudden onset of disturbances to the monsoon system and rising peak temperatures would put water and food resources at severe risk. Well before 2°C warming occurs, substantial reductions in the frequency of low snow years is projected to cause substantial reductions in dry season flow, threatening agriculture. Many of the worst climate impacts could still be avoided by holding warming below 2°C, but the window for action is closing rapidly. Urgent action is also needed to build resilience to a rapidly warming world that will pose significant risks to agriculture, water resources, coastal infrastructure, and human health.

The IDSA Working Group on Security Implications of Climate Change for India felt that while it would be proper to oppose the securitisation of climate change, it would be prudent not to ignore its likely security dimensions. The Working Group Report identifies India`s key vulnerabilities. Future projections of surface warming over India indicate that the annual mean area averaged surface warming is likely to be between 2 degrees and 3 degrees celcius and 3.5 and 5.5 degrees celcius by the middle and end of 21st century respectively. Trends in sea level rise indicate a possible rise between 1.06 to 2.75 mm per year. Every 1.0 degree rise in temperature would reduce wheat production by 4 to 5 million tonnes. Water scarcity will threaten food supplies in India. A quarter of our biodiversity could be lost. The Working Group felt that climate change cannot be delinked from the overall energy security and economic growth. The National Action Plan on Climate Change is a good beginning but its time-bound implementation needs to be ensured. India needs to improve energy efficiency in the industrial, household and transport sectors. The Working Group also looked at the possible adverse impact on the strategy and tactics of Indian armed forces. India should use climate change as an opportunity to make socio-economic development more sustainable.

This open access book discusses the impact of human-induced global climate change on the regional climate and monsoons of the Indian subcontinent, adjoining Indian Ocean and the Himalayas. It documents the regional climate change projections based on the climate models used in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and climate change modeling studies using the IITM Earth System Model (ESM) and CORDEX South Asia datasets. The IPCC assessment reports, published every 6–7 years, constitute important reference materials for major policy decisions on climate change, adaptation, and mitigation. While the IPCC assessment reports largely provide a global perspective on climate change, the focus on regional climate change aspects is considerably limited. The effects of climate change over the Indian subcontinent involve complex physical processes on different space and time scales, especially given that the mean climate of this region is generally shaped by the Indian monsoon and the unique high-elevation geographical features such as the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Tibetan Plateau and the adjoining Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal. This book also presents policy relevant information based on robust scientific analysis and assessments of the observed and projected future climate change over the Indian region.

This book provides the most recent understanding about climate change and its effects on agriculture in India. Further in-depth research is showcased regarding important allied sectors such as horticulture and fisheries, and examines the effect of climate change on different cereal crops. The individual chapters discuss the different mitigation strategies for climate change impacts and detail abiotic and biotic stresses in relation to climate change. The book provides an insight into environmentally safe and modern technologies approaches such as nanotechnology and utilization of underutilized crops under a changing climate. This book provides a solid foundation for the discussion of climate resilience in agricultural systems and the requirements to keep improving agricultural production. This book is an excellent resource for researchers, instructors, students in agriculture, horticulture and environmental science.

Contributed articles on climate change.

This book presents a variety of climate change impact and mitigation strategies for different environments in India. These include fractional snow cover change in the Himalayan region, and the impact of frequent cyclonic storms on land use and land cover changes along coastal areas. The book explores watershed, surface water, and hydrologic conditions for urban storm water drainage, as well as trend analysis of precipitation, and a statistical approach to detect rainfall trends. The book starts with a critical review of climate change diplomacy, adaptation and mitigation strategies in South Asian countries. It also covers the role of natural gas in energy security. There are chapters pertaining to farmer’s perception on the impact of climate change, as well discussion on land use change and ecological implications. Many geographical areas are covered including; the Mahananda River Basin, Pindar Basin, Kumaun Himalaya, the Upper Tapi River Basin, Southern Kerala Districts, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka State, Telangana State, Tamil Nadu State, to name a few.