Q4.Climate Change’ is a global problem. How will India be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India be affected by climate change?

Climate change, a pressing global challenge, manifests through altered weather patterns and rising temperatures. India, with its diverse geography and high population density, is particularly vulnerable to its multifaceted impacts.

Nationally, India faces increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and droughts, severely impacting agricultural productivity, water resources, and public health. This leads to significant economic losses, displacement, and challenges to food and water security, hindering sustainable development and stressing public services. Diverse ecosystems, from forests to marine life, also suffer widespread degradation and biodiversity loss.

• Accelerated glacier melt alters river flows, increasing flash floods and landslides, threatening lives and infrastructure.
• Unique biodiversity is at risk, alongside reduced hydropower potential due to erratic water availability.
• Impacts local livelihoods, particularly agriculture and tourism, and exacerbates water scarcity in downstream regions.

• Sea-level rise causes severe coastal erosion and inundation of low-lying areas, displacing communities.
• Increased intensity of cyclones and storm surges devastates infrastructure and livelihoods.
• Salinization of groundwater affects drinking water and agriculture, threatening coastal ecosystems and fisheries.

Addressing these profound challenges necessitates robust national and sub-national adaptation strategies, alongside global mitigation efforts, to build resilience and safeguard India's future.