Climatic changes are being experienced in each nook and corner of the world. This is so especially in areas such as Kerala, which lie close to the sea. People in such low-lying areas are already experiencing the adverse effects of climatic changes.
There are three factors that increase the intensity of natural disasters: the possibility of a disaster without warning, lack of proper defences and the increasing intensity of such disasters. Many states are not ready to meet the intensity of such disasters. States such as Kerala, Maharashtra, Bengal and TamilNadu, where population densities are high, have to be alert to mitigate the effects of disasters that can strike anytime.
Since the past 134 years in which temperatures have been recorded around the world, 2014 was the hottest year. Perhaps 2015 could be hotter. In a study by ADB that focussed on increasing natural calamities - a study that I led along with Ramon Lopez of Chile University - I came to the conclusion that human activities were responsible for severe climatic changes and the biggest culprit was greenhouse gases.
While the contribution of Kerala in the fight against global climatic changes could be negligible, we can create our own defences. We need to develop ourselves while ensuring scope for disaster management. This would help us face any calamity.
The carbon content in the atmospheric structure has crossed the safe threshold of 400ppm already. Nations such as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, which face at least seven floods a year, could face more problems. The situation would also be worse for nations such as India and Costa Rica which experience unexpected bouts of natural disasters.
The Global Climate Summit, scheduled in Paris at the end of this month, would discuss measures that nations should take in order to control global warming. The summit would focus on the need to reduce carbon emission and suggest methods and actions for this. This is a clarion call for nations to take urgent steps to protect the environment before it is too late.
_(The author is the Director General of Asian Development Bank) _