Hunger, thrust loom large over India due to climate change

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) Food and water scarcity loom large over India as global temperatures rise due to emission of greehouse gases, says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which has released its second assessment report.

The effects will be visible by 2050, according to the report.

IPCC head Dr R K Pachauri said here the UN Panel projects substantial decreases in the production of food grains in India and other Asian countries.

He said half a degree Celsius rise in winter temperatures would reduce wheat production by 0.45 metric tons per hectare. The average wheat yield in India is 2.6 metric tons per hectare.

The loss of yield would seriously threaten India's food security having far reaching effects for other sectors.

Water availability was also going to be seriously affected by the rise in global temperatures, Dr Pachauri said. Water available per person will be reduced by almost 38 per cent by 2050.

This water shortage will be caused by deficient rains, melting of glaciers due to rise in temperature, and reduction in recharge of ground water due to run off as a consequence of floods resulting from excessive rain over a few days.

"Heavy rainfall over fewer days, implying increased frequency of floods during the monsoon will also result in loss of the rainwater. The direct runoff of water would reduce the groundwater recharging potential," said Dr Pachauri.

The report, which is a joint effort of scientists from over 100 countries, also said that water flow in the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Godavari and other major rivers of the country will be severely affected by the melting of glaciers.

The report, "Climate Change 2007: Impact, Adaptation and Vulnerability" was released in Brussels on April 6. The third report was released in February, holding human activities mainly responsible for global warming.

Dr Pachauri said efforts on war footing were required by the governments of India and other Asian countries to meet the impending crisis due to climate change.

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