New Delhi: Who says global warming is a cause of concern?- at least not the WHO- the World Health Organisation, in the present global context- post-eruption of dreaded Coronavirus claiming more than 6,500 lives and infecting 1,70,238 spanning across 158 countries, when people are praying for a peak in global warming.
There is no meteorological or other scientific indication so far that there is a ‘brake’ in the heating up of the globe due to outbreak of Corona as both land and oceans are warmer now than they were when rerecord-keeping began, in 1880, and temperatures are still ticking upward. But, people from Beijing to Washington, from Milan to New Delhi and from Tehran to Kolkata are at the moment paying heed to the ‘belief’ that ‘more warmth’ is needed to fight the cold-based ‘vicious virus.’
India has reported two deaths, including one in Delhi, and 110 confirmed cases due to infection of Coronavirus.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), between 1880 and 1980, the global annual temperature increased at a rate of 0.13 degrees Fahrenheit (0.07 degrees Celsius) per decade, on average. Since 1981, the rate of increase has sped up, to 0.32 degrees F (0.18 degrees C) per decade. This has led to an overall 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees C) increase in global average temperature today compared to the pre-industrial era. In 2019, the average global temperature over land and ocean was 1.75 degrees F (0.95 degrees C) above the 20th-century average. That made 2019 the second hottest year on record, trailing only 2016.
Amid the ongoing ‘blow hot blow cold,’ Delhi’s newly drafted State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) has given a new twist to the weather condition in the National Capital.
”Extreme weather events seem to be increasing in the Capital over the last couple of decades, both in terms of temperature and precipitation. This can severely impact public health, increase power consumption, deplete water resources and damage crops,” the SAPCC findings said.
”To cope up better, not only Delhi will have to focus on vulnerable sectors, but also on improving the transport and the lane-use,” the SAPCC reports suggested.
Informatively, the Delhi government has so far identified six ‘vulnerable’ sectors, including healthcare, power and energy, water resources, urban planning, transport and the agriculture and forest sector, to combat climate change.
Incidentally, the SAPCC report came to light a day after heavy rain and hailstorms lashed a number of thoroughfares here putting a ‘halt on the hope’ of ‘early Summer’ in the national capital.
Asked to comment on the ‘belief’ of preponement of Summer as ‘rescuer’ to COVID-I9, scientist-turned sociologist Ramesh Virmani said, ”Yes, there is a likely perception prevailing in the society here and also elsewhere, though scientifically not proved, that Corona may surrender to Summer.”
But, Mr Virmani lamented that considering past two days’ weather situation here ”Delhiites are likely to be deprived of such opportunity.”
The National Capital had witnessed the coldest December day on December 30, 2019 – the lowest since 1901 from when record-keeping started.
