Model Answer

Reasons for Increased Heat Wave Incidences in India

The recent surge in heat wave occurrences in India can be attributed to several interrelated factors:

1. Climate Change: Global warming is a significant driver of increased heat wave incidents. Rising global temperatures lead to more extreme weather events, including prolonged heat waves. A study indicated that the early and abnormal heat waves in India were made 30 times more probable due to climate change.
2. Urbanization: The rapid urbanization in India has resulted in the ‘urban heat island effect,’ where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than their rural counterparts. This phenomenon occurs due to the heat-retaining properties of concrete and asphalt surfaces.
3. Reduced Natural Vegetation: The loss of vegetation, which naturally cools the environment through transpiration, exacerbates heat conditions. Urban development often replaces green spaces with impervious surfaces that absorb more solar radiation, leading to higher temperatures.
4. Water Scarcity: Encroachments on surface water resources reduce moisture in the air, contributing to higher temperatures. The lack of water bodies diminishes the natural cooling effect that these resources provide.

Mitigation Measures

To combat the adverse effects of heat waves, several mitigation strategies can be implemented:

1. Public Awareness: Educating the public about the health, environmental, and economic impacts of rising temperatures is crucial. Campaigns through schools and media can enhance awareness.
2. Integration of Policy Initiatives: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is collaborating with states to develop heat action plans. These plans should be integrated with local initiatives to ensure effective implementation.
3. Greening of Cities: Urban planning should prioritize increasing urban forest density and restoring wetlands. This can help lower temperatures and improve air quality.
4. Promoting Green Infrastructure: Encouraging the use of permeable materials in construction and upgrading building standards to reduce heat absorption can significantly mitigate heat effects. Utilizing insulated materials can also lower energy consumption for cooling.

The rising incidence of heat waves poses serious challenges, but with timely and effective strategies, the negative impacts can be minimized.

Model Answer

A cloudburst is a weather phenomenon characterized by intense rainfall, often exceeding 100 mm per hour, occurring within a short duration (typically less than an hour) over a small area of approximately 20-30 square kilometers. This sudden downpour may be accompanied by thunder, lightning, and hail. Cloudbursts can lead to flash floods, landslides, and significant devastation, particularly in mountainous regions like the Himalayas.

Reasons for Increasing Instances of Cloudbursts in Himalayan States

Several factors contribute to the increasing frequency of cloudbursts in India’s Himalayan states:

1. Orographic Lifting: The Himalayan region’s topography plays a crucial role in cloudburst formation. When moist air from the monsoon season encounters the steep slopes of the mountains, it is forced upwards. This leads to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds, which are capable of storing large volumes of moisture. The intense updraft prevents the moisture from dissipating, causing heavy rainfall over a localized area.
2. Climate Change: Rising global temperatures, particularly oceanic warming, have intensified the amount of moisture-laden air transported towards the Himalayas, increasing the potential for cloudbursts. Moreover, higher land surface temperatures in the region due to deforestation and urban expansion contribute to the formation of these intense weather events. Warmer air can hold more moisture, increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall.
3. Changing Wind Patterns: The interaction between warm monsoon winds and cool western disturbances has become more pronounced, further exacerbating cloudburst conditions.

Recent Cloudburst Incidents

1. October 2023 – North Sikkim: A cloudburst over Lhonak Lake triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River, impacting the Lachen Valley.
2. August 2023 – Himachal Pradesh: A cloudburst occurred at Jadon village in Solan, resulting in significant damage to infrastructure and lives.

Conclusion

The growing frequency of cloudbursts in the Himalayan states is linked to climate change, deforestation, and shifting weather patterns. These extreme weather events pose significant challenges, requiring urgent mitigation strategies such as forest conservation and adoption of sustainable practices.

Model Answer

Reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

Carbon trading is a key mechanism in addressing climate change by reducing GHG emissions. It provides a market-based solution where entities that exceed their emissions targets can buy credits from those who reduce their emissions, creating financial incentives for emission reductions. For example, trading in sulfur dioxide permits successfully helped reduce acid rain in the U.S. Carbon trading systems have been adopted globally, covering over 21% of global emissions by 2021, up from 15% in 2020-Effectiveness and Flexibility**
Carbon trading is often more cost-effective than imposing direct regulations or taxes on emissions, allowing industries to meet emissions targets without the heavy burden of direct control measures. This flexibility helps reduce the overall societal costs of combating climate change .

Alih the Paris Agreement

Carbon markets align with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, encouraging international cooperation by facilitating the trade of carbon credits. This fosters a collective global effort to achieve emissions reduction goals .

Promoting Innd Financial Benefits

The system incentivizes industries to innovate and adopt cleaner technologies to reduce emissions. It also offers financial rewards for entities that emit less than their allowed limits by enabling them to sell unused credits .

Key Features oon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) 2023

Governance and Oversight

The Ministry of Power has set up the CCTS framework to regulate carbon markets in India. The National Steering Committee (NSC), led by the secretaries of Power and Environment, provides direct oversight of the Indian carbon market .

Role of Bureau of Energy Effic)

BEE will administer the carbon market, setting emission reduction targets, issuing carbon credit certificates, and accrediting carbon verification agencies .

Regulatory Bodies and Functions

• Tntroller of India Limited will act as the registry for the Indian carbon market.
• The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission will regulate trading activities .

The CCTS 2023 is an essential step in India’s climgy, helping to integrate domestic efforts with global initiatives for climate mitigation.

Model Answer

Introduction

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) refers to a set of technologies, practices, and approaches designed to remove and durably store carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. As per the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), achieving net negative CO2 emissions is critical to combating climate change, and CDR plays an essential role in this process.

Methods of CDR

1. Afforestation and Reforestation: Planting trees helps capture CO2 through natural processes, storing carbon in biomass and soil. Agroforestry and tree planting initiatives are vital to enhancing this process.
2. Peatland Restoration: Re-wetting and re-vegetating degraded peatlands capture and store carbon in the soil, preventing the release of CO2.
3. Biochar: This method involves converting organic waste into stable, carbon-rich material through pyrolysis, which can be stored in the soil, promoting soil health.
4. Enhanced Rock Weathering: By accelerating the natural weathering process with silicate rocks like basalt, CO2 is permanently stored as solid carbonate minerals.
5. Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): Biomass is used as an energy source, while CO2 released during conversion is captured and stored.
6. Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS): Industrial chemical processes capture CO2 directly from the air and store it in geological formations or products.
7. Marine-based Techniques: Techniques like ocean fertilization and coastal wetland management use biological or geochemical processes to capture CO2.

Challenges of CDR

1. Competition for Land: Techniques like afforestation and BECCS require significant land, potentially competing with agricultural and energy needs.
2. Impact on Biodiversity: Practices like single-species afforestation or ocean fertilization can harm biodiversity and disrupt food webs.
3. Potential for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: Improper combustion of biochar or destruction of wetlands could release CO2 back into the atmosphere.
4. High Costs: Methods like DACCS and ocean fertilization are costly and may be unfeasible for developing nations.

Conclusion

While CDR is not a substitute for deep emissions reductions, it is a crucial tool for achieving net negative emissions. To maximize its potential, appropriate governance and policies are necessary to manage risks and challenges effectively.