New Delhi : Extreme heat last year reduced grain yields and caused several forest fires in Uttarakhand last year. In June there was news of floods in the North East. According to a report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Friday, nearly 700 people died in floods and landslides in the country, while another 900 were killed by lightning. 6.63 lakh people were displaced in Assam due to floods.
According to the ‘State of the Global Climate 2022′ report, the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine led to restrictions on the export of wheat and rice to India. This poses a huge risk to countries affected by food shortages.’
Since 2015, eight years have been the hottest years on Earth. The global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15°C above average. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, it is necessary to keep the global temperature increase below the limit of 1.5 °C. The WMO said the pre-monsoon period in 2022 was marked by extreme heat over India and Pakistan.
The WMO said that sea level is rising twice as fast as between 1993-2002. This may continue for millennia. Detailing the ravages of climate change, the agency said extreme melting of glaciers and record ocean heat levels have contributed to an average rise in water levels of 4.62 mm per year between 2013-22. This is almost double the pace recorded in the decade 1993–2002, making the total increase since the early 1990s more than 10 cm. Rising water levels threaten the existence of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu and some coastal cities.
At the same time, sea ice in Antarctica slipped back to record levels last June and July. The oceans were the hottest ever recorded, with nearly 58 percent of their surface experiencing marine heatwaves, the report said. According to the report, about 15,000 people died during heat wave in Europe last year. Worryingly, extreme weather patterns will continue until 2060, no matter what steps we take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
