Climate Change in Chamoli

Climate Change in Chamoli

Climate Change in Chamoli : Chamoli district, located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, is one of the most vulnerable districts to climate change in the state. It faces multiple climate risks such as changing temperatures and rainfall patterns, glacial retreat, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and associated disasters like floods, landslides, and droughts. This article comprehensively analyzes Chamoli’s exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to climate change risks, identifies key vulnerable sectors, and suggests strategies to build resilience.

Assessment of Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity

Exposure

Chamoli has high exposure to climate change impacts due to its mountainous terrain, dense river network, and glacial cover. Key exposures are:

• Temperature Rise: Average annual temperatures have risen by 1.5°C since the 1970s, with higher rises in winter. Further temperature rise across seasons is projected.
• Changing Rainfall Patterns: Rainfall has declined by 100-250 mm in monsoons. More rainfall is happening in fewer rainy days indicating higher rainfall intensity.
• Extreme Weather Events: Increased frequency of disasters like floods, droughts, cloud bursts, and heat/cold waves.
• Glacial Retreat: Glacier area reduced by 21% from 1962-2001. Retreat rate has accelerated since the 1990s. Further significant retreat projected.
• Biodiversity Loss: Changing climate is altering forest ecosystems and causing habitat loss/shifts for endemic flora and fauna.

Sensitivity

With a majority dependent population, low per capita income, and climate-sensitive economic sectors, Chamoli has high sensitivity to climate change.

• Low Per Capita Income: Per capita annual income is INR 88,720 compared to state average of INR 201,808 indicating higher poverty and sensitivity.
• Agriculture-based Livelihoods: Over 70% of workforce is engaged in climate-sensitive agriculture and allied sector for subsistence needs. Their livelihoods are highly vulnerable to climate vagaries.
• Tourism Economy: Tourism which contributes over 7% to district GDP is fully dependent on climatic suitability and natural landscapes which are undergoing change.

Adaptive Capacity

Chamoli has lower adaptive capacities to cope with climate change risks. Key constraints are:

• Low Literacy: Literacy rate is 79% compared to state average of 79.6% showing gaps in awareness and skills to adapt.
• Technological Constraints: Lack of access to climate-smart infrastructure, technologies, institutional finance, and climate information services across communities.
• Poor Health Infrastructure: With only 3 sub-district hospitals and 30 PHCs, health infrastructure is inadequate to manage increased climate-linked diseases.
• Challenging Geography: Remote mountain villages with poor connectivity have less external support access during extreme weather events.
• Low Women Empowerment: High gender gap as indicated by low 0.907 gender development index. Social limitations constrain women’s participation in adaptation.

Key Risks and Threats

Increased Hydro-Meteorological Disasters

• Higher frequency and intensity of disasters like floods, landslides, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) etc. This leads to recurring loss of lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. Melting glaciers with formation of unstable moraine-dammed lakes exacerbate GLOF risks.

Negative Impacts on Agriculture

• Increased rainfall variability, extreme weather events, and shifts in weather patterns negatively impact production of staple crops like rice, wheat, pulses and horticultural crops. This affects food security and farm incomes.

Water Security Risks

• Alterations in river flows, decline in springs/groundwater recharge, and glacial retreat pose serious water stress in summers for irrigation, drinking water etc. Drying up of water sources severely impacts villages.

Increased Hydroelectricity Generation Failure Risks

• Reduced glacial melt run-off and increased variability in river flows increases instances of electricity generation below installed capacities. This affects revenues and power supply.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Loss

• Climate change is altering forest ecosystems leading to habitat loss and fragmentation. This adversely impacts endangered endemic flora and fauna. There is also more human-wildlife conflict.

Public Health Crises

• Climate change has led to rise in vector-borne diseases, water-borne ailments etc. Lack of health infrastructure compounds risks during extreme weather disasters too.

Tourism Industry Disruption

• Unfavorable weather patterns like reduced snowfall, warmer winters etc. are reducing tourist inflows affecting revenues and employment generation. Natural landscape degradation also impacts tourism prospects.

Strategies for Addressing Risks

Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation in Development Plans

• Mandating climate vulnerability assessments and integrating suitable adaptation strategies in state and district five-year plans, infrastructure projects etc. to minimize future risks.

Improving Climate Risk Forecasting and Preparedness

• Strengthening weather monitoring infrastructure, climate modeling capabilities and dissemination of early warning systems for disaster preparedness. Developing community contingency plans and evacuation systems.

Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture

• Promoting stress-tolerant crop varieties, improved agronomic practices like SRI, poly house cultivation etc. to increase farm productivity amid climate uncertainties. Expanding irrigation through watershed development and rainwater harvesting.

Strengthening Water Security

• Mapping climate vulnerabilities of water sources. Groundwater recharge through check dams, artificial glaciers etc. Efficient irrigation methods like drip/sprinkler. Water source protection through springshed development.

Expanding Social Security Cover

• Increasing penetration of crop insurance, health insurance and income support schemes for buffering climate risks to farm incomes and health. Cash transfer programmes during disasters for relief and recovery.

Building Climate Resilient Infrastructure

• Climate-proofing of roads, buildings, urban infrastructure etc. against risks like floods, landslides through hazard zone mapping and structural standards. Retrofitting existing infrastructure accordingly.

Promoting Ecosystem-based Adaptation

• Community-based conservation of forests, grasslands, wetlands etc. to preserve ecosystem services like water recharge, soil retention etc. that increase landscape and community resilience to climate change.

Conclusion to Climate Change in Chamoli

Climate Change in Chamoli : Chamoli faces critical climate change challenges spanning across sectors – water, agriculture, health etc. An integrated adaptation approach is vital encompassing forecasting of risks, resilient infrastructure development, ecosystem-based solutions, climate-smart agriculture, and social security enhancement. Alongside mitigation efforts to contain global warming are essential to restrict further intensification of impacts. Enhanced adaptation coupled with mitigation is imperative for Chamoli’s sustainable future.

Key References of Climate Change in Chamoli

• Rao et al. 2018, Climate Variability and Change Over Uttarakhand Himalaya, India
• INRM 2016, Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Uttarakhand State
• Sati and Gahalaut 2013, The Effect of the Expanding Debris Cover on the Recession of Valley Glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya
• Negi et al. 2012, Assessment of environmental degradation in the form of retreat of Gangotri glacier, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
• Rawat et al. 2013, Monitoring land use change and its drivers in a part of Western Himalaya, India