Deboraj Baruati
(The writer can be reached at hbaruati@gmail.com)
Being at the foothills of the Himalayas, Assam experiences major floods during the monsoon season. Although the government, be it the central or state, usually faces criticism, there is a deeper reason why the number of floods in Assam is increasing year after year. Assam recently experienced the worst flood in 120 years. It has an impact on lakhs and lakhs of individuals.
One of the major causes of the increasing frequency of floods in Assam is climate change. Assam always had the problem of seasonal floods but as climate change has changed the monsoon patterns, now, we have heavy flooding at the very start of the rainfall which was not the case earlier.
Assam is the most climate-vulnerable state in India. Climate change is not only affecting Assam's people's lives through flooding, but according to research from IIT Guwahati, Assam's tea-growing regions have had prolonged periods of little rain or high-intensity downpours in recent years, which has caused water-logging and soil erosion in tea plantations. Assam's tea yield is also sensitive to increases in monthly average temperatures; multi-year research (2004–2013) conducted over 82 Assamese tea estates found that the yield decreased if the average temperature rose above 26.6°C. Strangely, Assam's moist regions are also experiencing a severe drought which has never happened before. This results in crop loss reduced productivity and low income. These phenomena have a significant impact on the economy of Assam. Government is aware of the dangers to the tea industry, the State Cabinet adopted the Assam State Action Plan for Climate Change-II for 2021-2030.
Assam has a golden chance in its hands. At the current G20 summit, Assam can address the issue of climate change. Union Minister for Ayush and former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal said while inaugurating the G20 Sustainable Financial Working Group (SFWG) meeting that sustainable finance for climate action is the need of the hour for a better future for the next generation. The entire world is concerned about climate change and is working on it unanimously so that the SDGs can be achieved.
Since the Industrial Revolution, people have produced energy using fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuel usage facilitated national development and contributed significantly to Western wealth. However, burning fossil fuels results in the release of greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide (CO2). Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gas), and rising emissions can be considered the main reasons for climate change.
It is true that no one nation or country can bring about the change necessary to put an end to this problem. Climate change affects or will affect everyone and every place, whether it be the sinking of the dead sea or the sinking of the beautiful city of Venice of Italy. Therefore, a collective effort is needed. The world needs to band together to combat the threat that looms over humankind.