Scientists suggest 2024 will be the warmest year yet, with global temperatures from January to August exceeding the 1991-2020 average by 0.70°C. The 2023–24 El Niño, fuelled by human-induced climate change, intensified these extreme events worldwide.
India experienced increased heatwaves, with the Central Climate Report noting temperatures were elevated nearly for 29 days due to climate change. Disruptions in weather patterns led to more frequent heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and prolonged heat spikes. Melting Himalayan glaciers caused both floods and droughts, while altered monsoon patterns worsened dry spells and air pollution in northern India.
A recent report from the Asian Development Bank estimates that climate change could reduce India’s GDP by 24.7% by 2070, with the most significant impact on poorer communities. The United Nations’ 2023 Emissions Gap Report warns that, if current trends persist, global temperatures could rise by 3°C by the century’s end, severely affecting economic output, capital, and long-term consumption.
Dr Rakesh Kumar, former Director, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur said that India needs to strengthen its infrastructure and also plan healthcare interventions in the context of climate change. “The whole sector has not been made fully aware about climate change related health issues,” he told The Migration Story, even as he noted that the poorest are impacted the most. “Now that air pollution is very high in Delhi, those who can afford, they are moving out for some time, sometimes permanently also. But those who have a livelihood issue, they can’t be moving out,” he said.
