IPCC Report – UPSC GS3

The scientists opine that “unsustainable agricultural expansion, driven in part by unbalanced diets” has increased the stress on the ecosystem, resulting in competition for land and water.

The report suggests that with increased global warming levels in the mid-term (from 2041-60), the risks of food security would be severe.

This will lead to malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Central and South America and Small Islands.

The IPCC report says that in the current situation, about 3% to 14% of all species on earth are at a very high risk of extinction at 1.5°C, with disastrous losses at higher temperatures.

This will have an impact on ecological catastrophes.

According to the report, between 2010-2020, human deaths from floods, droughts and storms was 15 times more in highly vulnerable regions, compared to very low vulnerability regions.

South Asia is a hotspot.

Heavy rainfall has increased in the Indian subcontinent, and regions like Chennai, Chittagong, Dhaka and Mumbai, the Gangetic Plains and the Delhi – Lahore corridor are seen as future hotspots.

Raising the output through cultivar improvements, agroforestry, community-based adaptation, farm and landscape diversification, and urban agriculture.

Applying the principles of agroecology (a composite measure of using ecological and social concepts for sustainable agriculture), ecosystem-based management in fisheries and aquaculture, and use of natural processes can improve food security, nutrition, health, livelihoods, and biodiversity.

Heat Health Action Plans that include early warning and response systems for extreme heat.

Water-borne and food-borne disease threats can be tackled by bettering the access to potable water, and insulating the water and sanitation systems to floods and other extreme weather events.

Mainstreaming of adaptation actions into institutional budget and policy planning.

Introducing incentives and economic instruments that help address market failures to help public and private players sustain themselves.

Climate Resilient Development would help achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, formulation of actions to absorb existing CO2 in the atmosphere, and increase the allocation of funds for adaptation.

The IPCC feels the current trend of energy-intensive and market-led urbanisation demands an immediate and critical need for climate-resilient development.

Weak and insufficient finances, wrong policies in areas such as housing, poor land-use policies, flawed approaches in health, ecological and social planning impact resilient development.