Study: Climate Change may kill 1.5mn Indians each year by end of century

Munawar Zaman
Press TV, New Delhi

India is the world’s second most populous nation and the country has diverse terrain and dramatic landscape but the country has done little to cut the greenhouse gas emissions which will give rise to the average temperature and with it the rise in mortality. A latest study by Tata Centre for Development at the University of Chicago has said.

Based on the study around 1.5 million more people in India will die annually due to climate change and related phenomenon by the year 2100. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are estimated to contribute to 64% of the total excess deaths. The study said carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere will peak to 940 parts per million by the end of century if the high emission scenario continues.

India largely depends on the coal energy for number of purposes such as electricity and the country’s energy use is expected to more than double by 2040. Experts say the country must move away from the coal and rely on natural gas which will provide benefits in reducing air pollution and would also have long time impacts. According to this study the average number of extremely hot days around the country is expected to rise from 35 degrees presently by more than eight times per year to 42.8 degree Celsius. Most affected by the climate change would be farmers, construction workers and labors. In recent years India has witnessed a change in weather patterns in form of deadly air pollution, erratic monsoons, prolonged droughts, heat waves, rising water pollution.

New Delhi says the government is taking necessary measures to build India's resilience to climate change. Experts however say the progress is slow and will turn even worse if the country doesn’t seriously address the issue.

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