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ShareNew Delhi: Slowly but surely, global warming is affecting India -- the monsoon is weakening and dry spells are getting longer -- and experts say the sooner we adapt to this change the better. The choice of crops needs to be different and water and energy consumption needs to be cut.
According to a new study by Centre for Atmospheric Research at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, published on May 29 in the Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, long spells of rain -- over 2.5 mm daily for more than four consecutive days -- decreased across the country over the past 50 years, while short and dry spells -- less than 2.5 mm daily for a day or so -- increased.
The researchers analysed rain data provided by India Meteorological Department for the period 1951-2004 to draw the conclusion.
Quoting Sushil Kumar Dash, lead author of the study, science journal SciDev.Net said, "Lengths of [rainy] spells affect agricultural practices to a great extent. We are also concerned about the changes in temperature over India. With India being predominantly an agricultural country, it is essential to examine regional changes in rain and temperature to assess risk management in [light of] the warming atmosphere."
There have been similar reports earlier. In March, an article in Down to Earth magazine said while parts of the country were receiving extreme rain, overall moderate rainfall that benefits crops was decreasing. It cited a study by N Singh of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology that monsoon was waning in two-thirds of the country.
Another study published in Current Science said the number of days of over-12 mm rain had decreased by 78% in the past 53 years.
In March, a Purdue University research found that climate change could influence monsoon dynamics and cause less summer precipitation, a delay in start of monsoon and longer breaks between rainy periods. The South-Asian summer monsoon - critical to agriculture in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan - could be weakened and delayed due to rising temperatures, it said.
The researchers noted that South Asia was a unique region with a very complex topography, ranging from 0 metre elevation from sea level in the south to over 5,500 metres in the north. In terms of topography playing a role in climate and weather, they expected to see a large impact on this region. They said agricultural production, water availability and power generation could be affected.
