The Express View on climate report: Shore up the defences

Source: The post is based on the article “The Express View on climate report: Shore up the defences” published in the Indian Express on 16th February 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Environment and Bio-diversity Conservation.

Relevance: About WMO report on sea level rise.

News: World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) report on the impact of sea-level rise on global peace stirred debate in the UN Security Council. The report adds to the growing corpus of studies that underline the climate vulnerabilities of people living in low-lying areas.

What are the key highlights of the WMO report on sea level rise?

More than one in 10 people worldwide, including those in megacities like Mumbai, New York, London, Dhaka, Shanghai and Buenos Aires, could face severe turmoil even if global warming is miraculously limited to 1.5 degrees (Paris climate pact’s goal).

What should be done to prevent and mitigate the impacts of WMO report on sea level rise?

The task for policymakers is to prepare for massive social and economic dislocation. This will require building resilience at several levels. This can be done by a) investing in R&D, infrastructure and warning systems to mitigate the loss of lives and property, b) Protecting coasts by engineering, technological and ecological interventions like creating physical barriers, permeable pavements, sopping waters and reviving mangroves, c) Armoured shorelines can also upset the delicate ecological balance of coastal habitats.

Globally technology and fund transfer commitments at UN summits have to be in proportion to the gravity of the challenge.