That Sinking Feeling

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A global warming report presented to the Maharashtra state cabinet on September 1, 2021, has gotten everyone worried. The study, with an overall focus on Maharashtra and a special emphasis on its coastal belt, especially Mumbai, clearly projects that the future of the megapolis is not looking too bright dry.

Quick Recap

Since 1870, global sea levels have been rising at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year – meaning that the sea is over 20 cm higher today than what it was back then. However, in recent decades, this rate has climbed sharply to 2.5 mm/year.

This rise in sea level is primarily a result of thermal expansion of the oceans due to global warming, plus increased water inflows from melting glaciers and ice caps. As a result, climate change is fast turning out to be a big challenge for mega cities, Mumbai included.

SOS

Calling for mitigating measures, the environment department, while making the presentation, alerted the state cabinet and the Chief Minister that if temperatures rise by 2-2.5 degrees Celsius due to irresponsible human behaviour, both Mumbai and Maharashtra will be among the world’s worst-affected coastal regions.

With the intention to apply the brakes on this advancing peril, the state will set up a dedicated climate change team comprising a council of ministers headed by the chief minister, and co-chaired by the deputy chief minister.

Experts stressed that if “business as usual” continues, Mumbai and other coastal areas face the threat of going under, and central Maharashtra of severe drought. Experts also warned that forests, instead of doing their usual unpaid and thankless job of being carbon sinks, could instead start spontaneously combusting.

It’s clearly time for serious and sustained action.