• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Issues that matter
    • COVID-19 in India
    • Inadequate safe drinking water
    • Poor sanitation
    • Environmental health
    • Infectious disease
      • Hepatitis C
    • Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs)
    • Malnutrition
    • High infant mortality
    • Mental health
    • Sex and gender discrimination
  • Special Focus
    • Interviews
      • Exclusive Interviews
      • Readers Interviews
    • Vaccine Hesitancy
  • News
  • PandemiCast
  • Partner’s Press Office

Health Issues India

Health issues in India

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Editorial Team
  • Subscribe
  • Contribute
  • Sponsor
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Environmental health / India set to launch Arctic Policy strengthening climate change fight

India set to launch Arctic Policy strengthening climate change fight

January 25, 2021 By Nick Witts Leave a Comment

Glacial meltwater from the Himalayas. Image credit: Sharada Prasad CS from Berkeley, India [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
India’s government is in the process of putting together an Arctic policy to further efforts to tackle issues surrounding climate change and sustainability. 

The Arctic Policy, currently released in a draft format publicly to invite feedback before January 26th, outlines plans for science and research activities; economic and human development cooperation; transportation and connectivity; governance and international cooperation; and national capacity building. 

India is seeking the policy to strengthen its presence in the region. The Government writes “the importance of the Arctic for India is constantly growing, primarily due to the challenges associated with climate change and global warming. India was accorded the status of an Observer to the Arctic Council in 2013, one of the thirteen countries in the world to have done so. The fact that this status was renewed in 2018 reflects India’s contribution to Arctic studies and research.” 

Indeed, whilst India’s storied relations with the Arctic region date back to 1920, 2013 did represent the pivotal moment of securing permanent observer status – with the renewal in 2018 underscoring the significance of this. Since receiving permanent observer status, Indian activity in the region has focused predominantly on scientific interest.

The Arctic Policy states that “India seeks to play a constructive role in the Arctic by leveraging its vast scientific pool and expertise in Himalayan and Polar research. India would also like to contribute in ensuring that as the Arctic becomes more accessible, the harnessing of its resources is done sustainably and in consonance with best practices formulated by bodies such as the Arctic Council.”

As part of the Arctic Policy, India states its intention to better understand and work to address climate change challenges. These intentions are summarised by six different pillars. These include research into ecosystems and preservation of Arctic biodiversity; improving modeling systems used to predict climate and weather; encouraging research that aligns with international Arctic priorities; collaborating with forums such as the Arctic Council’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Expert Group to seek solutions; engaging with the Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Response Working Group of the Arctic Council to contribute towards environmental emergencies; ensuring that Indian enterprises follow high environmental standards; and contributing towards environmental management in the Arctic. 

Why the Arctic Policy matters to India 

The importance of climate change specifically relates back to India in a multitude of ways. Of those mentioned in the Arctic Policy, response mechanisms impacting weather conditions and monsoon patterns remain of pressing importance. Research has shown that salinity changes in the Bay of Bengal impact both the Indian monsoon and Arctic temperature changes. When salinity is high in the Bay of Bengal, corresponding warm events are found to occur in the Arctic, as documented by the Greenland ice core record.

The same has been found with the Arctic’s impact on Indian’s monsoon which play a fundamental role in farming and growth. The net impact of greater variability in monsoon rainfall from year to year is a greater range between flood and drought conditions, both of which could be more severe for a country that relies on the monsoons for agriculture, drinking water, industry, and even energy through hydroelectricity.

Secondly, and of no less importance, is the prospect of sea-level rise due to the melting of the Arctic ice caps. Research has shown that the impact of climate change is now seeing Arctic sea ice is now declining at a rate of 13.1 percent per decade, relative to the 1981 to 2010 average. This issue also comes in conjunction with the Himalayan glaciers, also known as the Third Pole. 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere recognised the inextricable link between the Arctic and the Himalayas. This is something of clear importance with the Arctic Policy noting that they are “endowed with the largest freshwater reserves in the world outside the geographic poles,” clearly posing another challenge to rising sea levels. 

Yet, as important as the impact of this is on sea-level rise for the global fight on climate change, India’s position means it is particularly susceptible. Climate displacement would be a serious threat to the lives of millions across different cities. Predictions of 2050 using a variation of climate models have also shown part of India’s financial capital Mumbai could be inundated. 

The broader environment picture encompasses a range of challenges such as micro-plastic, marine litter, and pollutants. The importance of addressing cryospheric and climatological linkages between India and the Arctic remains of high importance for a country highly vulnerable to climate-exacerbated shocks that are dramatically costing the country – in rupees and in lives.

Filed Under: Environmental health, Featured Stories Tagged With: Arctic, climate change, government policy, monsoon, sea-level

About Nick Witts

Nick has been working as a Freelance Writer at Hyderus and Baird’s CMC since 2019 where has produced long-form communications for clients including Eli Lilly and ViiV Healthcare. He has also worked publishing articles for Health Issues India, with a notable interest in environmental developments.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Articles

  • WHO continues PHEIC designation for COVID-19; The latest health stories from around the world
  • Renewed fears of a bird flu pandemic; The latest health stories from around the world
  • More oversight needed for “gain of function” research says expert panel; The latest health stories from around the world
  • Marion Biotech to be investigated by Indian drug regulator
  • Sesame to be added to list of major food allergens

Footer

Archives

Issues that matter

  • Environmental health
  • Inadequate safe drinking water
  • Poor sanitation
  • Infectious disease
  • Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs)
  • Malnutrition
  • High infant mortality

Categories

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie settingsACCEPTACCEPT ALL
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.