Dear readers,

Interacting with reputed scholars working on various issues of climate change in India it was alarming to note that water and agriculture - both vital components for sustainable livelihoods, is projected to be the most vulnerable to warming trends. The rapid melting of the Himalayan glaciers, and increased extreme rainfall events will reportedly have a cumulative effect on the runoff and river discharge, leading to acute disruptions in crop production and agricultural patterns - impacting the marginal farmers the most. Thus it is in India’s self interest to reduce its carbon emissions and opt for renewables in a planned and efficient manner - with enhanced participation at community levels.

We are an economy closely tied to our natural resource base.  Significant climatic changes can alter the economic fabric, severely jeopardising lives and livelihoods of millions. The Indian Agricultural Research Institute estimates a decline in total wheat production after 2020, with consequent boundary changes in the growth of crops. The Institute also indicates the possibility of a loss of 4 to 5 million tons in annual wheat production with every 1oC rise in temperature which may roughly coincide with the 2020-2030 period despite the carbon fertilisation effect. Without doubt small changes in temperature and rainfall will have significant effects on the quality of fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, aromatic and medicinal plants. In fact pathogens and insect populations are strongly dependent upon temperature and humidity, and changes in these parameters may change their population dynamics.

In the current issue we have briefly outlined impacts of climate change on Indian agriculture and reviewed it through history. Aerosol pollution and the influence of atmospheric brown cloud (ABC) on rice harvests have also been presented in an attempt to develop a climate strategy for livelihood and sustainability in the context of India.

I shall eagerly wait for your views. Write to me at editor@geographyandyou.com and let me know whether this issue of G’nY was interesting and informative.