AFTER receiving scanty snowfall this past winter, the ‘summer in spring’ has now prompted experts to assert that the valley has already passed into the feverish phase of climate change.
Behind the valley’s unusual weather patterns, says climatologist Dr. Majid Farooq, are some sweeping global factors.
“Events of climatic change, like early summer, will affect every corner of the world,” said Dr. Majid, Scientist and Coordinator at Government of Jammu and Kashmir’s Climate Change Centre.
“These things happen because global temperature is increasing. I won’t say it has nothing to do with the local issues like urbanization or industrialization, but overall it is a global phenomenon.”
Already March 2022 was declared as the warmest month in Srinagar since 1892.
The overall mean temperature for the month was recorded 13.7°C as compared to the previous record of 13.65°C in year 2004.
“We’ve to design adaptation and mitigation strategies and prepare ourselves to overcome the negative effects of global warming,” Dr. Majid said.
In a candid chat with Kashmir Observer, the climatologist offers some expert insights into the changing weather patterns.
Why’s Kashmir suddenly witnessing some radical weather patterns?
Well, the temperature is rising due to pumping of greenhouse gases from industries, vehicular emissions and livestock.
But relatively, in a global context, the contribution of Kashmir to climate change is nearly negligible. However, the impact of climate change on Kashmir is marginally high.
We’re now witnessing dry winters and missing spring season and we call it climate variability.
But how’s climate variability different from climate change?
If there’s less snow in one season and more in other, we call it climate variability not climate change.
But if weather pattern changes, say over the last three decades, then we can call it a climate change.
So, should Kashmir brace up for a hotter summer after Jammu lately broke the 76-year record with 37.3 degrees Celsius?
These are events of climatic change and every area will be affected.
These things happen because global temperature is increasing. I won’t say it has nothing to do with the local issues like urbanization or industrialization, but overall it’s a global phenomenon.
What can we do to overcome these impacts?
We’ve to design adaptation and mitigation strategies and prepare ourselves to overcome the negative effects of global warming.
In this regard, the global negotiations are on, like the recent COP-26, to regulate the more greenhouse gas producing countries for switching over to alternate renewable sources of energy.
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