CLIMATE CRISIS IN INDIA: A CATASTROPHE OF HEALTH AND PROSPERITY: LALIT GARG

CLIMATE CRISIS IN INDIA: A CATASTROPHE OF HEALTH AND PROSPERITY: LALIT GARG

24-JAN-ENG 14

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------The environmental challenges arising from climate change are now affecting the very existence of human civilization. Climate change is no longer a distant scientific concept, but an immediately experienced reality, the severity of which is clearly evident in the Climate India 2025 report by CSE and Down To Earth. From January to September 2025, India experienced some form of extreme weather event—floods, droughts, heavy rains, storms, cold waves, or extreme heat—on 99 percent of its days. During this period, 4,064 deaths, the destruction of 9.47 million hectares of crops, the death of approximately 58,982 animals, and the collapse of 99,533 houses illustrate the depth of this crisis. The agricultural sector was the biggest victim of these events, as climate imbalance directly affected fields, weather patterns, and yields. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall have severely impacted the rural economy. These difficulties are most pronounced in the world's most populous country. 257 days of extreme weather in Himachal Pradesh, 532 deaths in Madhya Pradesh, and 8.4 million hectares of crop loss in Maharashtra demonstrate that this is not just an environmental issue, but a crisis of human life, health, and the economy.

In 2025, at least 18 states and union territories recorded the highest number of extreme weather days since 2022. From February to September 2025, extreme weather events were recorded in 30 or more states and union territories of the country for eight consecutive months. The situation in India is mirroring the situation spreading across the entire world. The years 2023, 2024, and 2025 were among the hottest years globally. The persistent heatwaves in Europe, the famine in Africa's Sahel region, the wildfires in the Amazon and Australia, the fierce storms in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and the rapid melting of glaciers indicate that the Earth is heading towards a dangerous turning point. The imbalance in weather patterns, rising sea levels, sudden temperature increases, and irregular rainfall are not only making natural disasters more frequent but also endangering human life. The biggest cause of climate change is uncontrolled human activity – dependence on fossil fuels, deforestation, pollution, unplanned urbanization, and excessive consumption have increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to dangerous levels, resulting in the abnormal warming of the Earth.

The effects of these circumstances are visible in every aspect of life. The impact on health is increasing, deaths due to heatwaves are rising, and the frequency of new viruses and pollution-related diseases has increased. Water resources are under threat, and rivers and groundwater are drying up rapidly in many areas. The food crisis is deepening as crops fail, leading to rising prices of grains and vegetables. The economic structure is also being shaken by natural disasters, millions of people are being displaced, and inequality is rapidly increasing. If the world does not meet the goal of keeping the temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius, the flow of Himalayan rivers will become uncertain in the next three decades, coastal cities will be at risk, and human life will become increasingly difficult.

Another report highlighting the adverse effects of climate change, 'The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2025', stated that last year, climate change factors caused a 66 percent loss in the agricultural sector and a 20 percent loss in the construction sector. This report indicates that a potential income loss of $194 billion occurred due to reduced labor capacity caused by extreme heat. It is noteworthy that this report was prepared by 128 international experts from 71 academic institutions and UN agencies worldwide, under the expert leadership of University College London. This report provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the relationship between climate change and health. The report indicates that between 2020 and 2024, an average of ten thousand deaths per year in India were linked to PM2.5 pollution caused by forest fires. Worryingly, this represents a 28 percent increase compared to the period between 2003 and 2012, which should be a matter of serious concern.

Ironically, despite the grave facts revealed in The Lancet report, there is no sign of a sincere international effort to collectively address this crisis. It is an undeniable fact that the developed countries of the world are continuously trying to shirk their responsibilities. Especially in recent years, the irresponsible attitude adopted by US President Donald Trump regarding climate change does not suggest that any serious joint global initiative to tackle this crisis will materialize in the near future. Developed countries appear to be ignoring the recommendations of the standard Paris Agreement in this regard. The facts revealed in the CSE and Down To Earth's Climate India and The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2025 reports are eye-opening and a wake-up call.

Commenting on these alarming reports, CSE Director General Sunita Narain said that the country now needs to do more than just count disasters; it needs to understand the scale at which climate change is occurring. She emphasized the urgent need for global emissions reductions, as no adaptation will be possible for disasters of this magnitude. Kiran Pandey, Program Director at CSE, described the rising temperatures during the monsoon season as worrying, leading to irregular and extreme weather events. It can trigger seasonal events. Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth, said that this report is a necessary warning and that without decisive mitigation efforts, today's disasters will become the new normal of tomorrow. At such a time, the responsibility does not rest solely with governments and international institutions, but every ordinary citizen must also become a participant in environmental protection. First and foremost, it is essential to make our lifestyles nature-friendly. Small actions such as saving energy, using water judiciously and sparingly, abandoning plastic, planting trees, and segregating and recycling organic waste can yield significant results. At the household level, solar energy, rainwater harvesting, composting kitchen waste, and reducing unnecessary consumption have a positive impact on the environment. Reducing the use of vehicles, prioritizing public transport, and adopting eco-friendly options like walking and cycling are powerful steps in the fight against climate change.

Environmental sensitivity is just as important as technological efforts. A sense of respect for nature, the judicious use of resources, and a vision for securing the Earth for future generations can become our collective strength against the climate crisis. If this awareness develops in society that the protection of nature is the foundation of life and progress, then change will begin automatically.

Education, awareness, and public participation are the most important weapons in this fight. Training children in schools and homes about environmental values ​​will be extremely beneficial for the future. The climate crisis will not stop on its own; to stop it, resolve, joint efforts, and making sustainable development a priority in life are necessary. We have only one Earth, and there is no alternative. The message of the times is that if we do not take nature's warnings seriously, the future will become even more difficult for humanity. But if every human being fulfills their share of responsibility, the direction of climate change can be altered, and the Earth can be provided with balance, peace, and stability.