New challenges on natural resources and their impact on climate change in the Indian context

Abstract

Global warming resulting from industrialization, excess consumption of fossil fuel, and agricultural activity is a new challenge for human civilization in the twenty-first century. The impact of global warming in the melting of glaciers and the rise in sea level is being observed worldwide (Ayala A, Farias-Barahona D, Huss M, Pellicciotti F, McPhee J, Farinotti D. 2020. Cryosphere 14:2005. doi:10.5194/tc-14-2005-2020). India is a developing country suffering from excess human population and a lack of awareness among the people regarding the impact of global warming on human civilization. India has started various remedial measures to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases. It has launched various schemes to promote the production of renewable sources of energy (solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, tidal energy, hydroelectric energy, and biomass energy) on a large scale as well as on a small scale in rural areas. The government of India has promoted numerous steps to resolve global warming and climate change. They have facilitated the production of renewable sources of energy on a major scale so that consumption of fossil fuel is minimized, which helps reduce carbon load in the atmosphere. India has also taken steps to fix carbon by increasing plantation. It has been shown that forest and tree cover in the country has increased from 14% in 1950–1951 to 24.01% in 2011–2012. India is a country with a rich diversity of socioeconomic conditions, geography, and climate: hence, the implementation of a uniform policy throughout the country is always challenging. A policy on a small scale (zone-wise) is needed so that the diversity of socioeconomic conditions, geography, and climate is considered seriously in polices. Hence, it is essential that every section of society also participates to resolve these issues and to cooperate with policies implemented by the government of India.