New Report - India Facing Up To 2C Avg. Temperature Increases By 2030 - Monsoon Disruptions Likely

[hatrack]

NEW DELHI -- A new report says India could be 2 degrees Celsius (3.8 F) warmer than 1970s levels within 20 years - a change that would disrupt rain cycles and wreak havoc on the country's agriculture and freshwater supplies, experts said Wednesday.

More flooding, more drought and a spreading of malaria would occur, as the disease migrates northward into Kashmir and the Himalayas, according to the report by 220 Indian scientists and 120 research institutions. The temperature rise, which could be even more extreme along the coasts, would cause drastic changes in India's rain cycles that threaten water supplies and agriculture - the key source of livelihood for most of India's 1.2 billion people.

The report comes out just weeks before the Nov. 29 start of the U.N. climate summit in Cancun, Mexico, where nations will try again to reach a global agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions thought to contribute to global warming.

Last year's U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen ended with an international pledge to limit the rise of the Earth's average temperature to 2 degrees Celsius (3.8 F) above levels recorded before industries began pumping carbon dioxide into the air 200 years ago.

EDIT

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/11/17/science-as-india-climate_8127859.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews

[XemaSab]

1. So would that be like perma-ENSO or what?

'Cause my instinct says that Northern California is going to get cooler, rainier winters. :shrug:

[hatrack]

2. Maybe I won't move to Arcata after all!

:hi:

On edit - sheesh, can't even spell anymore!

BTW, there sure seemed to be a lot of greenhouse owners and hydroponic gardeners up there! Gosh, I had now idea how green Northern Californians were! :evilgrin:

[XemaSab]

3. .

:P