Without climate change mitigation, we're doomed: CAN

The stark conclusions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said sea level rises of between 30 and 60 cm will occur whether or not climate change levels are curbed and the global temperature is limited to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels - a target widely accepted in the international community.

New Delhi:After UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a landmark report on global warming, which warned of hotter ocean temperatures and rising sea levels, Sanjay Vashisht, director of Climate Action Network's South Asia wing, called for mitigation to save the planet as the time for adaptation has already passed.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Sanjay Vashisht claimed that there are two forms of tackling climate change- mitigation and adaptation. But the time for adapting to global temperature changes has already gone.

"Without mitigation we are doomed. Sea level is rising, drinking water base is shrinking. Over 240 million people along the Himalayan region will stand affected by climate change," he said.

"We are looking one metre sea level rise by year 2100. It would means cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Surat and Mumbai will be submerged," he added.

Speaking on mitigation strategies, Climate expert claimed that India needs to move away from fossil fuels and adapt green technologies.

PM Modi during his speech at the UN climate summit had asked world leaders to take necessary actions to tackle the problem of climate change.

However, Sanjay Vashisht said that policy barriers and slow implementation of power generation under renewable section is slowing down India in containing its carbon footprint.

NITI Aayog in a report had earlier issued a warning saying that 21 cities across India will face acute water shortage from next year.

The UN report written by more than 100 climate and marine scientists from over 36 countries claimed that the sea level rose globally by about six inches during the entire 20th century. And, it is rising at a double speed.

The report further went on to claim that if emissions continue to rise instead of fall then sea levels could rise between 61 to 110 cm by 2100.

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