Climate Change in India Essay -- Global Warming Essays

Information regarding India ’s climate dates back for thousands of years. The reason for this is that India was once ruled by the empire of Alexander the Great in 300 B.C. Alexander’s empire was one of the first western civilizations to keep environmental and meteorological records in writing. Thus, from just about the western world’s beginning, India ’s environmental records have existed in writing. However, although no written documents regarding India’s weather and climate exist prior to Alexander’s era, we can assume certain climatic conditions and changes prior to 300 B.C. due to the known history of native civilizations that previously existed. Between the years 2500 and 1700 B.C., the Indus valley in the northwest portion of today’s India fostered homes for great civilizations. Around the cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro large civilizations flourished. In order to understand why such great civilizations existed in the Indus valley during this period, it is essential to understand the climatic conditions that existed there at the time and whether or not the fall of these civilizations correlated with any climatic changes. When examined closely, it is quite evident that the Indus valley was home to great civilizations between 2500 and 1700 B.C. directly as a result of the abundance of water in the region. Furthermore, the decline of these civilizations and the absence of any such great civilizations existing shortly thereafter is a direct result of the continual lessening amounts of water for the millennium to follow. Between 2500 and 1700 B.C., the Indus valley had an annual rainfall of 400 to 800 mm. This annual rainfall was the ideal amount of water needed for this specific region to harbor great civilizations. ... ...hese paddy fields are extremely vulnerable to salinization which means that a rise in sea levels would probably destroy the coastline’s agriculture. The effects of such climate changes would be so profound on India because its coastline is home for much of the country’s social infrastructure. In addition, India ’s tourism industry is almost entirely reliant on its beaches. Potential oil reserves along India ’s coastline are also at risk to be lost with rises in sea levels which could possibly eliminate any potential natural riches existing in India. It is predicted that with a 1 meter rise in sea levels along India’s coastline, 1,700 square kilometers of agricultural land would be destroyed, putting 7.1 million Indian at risk. Sources Lamb, H.H. Climate, History and the Modern World. www.teriin.org/climate/climate.htm www.teriin.org/climate/impacts.htm