Relation of Human Development with Environment and Climate Change

Ecology has been a tool for the survival of humans on Earth. Julian Steward in his School of Culture Ecology explained the relationship and role of Ecology and Human Development. An important part of Ecology in the modern world is Climate. Climate is the determinant of various aspects of human life, food, shelter, clothes, and various biological and genetic adaptations. Climate for a long has been influencing human development. The modern world today has altered various environmental paradigms including Climate which has pushed the Earth towards degradation. Human development can be understood as qualitative development of human life which includes various facets such as economic, social, psychological. It focuses upon improving the lives of the people in all dimensions rather than simply assuming that economic wellbeing determines the quality of life. 

Climate change according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) refers to a change in the state of the climate which can be noted using statistical analysis via changes in the average reading of a parameter or the variability of its properties which persists for a long duration like a decade or longer. Human Development and the Climate have been interlinked for a long, however, there has to be a balance between economic developments with environmental protection. Landslides, floods, etc. claim lives and render several human beings homeless. Climate change plays a major role in increasing the frequency of such hazards.  

Impact of Anthropogenic Changes on Environment:

The relationship between man and his environment is a complex phenomenon because this relationship has changed from time to time. Man has been successful in changing the environment for his benefit. This act of man has rapidly increased since the industrial revolution. Various impacts produced by these changes can be read below:  

As per the UN report The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services:

• Nearly 1 million animals and plants are threatened and near extinction due to these anthropogenic changes.
• Forest and wetlands have been converted into urban areas at a double rate since 1992
• The use of fertilizers has resulted in about more than 300 dead zones in the oceans  
• The ever-increasing population puts pressure on natural resources to address food security, economic security, and other such necessities of life. For example overfishing, extensive use of fertilizers, Land Degradation, etc.
• Mining, deforestation, increase in exotic/invasive species animals and plants and overgrazing have individually as well as collectively affected the land and caused erosion.

Climate Change and Human Development:

• Climate Change hampers human development and growth curbing freedom and diversion of human potential towards survival and not growth. Climate change has proved to be a big hurdle in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and maintaining the human development index.
• Climate change can have a serious impact not only on human beings but also destroy crops, can lead to the submergence of coastal regions due to the melting of icebergs, and also affect various ecosystems like forests, aquatic, etc.

Impact of Climate Change on Human Health:

Climate change is the biggest health threat of the century. It may have direct and indirect effects on human health.

• Direct Effect: This includes heavy storms, droughts, rise in the sea level, hurricane tornado, and heatwaves. An increase in the heat waves causes mortality and heat exhaustion. Heatwaves due to climate change can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
• Indirect effects – Airborne and water-borne diseases are caused due to these changes. It is estimated that by 2039 there will be an increase in 8-11% of diarrhea in the tropics and the subtropics.  Food insecurity, vector-borne diseases (estimates show that the people who will be at risk of malaria will rise from 25 million in 2020 to 50 million by 2080), undernutrition, and forced displacements are also the indirect impacts.

It also impacts the socio-economic system by increasing undernutrition due to lower food supply, especially in the tropics. Climate change creates health threats and New Public Health challenges. It is not only a concern for the future but it’s happening now as well. Every year there is an increase in mean temperature and more human beings are affected by climate-sensitive diseases and disasters. The health industry can play an important role in decreasing the greenhouse emission that causes this climate change.

Impact of Climate Change on India:

As per the Report of Ministry of Earth Sciences titled Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian region–

• The Average temperature of India has increased by about 0.7°C in the last 120 years. This has caused changes in monsoons and the duration of seasons. This impacts the public at large living in the Indian Subcontinent.
• Sea Surface Temperature in the Indian Ocean region has also risen by about 1°C which has made disasters like flash floods and cyclones more common and frequent.
• The South-West Monsoon rains have decreased by about 6% making the events of drought and heatwaves severe.
• Sea Levels have also risen at an alarming rate to about 3.3mm per year which puts major coastal cities like Mumbai, Chennai, etc. at risk of submergence and displacement of a large number of the population settled there.
• The Hindu Kush Himalayas has experienced a temperature rise of about 1.3°C coupled with rapid glacial melting and disasters like landslips and glacial lake outbursts.

Without a robust policy or implementation program, the balance between human development and environmental preservation is not possible. Owing to this realization and the fact that the problem of environmental degradation is a global phenomenon, governments of various countries have come together to prepare a road map where development has been transformed into the concept of sustainable development. Various steps that have been taken to augment sustainable development are:

A. Paris Climate Agreement 2015:

• It is recognized as a historic agreement to combat global warming and Climate Change
• Has a ‘bottom up’ structure in contrast to most international environmental law treaties which are ‘top down‘.
• It mentions the requirement to review every country’s contribution to reducing emissions after every 5 years
• Rich countries must support poorer nations via “climate finance” so that they adapt better to climate change.
• Reduce the number of greenhouse gases emitted by anthropogenic activity to a sustainable level.
• Binding in some elements like reporting requirements, while leaving other aspects of the deal such as the setting of emissions targets for any individual country.
• Frameworks under Paris Agreement –  a) Technology,  b) Capacity Building,    c) Transparency

B. Glasgow Summit 2021:

United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), also known as COP26 was held in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, between 31 October and 12 November 2021.  

• It works on a five-year cycle of climate actions, first since Paris Climate Conference.
• Signatories needed to announce their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and adapt to the impact of climate change.
• Frame a long-term strategy to decarbonize economies by 2050.
• Developed countries need to urgently scale up their climate finance initiatives.
• Needs to revise its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with the commitments in the Glasgow Agreements.
• Need for effective planning catering to every sector and on a priority basis.
• Need to focus on energy transition from non-renewable to green energy sources.
• India needs to include climate change in its legislation which it has for protecting the environment.
• Mitigation – stronger action in the current decade was most critical to achieving the 1.5-degree target.
• Adaptation – Poorer and smaller countries need to have adaptation in their agendas with financial support from developed countries.
• Finance – Developed countries need to be accountable for their emissions and have to support others.
• Accounting earlier failures – Failure in providing the said finance was regretted and countries were asked to provide transparent information about the money being provided by them.
• Loss and Damage – Robust discussions on loss and damage happened in Glasgow.
• Carbon Markets – Glasgow Pact as a reprieve has allowed the carbon credits to be used in meeting countries’ first NDC targets for developing countries.