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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: The Berlin Mandate
The Conference of the Parties in Berlin, Germany, held in 1995, was the first after the Climate Change Convention went into force.
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 05:43 PM

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was opened for signature at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) conference known as the Earth Summit.
Compilation of references on the The Kyoto Protocol
A short compilation of resources and web-links on the Kyoto Protocol which deals with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries.
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 05:25 PM

1. Kyoto Protocol - Wikipedia
2. Encyclopedia of Earth - Click here
The Kyoto Protocol: Mandate, mechanisms and revisions
The Kyoto Protocol is a landmark agreement reached at the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) in Japan. It derives its name after the city, Kyoto, in Japan, where the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference - COP 3 was held in December 1997. Industrialized countries agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as per levels specified in the treaty.
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 04:57 PM

Mandated Quantified GHG Emissions Reduction
Impact of climate change on health in India: Protection of health from climate change has to be a part of a basic, preventive approach to public health
According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), climate change is likely to have a greater impact on India compared to other countries similarly positioned, on account of the unique combination of its geography, diverse population characteristics and extremely high carbon-related energy dependence
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 04:01 PM

Climate change is bound to affect the basic requirements for maintaining health - clean air and water, sufficient food, adequate shelter, and freedom from disease given the already high level of poverty, low nutritional levels and poor public health infrastructure in the country. (Dream 2047, Vigyan Prasar)
Reference: Impact of climate change on major river basins in India
A short compilation of further reading and references on the impact of climate change on major river basins in India
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 03:45 PM

Climate and water resources of India, R. Ramesh* and M. G. Yadava; Current Science, VOL. 89, NO. 5, 10 SEPTEMBER 2005 - http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep102005/818.pdf
Impact of climate change on the Mahanadi river basin
The Mahanadi river basin is one of the most vulnerable to climate change and variations in temperatures and precipitation regions.
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 02:56 PM

The Mahanadi River delta plain covers 0.9 x 10 km and lies between 85 40' : 86 45' E and 19 40' : 20 35' N. The catchment area of the river covers 1.42 x 10 km. The sediment yield of the Mahanadi catchment is around 200-400 tonnes/km. It has an average annual rainfall of 1572 mm and 70% of this during the SW monsoon season.
Effect of climate change on river Kosi and its basin
Considering the vulnerability of the Kosi's basin, the melting glaciers will acerbate the problem a hundredfold. The melting glaciers will release much more water than normal in a short time thus creating a flood situation.
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 02:46 PM

Kosi is one of Ganga's largest tributaries and in turn is fed by 7 tributaries - Sun Koshi, Dudh Koshi, Indravati, Tama Kosi, Likhu, Arun, and Tamar. These tributaries encircle Mt Everest from all sides and are fed by world's highest glaciers. The river drains a total area of 69,300 sqkm upto its confluence with Ganga. The river basin stretches 54,000 sq.kms.
Effect of climate change on the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta regions
The Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghana delta belt comprises of 105,000 sq. kms of which 2/3rds is in Bangladesh. The Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghana system has the largest catchment area of 1,100,000 km². The delta region is particularly vulnerable to seasonal floods, heavy run-offs from melting snows, and tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal. Inspite of this, it is one of the most thickly populated regions on Earth.
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 02:28 PM

The delta belt is home to approximately 125-140 million people. And over 300 million people are supported by the delta. The density of population in the Delta region is 200 people / sq.km. making it one of the densest regions in the world.

The delta region is a high-rainfall region and receives 60-80 inches of rainfall every year.
Impact of climate change on major river basins in India: The Indo-Gangetic-Plains
The effect of climate change on the Indo-Gangetic-Plain region will primarily be by the glacier melting impacts and heat waves and extreme climates
Rama Mani
Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 02:14 PM

The Indo-Gangetic Plains, formed by the drainage systems of the rivers Indus and the Ganga, stretch across the countries of Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan covering approximately 401.72 million hectares of land.
Migration and displacement due to sea-level rise: Mega-cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai could be hit hard
A one-meter sea level rise will inundate 6000 square kilometers in India, of which Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai will be the major cities being affected. This would mean losses of billions of dollars in infrastructural, social, physical assets and capital.
Rama Mani
Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 05:34 PM

125 million people are likely to migrate in the coming century of which 75 million will be from Bangladesh. The people from Bangladesh will most likely migrate to India in addition to our own 50 to 60 million people who will be displaced due to sea-level rise, shrinking water sources due to CC in the densely populated coastal regions of India.
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