Climate change: State to get own database

Thiruvananthapuram: The Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) here has launched a project to assess the impact of climate change on Kerala and provide inputs for mitigation programmes in vulnerable areas. The project will seek to develop a regional database on climate change. Titled 'Integrated Regional Studies on Climate Change in the Munnar-Lakshadweep Transect,' it involves generation of data on land use and changes in land cover, sea level rise and its impact, heat flux in the coastal sea and the impact of climate change on human health, marginal economic groups, soil, crop productivity, wetland ecosystems, fisheries and flora and fauna. The project involves other research institutions in the State like the Kerala Forest Research Institute and the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM). CESS director M. Baba said the project would focus on the impact of climate change on agriculture, water resources, urban development and coastal areas, identified as the most vulnerable sectors. "The data will be used for more efficient planning and management of resources," he said.The project will cover a geographical area extending from Munnar to the Lakshadweep islands in the east-west direction and Achankovil to Bharathapuzha on the north-south axis. "The region was selected to represent different geographical features like hills, plains, coastal areas and islands," Dr. Baba said. "Climate-induced changes can affect the physical configurations of the State, trigger rehabilitation problems in coastal stretches, alter the nature and distribution of natural resources and induce ecological stress. They could also lead to modifications in plant growth, affect crop productivity and human health. Many of the climate change predictions at the global level do not match the changes experienced in Kerala. So, a regional model assumes importance," he explains. The project is being taken up under 'Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change,' a national mission supported by the Union government. It will consolidate the data generated by research institutions in the State, identify knowledge gaps, establish monitoring stations, link stakeholders, formulate policies and recommend an action plan for the government. During the programme, scientists will study the nature and magnitude of climate change, the regional factors driving the changes, natural resource availability, sea level rise, settlement and population, economy, agriculture and human health and try to come up with mitigation strategies. "Over the years, CESS itself has generated a great amount of data on cloud parameters, atmospheric conditions and the effect of climate change on coral islands, estuaries and the sea. We have also studied the impact of human-induced land modification and urbanisation. The information will be incorporated into the databank," Dr. Baba said.

 

The Hindu, 9th June 2009