Climate Change in India Book Review: “Environmental protection is not at the cost of development but is for ensuring long-term sustainable development and economic stability,” Col CP Muthanna has highlighted in his book, “Climate Change in India: Threats, Challenges and Opportunities”. It is perhaps one of the hardest hitting facts because it brings to the fore and rests once and for all the contention of environmental protection vis-a-vis economic growth and development. Col Muthanna’s book is nothing short of a study of its own. Talking about climate change and the many challenges it poses, the book is worthy of being added to curriculum for a layered understanding of the issue and the extent to which it is damaging not just nature, but also the infrastructure and developmental projects that have become the focus of governments all over the world. Just like its name suggests, the book underlines the threats that climate change poses and why it is a challenge for the government. However, while that is where most stop, Col Muthanna also provides solutions that India can follow and become a world leader in this aspect – and that is where the opportunity comes in for the country.
The first issue that Col Muthanna has highlighted in his book is that of the infrastructure projects being taken up in the country without taking into account the impact of climate change. He focused on the Sagar Mala project, the development of tourism infrastructure in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and the River-Interlinking project. Through facts, precedence and thorough research, he laid down a comprehensive argument that forces one to understand that the current frameworks of these projects are not suitable to go hand in hand with the impact of climate change. He has suggested that these projects need to be revisited. The first question that arose in my head when I was reading through the suggestion was why there was a need to revisit them. Why couldn’t the projects and climate action go together?
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However, reading on, as he delved into each project in depth, it became clear that the current frameworks do not take into account the way climate change is set to change the geographical and topological structure of India and therefore, has no mitigation for it. Hence, for development and climate action to go hand-in-hand, the current approach to infrastructure development needs to change. He, unlike many others, did not call for the complete closure of these projects, but proposed that a more climate-resilient approach is the way to go.
After covering the infrastructural aspects, he went into the impact that a rise in sea-level will have on Indian land – including submergence of some parts – and what actions the government must take to prepare for such an eventuality that does not seem too far in the future.
While climate change has some very obvious impacts like rise in sea levels and inundation of coastal areas, apart from rising temperatures, people often tend to overlook the impact of such a fate on aspects beyond nature. However, even simple, self-reliant goals like Make-In-India and Atmanirbhar Bharat are under threat due to the climate crisis.
He also cited the plight of Karnataka’s Kodagu district as a case study to show how unplanned development and urbanisation led to devastation in the forms of floods and landslides, as a result of which farmers lost their homes and lands. Increased human-animal conflict and erosion of food-producing areas were also some of the consequences that common people are facing in the region due to ill-planning.
Talking about the Himalayas and the Mekong Basin, which are vital for many countries in South and Southeast Asia, Col Muthanna suggested that India could lead and create regional cooperation for the stabilisation of climate change in this region. The reduction of the threat of climate change to the Himalayan ecosystem is of utmost importance because any imbalance can cause loss of lives as well as resources for people in these areas. Not only would this give rise to a situation where many people would meet a tragic end, but it would also lead to populations from South and Southeast Asia migrating to other parts of the world in large numbers as refugees.
Proposing a regional HIMEK Alliance with neighbouring countries, that he had first drafted in 2009 and presented to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), India and IUCN Asian Regional Office (IUCN ARO), he said that India could become a global leader in setting the trend for similar international programmes that look at protecting eco-regions from the negative impacts of climate change. He added that while global treaties like the Paris accord, Kyoto Protocol and Bali Declaration look at reducing emissions to the desired levels by 2050, eco-regions like Himalayas cannot wait till then and therefore, need an urgent strategy.
Col Muthanna, who voluntarily retired from the Indian Army in 1996, had founded the Environment and Health Foundation (EHF) in 1998. It was on behalf of this body that he had drafted and proposed the HIMEK Alliance. He also served as the President of Coorg Wildlife Society twice, from 2003 to 2009, followed by 2012 to 2018. He was also awarded the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam award by the Karnataka government in 2006 for the work he has done in the field of environment.
The book is a reflection of the author’s intimate knowledge and deep assessment of the issue, and is a must-read for all those who wish to understand why climate change is the biggest issue that we are currently facing.
