Page 6 - CESD Annual Report 2022_Page01-46

Messages We live in a state of permacrisis with new and prolonged droughts. India too faced its

challenges, like geopolitical tensions,
own share of problems, with floods in Assam
reglobalisation, and climate change and in Karnataka, occurring just after a
disrupting life. Amidst the headwinds, India severe heat wave.
has taken leadership on several fronts.
India’s G20 Presidency, with the theme of The recent IPCC report estimated that in the
“One Earth, One Family, One Future” has next decade alone, climate change will drive
emphasized that global collaboration is the 32-132 million more people into extreme
need of the hour. Its leadership in climate poverty. Every tenth of a degree of additional
action have propelled India firmly onto the warming will escalate threats to people,
global stage. The nation ranks first among all species, and ecosystems.
G20 members in terms of overall climate
performance in the Climate Performance
Despite wide ranging global commitments
Index. India’s role in promoting a global
and efforts in decarbonization and
alliance for solar energy under the concept
mitigation, it is clear that the world is already
of “One Sun, One World, One Grid”, its
locked in unavoidable climate change
updated NDCs and its LiFE (Lifestyle for the
impacts. The IPCC report has warned that
Environment), initiative which calls for a
the world would in all probability breach 2
worldwide paradigm shift from mindless and
degrees by the end of this century. This
destructive consumption to mindful and
implies that extreme weather events like
deliberate utilization, also reinforce its
Both mitigation and floods and droughts would double, heat
commitment to climate action.
adaptation require a waves would multiply 5 to 6 times. This
makes it imperative that adaptation efforts
multidimensional Such actions are mission critical in today’s are accorded equal focus as mitigation.
approach. Giant strides will context as climate change has spiraled into
be required to transition to an existential crisis. Extreme weather events Both mitigation and adaptation require a
a net zero economy with have become frequent and unpredictable. In multidimensional approach. Giant strides will
2022, Europe experienced the worst drought
specific focus on hard to be required to transition to a net zero
in 500 years. Rivers ran at historic low levels
abate sectors compromising agri yields and disrupting economy with specific focus on hard to
abate sectors, making green hydrogen
supply chains and businesses. Erratic rainfall
available economically as well as carbon
also led to devastating floods across the
storage. Large scale adaptation measures
world. A cyclone of record-breaking duration
will need to be implemented based on
devastated parts of south-eastern Africa.
nature-based solutions. Investments in R&D
The Drought in Numbers 2022 (UNCCD)
would have to be scaled up to define new
report highlights that this year more than 2.3
pathways for addressing climate challenges.
billion people face water stress and almost
Inclusive value chains need to be built to
160 million children are exposed to severe
secure livelihoods for today and tomorrow.
06 Commitment Towards a Sustainable Future