Land use, increase anthropogenic pressures, human activities have caused the ‘Heat Island Effect’ in major parts of India causing a rise in temperature by 1 degree in the past 17 years, the information backed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
The study was published by the institute on February 7th, 2020. When a metropolitan area experiences a higher temperature than the surrounding rural area, then it is called Urban Heat Island or UHI. The phenomenon caused an increase in the heat island effect due to the presence of concrete buildings, vehicle exhausts, constructions, and the effect has been noticed in at least 44 different locations in India, each having a population of over a million between 2001 and 2017. Major cities facing the issue are Kolkata, Pune, Guwahati, Delhi, and Jaipur.
The difference in temperature between cities and the outskirts areas gives the measurement of SUHII. The primary reason behind this effect is said to be the blocking of air passage and wind channels by haphazard development and aerosols in the air. At night, the heat isn’t allowed to radiate. The accumulated heat results in an increase in temperature.
Earth’s Temperature Marks The Hottest Decade On Record
A yearly assessment of Earth climate done by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) underscored the stakes at 2 weeks of talks aimed at shoring up the 2015 Paris Agreement. The conclusions show the Average temperature for 5-years (2015-2019) and 10-years (2010-2019) period is the highest on record. Seawater is 26% more acidic than at the commencement of the industrial era, diminishing marine systems.
Arctic sea-ice neared record low. Climate change is a key reason for the rise in global hunger and affected more than 820 million people in 2018. Weather disasters displaced millions and hit the rainfall pattern from India to Russia. Reports also noted that surges in sea temperatures known as a marine heatwaves, which destroy marine life, are more common. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit a record level of 407.8 ppm in 2018 and continues to rise.
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