Climate change: an Indian perspective / by S.K. Dash

Climate and Some Related Global Phenomena --
1.1 Climate Classification --
1.2 Why Different Climates? --
1.3 Past Major Climate Changes --
1.4 The Indian Summer Monsoon --
1.5 El Nĩno and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) --
1.6 The Hydrological Cycle --
1.7 Carbon Cycle --
Radiation and Greenhouse Gases --
2.1 The Solar Radiation --
2.2 Latitudinal Variations in Solar Radiation --
2.3 Depletion of Solar Radiation --
2.3.1 Absorption of solar radiation --
2.3.2 Reflection of solar radiation --
2.3.3 Scattering of solar radiation --
2.4 Terrestrial Radiation --
2.5 Role of Aerosols, Ozone, and Trace Gases --
2.6 Disposition of Solar Radiation --
2.7 The Radiation Balance --
2.8 Greenhouse Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry --
2.9 Radiative Forcings --
2.9.1 Direct Effects --
2.9.2 Indirect Effects --
2.10 Forcing-Response Relationship --
2.11 Global Warming Potentials --
Global Evidences of Changes in Climate and Environment --
3.1 Melting of Snow, Ice and Glaciers. 3.1.1 Himalayan lakes --
3.1.2 North Pole ice cap --
3.1.3 Antarctica ice shelves --
3.1.4 Glaciers --
3.2 Excessively Cold Winter in Europe --
3.3 Bleaching of Great Barrier Reef --
3.4 Ozone Hole --
3.5 Asian Brown Cloud --
Evidences of Climatic and Environmental Changes in India --
4.1 Indications of Warming --
4.2 Increase in Fog Days --
4.3 Snow Ablation and Snow Fall --
4.4 Rainfall --
4.5 Monsoon Depressions and Cyclones --
4.6 Sea Level Rise --
4.7 Water Stress --
4.8 Mangrove Wetlands and Ecosystems --
4.9 Deforestation and Desertification --
4.10 Environmental Degradation --
Possible Impacts of Climate Change in India --
5.1 Impact on Indian Agriculture --
5.1.1 Direct effects of climate change on crops --
5.1.2 Indirect effects on crops --
5.2 Impacts on Forests --
5.3 Impacts on Coastal Zones and Mangrove Ecosystems --
5.4 Impacts on Mountain Ecosystems --
Clean Technology and Energy --
6.1 Clean Development Mechanism --
6.2 Some GEF-UNDP Projects for Low Carbon. 6.3 Some Examples of Future Clean Technology --
6.3.1 Methane digester --
6.3.2 Biodiesel --
6.3.3 Natural compost --
6.3.4 Eco-friendly plastic --
6.3.5 Eco-friendly paper making --
6.4 Alternate Energy --
6.4.1 Hydrogen --
6.4.2 Bio-fuels --
6.4.3 Solar energy --
6.4.4 Wind energy --
6.4.5 Hydroelectric power --
6.4.6 Gobar gas --
Mitigation Efforts by the Government of India --
7.1 GHG Emissions Estimation --
7.2 Environmental Protection Policies --
7.3 Collaboration with Global Agencies --
7.4 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in India --
7.5 National Science Programmes --
Issues of Concern in Some Important Sectors --
8.1 Energy Use and Management --
8.2 Sustainable Forest Management --
8.3 Adaptation Measures in Agriculture --
8.4 Coastal Zone Management --
8.5 Conservation of Water --
8.6 Biodiversity --
8.7 Land Use and Land Cover Changes --
Uncertainties and Possible Approaches --
9.1 Uncertainties in Climate Change --
9.2 Integrated Methods of Observation and Data Use --
9.3 Useful Predictions --
9.4 Educating People on Climate Change --
9.5 Development and Environment --
9.6 Role of Environmentalists --
9.7 Need for Effective Science-Policy Interface --
9.8 Regional Climate Change.

The disturbing changes occurring in the global climate and environment has been a matter of concern for the current generation. The issue of climate change due to human activities can be analysed under two broad categories: emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) and the nearly irreversible damage to the environment. Reducing emissions of GHGs is intimately connected with economic issues and hence a matter of global politics. It needs to be handled through global negotiations and, ultimately, through the use of alternate sources of energy and clean technology. The second category is more dangerous, since the recovery process will be extremely slow and the corrective measures more complicated than those for the GHG abatement. Large-scale mass movements, and not mere government policies or laws, are necessary to tackle this factor.