As Goa observes World Environment Day on June 5, it stands as the only Indian state with a comprehensive policy framework to combat climate change. Alongside an approved State Action Plan on Climate Change and a Clean Energy Roadmap, the Goa State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is in the final stages of government approval. However, experts caution that translating these policies into action remains a significant challenge.
Warning Signs
The draft Goa State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan warns that unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed, temperatures in Goa could routinely reach 40°C by 2040. According to the report's climate change sub-committee, Goa is warming faster than the national average. Mean temperatures have risen by about 1°C between 1901 and 2018, with most of the increase occurring after the 1970s.
Expert Insights
The report was prepared by Rajiv Kumar Chaturvedi, a faculty member at BITS Pilani Goa Campus and a UN expert on greenhouse gas emissions inventories, and Sushant Suresh Naik, principal scientist at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), who has over two decades of research experience. The experts outline starkly different futures depending on global emissions levels. If atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations rise to 940 parts per million (ppm) by 2100, Goa could see temperatures increase by as much as 4.5°C. However, if emissions are controlled and CO2 levels are limited to 538 ppm, the projected rise would be about 2.5°C compared to the 1901-1950 baseline.
Extreme temperatures are projected to increase under climate change scenarios. By 2040, maximum temperatures of 40°C or more are expected to become commonplace in Goa. Minimum temperatures are also projected to rise by 3°C to 7°C, the report states.
Risks and Recommendations
The report also warns that Goa is likely to face more frequent and intense climate extremes, including droughts, cyclones, floods, and unseasonal rainfall. Such events could disrupt livelihoods, reduce agricultural yields, and deepen distress in farming communities.
To reduce climate risks, the experts have recommended a range of adaptation measures, including the development of climate-resilient agricultural systems, mapping forest fire-prone areas, strengthening early warning systems for extreme weather events, and identifying and protecting ecologically critical habitats.
Key Adaptation Measures
- Promote drought-tolerant crops and crop varieties appropriate for Goa
- Advocate rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge in all available locations except high and moderate landslide-prone zones
- Promote irrigation techniques with higher efficiency, such as drip irrigation
- Build capacity of locals to mitigate forest fire incidents
- Set up multiple climate monitoring stations in different ecosystems
- Identify climate change-tolerant and resilient tree and plant species
- Prepare a state-level plan for eradicating invasive species across various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
- Use tolerant varieties and breeds in livestock and poultry
- Diversify livelihoods of local forest-dwelling communities to reduce dependence on forest resources
These measures aim to enhance resilience and mitigate the impacts of climate change in Goa.
