Climate change and biodiversity; impacts, vulnerability and mitigation in Indian perspective : A review

Abstract

As per the nature of law, changes are bound to be happening in the system if any component of the system gets altered by any means. Change of climate and subsequently loss of biodiversity threatens the existence of human being. The loss of biodiversity, which has been happening worldwide, poses a serious threat to the anthro-pological system. An investigation of the current trend and future scenario shows that this loss is likely to continue in the foreseeable times. India has a huge variety of biodiversity and in the last few decades, its biodiversity has come under threat from climate change which accelerated by the anthropogenic activities of various sources of pollution. The review shows that climate change is a serious environmental challenge that undermines the determination for sustainable development. Climate change has become the most crucial environmental concern of the decade. Much attention is rightly focused on reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases from industrial, energy and transport sector through reduction in fuel consumption and use of renewable/green energy. However, as countries are looking for mitigation and adaptation processes, protection of natural habitats is a key factor of climate change strategies. Strengthened support for protected areas and more sustainable resource management can contribute to strategies as well as for protection of the biological resources and ecosystem. Climate change is developing as one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, increasing pressures on genetic resources, species and populations. Biodiver-sity conservation and sustainable development are the possible ways to curtail the impact of climate change. Although, adequate efforts have been made worldwide to tackle the environmental challenges, the adverse effects of climate change are still accelerating and the rate of loss of biodiversity is continuing globally.