Proceedings of the Delhi Round Table Conclave 2010 on “National Seminar on Impact of Climate Change on Ocean & Sea Around India for a Cross Section of Intellectuals, Scientists, Media Persons, School/College Teacher and Meritorious Students”
Date and Place: Held on March 16-17, 2010 in New Delhi.
This programme was funded by Ministry of Earth Sciences, National Disaster Management Authority, National Institute of Ocean Technology, Port of Chennai, Indian National for Ocean Information Services and National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research.
Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences
Prof. P Patasani, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Shri Bishnu Padaray, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Dr Ajit Tyagi, DG, Indian Meterological Department
Dr Avinash Pandey, Professor, Allahabad University
Dr G.S.Roonwal, Professor, Inter University Accelerator Centre
Dr M Natrajan, Deputy General Manager, Bharat Heavy Electrics Limited
Dr N. Khare, Scientist, Ministry of Earth Sciences
Dr Nityanand Singh, Scientist, Institute of Information Technology and Management
Dr P. C. Pandey, Professor, Indian Institute of Technology
Dr R. Siva Kumar, Head, Natural Resources Data Management System, DST
Dr S W A Naqvi, Scientist, National Institute of Oceanography
Dr S. M. Bhandari, (F) Scientist, Space Applications Centre
Dr Sandip Chopra, Professor, Inter University Accelerator Centre
Dr Sugato Hazra, Professor, Jadavpur
Dr V. Sakhuja, Professor, The Institute of Cost and Works Accountants Of India
Dr V. Sampath, (F) Scientist, Ministry of Earth Sciences
Dr. (Prof.) Lakshmi Subramaniam, Jamia Milia Islamia
Dr. Alvarinho J. Luis, Scientist, National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research
Dr. Ashok Bhatnagar, IMD Indian Meterological Department
Dr. J. C. Batra, IMD Indian Meterological Department
Dr. S. D. Attri, Scientist, Indian Meterological Department
Dr. Sanjay Bist, Indian Meterological Department
Dr. Siddhartha Singh, Indian Meterological Department
Ms. Nisha Achutan, IAS, (Retd.)
Prof. Pranav N. Desai, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Shri Arindam Sengupta, Executive Editor, Times of India
Shri Ashish Fernandes, Greenpeace
Shri Bhaskar Rao, Advisor, Ministry of Environment Sciences
Shri Bijendra Singh, Senior Reporter, Sahara Samay TV
Shri E. Mohan Reddy, Head Communications, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
Shri Joginder Doghna, Senior Reporter, Hindustan Times
Shri Prabhajan, Senior Environment Reporter, IBN 7 TV
- Dr. Shailesh Nayak discussed the problems of sea level rise and temperature changes in the Indian Ocean
- Release of the handbook pertaining to this Delhi Round Table Conference Prof. Prasanna Patasani gave a very intellectual speech on ocean water problems by giving examples of comparisons between trees, human body with oceans, their cosmic connection and how we should protect the environment to protect ourselves.
- Shri Bishnu Padaray, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha in brief explained the negligence of government and organizations, low interest of doing research in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He highlighted the concerns and voiced the issues around the people on forest climate change issue.
- Dr Ajit Tyagi, DG, Indian Meterological Department focused mainly on the climate change issue and weather forecasting. He said that this conference would be very beneficial for the department.
- Dr S W A Naqvi, Scientist, National Institute of Oceanography gave a precise information about an inexpensive technique called ‘Ocean Iron Fertilization’ proposed to mitigate global warming. He also discussed about the role of oceans, the increasing temperatures, climate change and increasing global warming.
- Dr Nityanand Singh, Scientist, Institute of Information Technology and Management, Pune gave a presentation on Climate Change in India.
Many recommendations were made in the RTC 2010. Some of them are given below.
- There is a need to study all factors related to climate change and other related problems. The RTC 2010 points out that it would be wise enough to make careful statements and undertake holistic studies about climate change and its impact in the ocean and seas of India.
- The RTC 2010 suggests that intensive scientific studies should be undertaken on the biodiversity of the islands of India. RTC 2010 suggests that the biodiversity of these islands should be mapped and germ plasm preserved. Although there are many studies about the endemic land and oceanic biodiversity, but RTC 2010 points out studies should orient itself to the rising oceanic temperatures as the livelihood issues of vulnerable island communities may be at stake.
- Carbon emissions have to be controlled. The RTC 2010 recommends that in-depth studies and modelling is required to conclusively establish the amount of carbon dioxide acceptable in the atmosphere. Also the RTC 2010 proposes that newer ideas of geo-engineering are to be considered and pilot projects towards such an end should be attempted in controlled experiments to understand the feasibility and impacts of geo-engineering in the control of carbon in the atmosphere.
- The RTC 2010 feels that policy interventions and response related to climate change should be integrated in the mainstream planning for national development.
- The RTC 2010 highlights the need for an integrated scientific study in the light of climate change concerns.
- The RTC 2010 recognises the need to sequester carbon dioxide to stabilise the atmospheric levels in a changing climatic regime. The RTC 2010 appreciates the efforts undertaken to conduct the massive ocean iron experiment.
- There is a need to study the issue of coastal eutrophication with greater efficacy as it has a pertinent role to play in the production levels of the fish stock in the country.
- The RTC 2010 recognises that ocean acidification is exacerbating (30 per cent higher than pre-industrial levels) as a direct consequence of changing climatic regimes. The RTC 2010 suggests that parameterisation of ocean acidification data is the need of the hour, and adds that it should be built into a master data bank that assesses living resources of the oceans in the backdrop of changing climatic regimes.
- The RTC 2010 thus points out that extensive and specific scientific studies/experiments need to be undertaken in and around the sea and oceans of India, including the Antarctica, to conclusively understand the changing climatic regime and its impact.
- The RTC 2010 recognises the need to create large protected areas in the deep sea to provide a diverse ecosystem with a high level of biodiversity, which can, in the long run be more resilient to the impacts of changing climatic regime.