007-Apr 14, 2025
☔ THE MONSOON’S NEW FACE: Climate Shifts in the Western Ghats and Coastal India
Theme & Tags:
🌧️ Climate Change, Hydrology, Livelihoods, Sustainable Development
📘 Category: Environment & Geography | GS Paper 1 & 3
🌿 Opening Whisper
Rain was once a rhythm—now it drums in panic, bursts without breath, and silences the soil.
🌦️ Key Highlights
- +20% rainfall for every 1°C rise in temperature
- Extreme rainfall events projected to increase by 16%
- Annual rainfall may rise by 250–400 mm (moderate) or 200–670 mm (high emissions)
- Temperature rise: Max by 1.7–3.2°C, Min by 1.9–3.6°C
📈 How the Water Cycle Is Changing
| Element | Change |
|---|---|
| Indian Summer Monsoon | Wetter, more intense |
| Pre-Monsoon Season | Drier, leading to drought risk |
| Watershed Response | Flash floods, landslips, and disrupted runoff patterns |
| Climate Model Projections | Based on regional climate simulations and future scenarios |
💧
Where the Clouds Shift – Waterscapes of the Western Ghats in Flux
“The cloud no longer arrives like a friend—it rages, forgets, and sometimes never comes.”
🌾 Risks & Vulnerabilities
- Floods and landslides due to monsoon intensification
- Droughts during dry pre-monsoon spells
- Hydropower disruption from erratic water availability
- Agricultural impact due to soil erosion and altered growing seasons
🛠️ What Needs to Be Done
| Sector | Required Adaptation Actions |
|---|---|
| Water Management | Short-term water storage, regional aquifer recharge programs |
| Agriculture | Crop diversification, seasonal crop calendars, soil health |
| Energy Sector | Flexible hydropower scheduling and hybrid renewable integration |
| Policy Planning | Localised flood-drought forecasts and decentralized planning |
🔬 Scientific Backing
- Lead Author: Jobin Thomas, University of Mississippi
- Published in: Journal of Environmental Management
- Funded by: Department of Science and Technology, India
- Approach: Downscaled climate modelling for 2040–2100 under multiple RCPs
📚 GS Mains Mapping
- GS Paper 1 (Geography) – Monsoonal patterns and Indian climate
- GS Paper 3 (Environment) – Disaster Management, Climate Adaptation, Agriculture
💭 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk
We do not inherit rivers only to measure their flow—but to understand their memory and anticipate their fury.
🌊 Closing Whisper
When the sky forgets its rhythm, the earth must learn to listen again—with new tools and ancient patience.
