Region-specific adaptation strategies and integrated water resources management need of the hour for tackling climate change in Kerala, says study
A new paper in the Journal of Environmental Management (Elsevier) has highlighted the need for region-specific adaptation strategies and integrated water resources management in Kerala for tackling climate change challenges.
The paper, 'Climate warming modifies hydrological responses in the southern Western Ghats and the western coastal plains (India): Insights from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6-Variable Infiltration Capacity (CMIP6-VIC) simulations,' places special emphasis on Kerala.
It observes that global warming could intensify the hydrological cycle across the study region, altering precipitation and temperature patterns, elevating the risk of floods, landslides and drought. Climate projections forecast an increase in temperature anomalies and extreme precipitation events (EPEs) during the monsoon season in future. Further, the region is projected to experience steadily increasing minimum and maximum temperatures throughout the 21st century at annual and seasonal scales under two shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP245 and SSP585) scenarios.
The region is projected to experience up to a 20 % increase in annual precipitation, with EPEs potentially increasing by up to 16 %, it says. Integrated management of water resources is vital to ensure sustainable water availability, hydropower generation and farm productivity, it says.
The study was carried out by a team from multiple institutions including those under Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Madras and Palakkad; National Institute of Technology, Warangal; Indian Institute of Human Settlements, Bengaluru, University of Mississippi, Pennsylvania State University and the Purdue University.
The study was undertaken acknowledging the need for a region-specific assessment, especially in the context of the recurring disasters in Kerala, K.P. Sudheer, Executive Vice President, KSCSTE, and co-author of the paper, told The Hindu. In recent times, Kerala has experienced major disasters almost on a yearly basis, including the destructive floods of 2018 and 2019 and the 2024 Wayanad landslides.
The paper notes that the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events (EPE) pose significant challenges for society and planning engineers, particularly in the design of climate-resilient infrastructure.
'It is necessary to conduct thorough, scenario-based evaluations of potential future climate conditions to anticipate and mitigate unexpected consequences, including the elevated risk of flooding due to more frequent and severe EPEs. Incorporating climate change projections into the design of climate-resilient urban stormwater management infrastructure through rigorous modeling studies is also essential,' it says.
The Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, Kozhikode, and the Institute of Climate Change Studies, Kottayam, were the KSCSTE institutions involved in the study.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Book on turning Prosopis juliflora to a resource of value
A book exploring viable means to turn the menace of Prosopis juliflora, a rapidly proliferating weed locally known as seemai karuvelam into a resource of some value was recently brought out at the Pondicherry University. P. Prakash Babu, Vice-Chancellor, Pondicherry University, while formally releasing the book, expressed hope that the work would stimulate and catalyse global efforts towards controlling and utilising Prosopis juliflora. The book Prosopis juliflora: Attributes, Impact, Utilization summarises the findings of an exhaustive work by a research team led by S. A. Abbasi, a former professor, on finding economically viable ways of utilising Prosopis juliflora so that its standing biomass can be turned into a resource. The publication (Elsevier and Academic Press) has references to findings of other researchers across the world. According to a press release, Prosopis juliflora has emerged as the world's most domineering and harmful of weeds. India is among the countries that have been very seriously hit by this menace, asit growing uncontrollably in several States, causing great harm. Deleterious impact In the Puducherry-Tamil Nadu region too, the plant is seen growing almost everywhere, rampantly colonising new areas at the expense of diverse vegetation. The invasive plant also possesses negative allelopathy due to which itplant species from its vicinity and monopolise the space. In fact, such has been its deleterious impact that in 2022 writ petitions were filed in the Madras High Court to direct the government to intervene.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
Kerala oil spill: Marine, coastal ecosystems likely to be hit, warn experts
The sinking of the MSC ELSA 3 container ship off Kochi poses a significant threat to marine and coastal ecosystems, particularly fisheries KOCHI: The sinking of MSC ELSA 3 container ship in the Arabian Sea off Kochi's coast on Saturday will have serious ecological impact on marine and coastal ecosystems, principally fishing, experts said on Sunday. While a lot depends on the scale of leakage carrying hazardous cargo of calcium carbide, diesel and furnace oil smothering can impact sensitive marine ecosystems, said Grinson George, director of Kochi-based Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). 'Oil smothering could threaten sensitive marine species and disrupt fishing activities, particularly affecting artisanal fishers in coastal regions. If the spill spreads, it may harm marine productivity, especially during the monsoon — a critical period for pelagic fish breeding and growth. This could have lasting consequences for fisheries,' George said. Monsoon typically supports high marine productivity, George said, adding that much will depend on how the ship's leakage can be contained. A study on long-term impact of the very low sulfur fuel oil spill (VLSFO) from the site of Wakashio, a ship which sank off Mauritius in July 2020, shows contaminated sediments and mangroves. The study was published in Elsevier's Marine Pollution Bulletin recently, three years after the sinking. This was the world's first major spill of VLSFO since a global sulfur cap took effect from Jan 2020. Chemical analysis in March 2023 of sediment samples collected from mangroves close to the site of Wakashio's sinking confirmed biodegradation. The researchers have concluded that the mangroves differed in their sensitivity to oil, resulting in the more tolerant species obtaining a competitive advantage to recolonise other systems. In such cases, it is crucial to know locations of the spilled oil and monitor such sites with health checks on mangroves and associated plants and animals.
The Print
25-05-2025
- The Print
IIT-Guwahati develops sustainable solution using mushroom waste for wastewater treatment
The findings of this research have been published in the prestigious Journal of Environmental Management. The technology — BHEEMA (Biochar-based Hydrological Enzyme regulated Efficient Mechanism for Antibiotics removal) employs laccase-mediated degradation to remove antibiotics from wastewater, preventing the formation of toxic byproducts commonly associated with conventional treatment methods. New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) Researchers at IIT-Guwahati have developed an eco-friendly alternative to conventional wastewater treatment methods by combining biochar derived from Spent Mushroom Waste and laccase, a natural enzyme, according to officials. The developed system has been recognised as the top seventh finalist under the Water Sanitation theme of the Vishwakarma Awards 2024, organised by the Maker Bhavan Foundation. According to Sudip Mitra, the Head of the School of Agro and Rural Technology at IIT Guwahati, the research team targeted the removal of harmful fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics, including Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Norfloxacin, generally found in hospital discharge, industrial effluents and surface water. 'Contrary to traditional wastewater treatment methods such as advanced oxidation and membrane reactors, which are both costly and generate secondary pollutants, our approach uses laccase, a naturally occurring enzyme, to degrade the contaminants. 'To make the enzyme stable for reusability, our research group immobilised it on biochar derived from spent mushroom waste, an easily available agro-waste product in this region,' Mitra told PTI. The developed biochar is a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable alternative to activated charcoal. On a lab scale, within three hours of application, the developed system achieved 90–95 per cent degradation efficiency of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. 'Another key feature of the developed system is that the byproducts recorded in the degradation process are non-toxic, making the technology sustainable and safe for the environment,' said Anamika Ghose, a PhD scholar. The prototype has been developed in collaboration with Latha Rangan, a professor at the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT-Guwahati, along with her research scholars. At a laboratory scale, the developed prototype costs between Rs 4,000–5,000, covering materials, enzyme immobilization, and reactor setup, making it a feasible option for scaling up and adoption in both urban and rural settings. In the next step, the research team is working towards scaling up the developed prototype by engaging with stakeholders for field testing and market validation. The research team recently organized a hands-on training session for farmers on Biochar preparation and its multiple benefits for agriculture. Conducted in collaboration with the District Agricultural Office of Morigaon at their office premise, a total of 30 local farmers attended the training session. PTI GJS GJS NSD NSD This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
