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The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Experts stress need for issuing accurate and localised forecasts for State
As above normal southwest monsoon is forecasted for the State in 2025, a one-day stakeholder dialogue titled 'Tracking the Monsoon: Kerala Outlook 2025' held here on Thursday stressed the need for issuing accurate and localised forecasts for the State in the future. Experts who took part in the summit stressed the importance of coordinated weather observation for better forecasting while emphasising the need for dense weather observation. The stakeholders also appreciated the Institute for Climate Change Studies' (ICCS) upcoming weather app for data collection and assimilation. The concept of a monsoon forum was also welcomed in the meet, with recommendations to extend such discussions in the future. The event organised by the ICCS in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, and the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, brought together leading experts, policymakers, and representatives from key departments to deliberate on the preparedness strategies for the upcoming southwest monsoon season in Kerala. Actionable insights Technical sessions covered seasonal forecasts, disaster management, resource management, livelihood, and well-being, and experts shared insights and best practices. The dialogue was aimed at developing actionable insights and promoting collaborative efforts for risk mitigation and sustainable planning, ultimately enhancing Kerala's resilience to monsoon-related challenges. The programme began with a welcome address by K. Rajendran, Director of ICCS, and was formally inaugurated by K. P. Sudheer, Ex Officio Principal Secretary, Science and Technology department, and executive vice-president, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
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.
