Srinagar, January 20:

Jammu and Kashmir has surpassed the world in average temperature rise recorded in the last 100 years as against the global increase of 0.8 to 0.9, the state has recorded 1.2 degree Celsius rise in temperature.

After analysing the 130 years of temperature recorded by the state’s metrological department, it has come to fore that in last 100 years, there has been a rise in average temperature by 1.2 degree Celsius in Jammu and Kashmir, which, according to experts, is a cause of concern.

Prof ShakilRomshoo, head, department of earth sciences, Kashmir University said “there is a recorded history of 130 years according to which J&K has surpassed annual global rise in temperature.”

“It is a fact that average temperature across the globe has increased by 0.8 to 0.9 degree Celsius, however in J&K the temperature rise is above the global average. As a result of which we are witnessing more precipitation,” he said.

He said the snowfall has reduced and even these days “we see there is hardly any accumulation of snow because of increase in temperature.”

“Being a mountainous region, we are more susceptible to climate change and global warming,” he said, adding that earlier there used to be accumulation of snow during winter months, but that thing has been a victim of climate change.

Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir State Action Plan on Climate Change, a report prepared by the Climate Change Cell of the State government, has also warned that Kashmir is “heading for peculiar climatic scenario with net temperature going up.”

“The amount of snowfall has also reduced over the years. As per UNEP and ICIMOD, the temperature in Himalayan region has risen by 1 degree Celsius since 1970s. This has caused meltdown of snow and glaciers at rate of 15 m/yr even in winter,” the report reads.

While quoting Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) report, it states that Himalayan region has already grown warmer by 2.2 degree Celsius in the last two decades. The report mentions that climate change would have “drastic impact on hydropower generation capacity in J&K” possibly in three ways: Firstly, the available discharge of a river may change since hydrology is usually related to local weather conditions, such as temperature and precipitation in the catchment area.

Secondly, an unexpected increase in climate variability may trigger extreme climate events viz. floods and droughts, and thirdly, changing hydrology and possible extreme events may increase sediment risks.

The government report says that studies conducted during the past three decades by the National Institute of Hydrology Roorkee reveal that glaciers in Ladakh, Zanskar and the Great Himalayan ranges of Jammu and Kashmir are generally receding, and the glacier volume change ranges between 3.6 percent and 97 percent, with majority of glaciers showing a degradation of 17 percent to 25 percent. “The 23-km Drang-Drung glacier in Zanskar valley is highly affected by western disturbances (ablation rate variations between 0.75 cm/day and 2.67 m/day during July and August),” the report adds. The action plan says that the maximum temperature is increasing by 0.5 degree Celsius per year in Kashmir valley.

Courtesy: Greater Kashmir