Many countries have been experiencing unseasonal large-scale flooding in recent years. This is being attributed to the global warming phenomenon. While flooding and inundation of low-lying areas during the rainy season is a normal occurrence and can be managed by routine measures, global warming which will melt the Arctic ice and raise the ocean waters is a tough proposition.
Some of the man-made issues relating to global warming are:
Rapid urbanisation
Indiscriminate construction
Large-scale deforestation and absence of plans to retain ecological balance
Unlimited growth of transport vehicles on the roads
Increased level of carbon and methane emissions due to industrialisation
Paris accord of 2015
After much debate and deliberations among almost all countries under the initiative of the United Nations, the Paris accord was signed by 195 countries The accord dealt with the following critical issues:
To restrict the increase in the average temperature to below 1.5 to 2 per cent centigrade.
To reduce global emission level of carbon and methane from 14-17%.
Some of the developed countries, especially the United States, felt that the Paris accord has thrust on them higher responsibilities, enabling the other countries to enjoy the benefits of climate control. The United States, in fact, withdrew from the accord, creating a crisis.
In the above background, in consultation with all Paris accord members, the U.N. held another conference in Poland during the first and second weeks of December, 2018. The credit for not dumping the Paris accord should go to this conference. Despite the stand of the United States to disassociate with the Paris accord, the European community continued to stand with the commitments made in the Paris accord. The role played by India at this conference has come for much appreciation.
Various State authorities have at different times initiated steps to lay down strict flood disaster management guidelines. Continued research of flood magnitudes - flood depth, velocity, duration etc., - have been instituted. A classic example is Japan, which suffered flood damages across centuries. The Japanese have put in place an apex-level plan followed by city-specific plans. Specific flood prevention plans for cities cover flood water diversion through underground pipelines, deep tunnel projects like that of the Michigan storm water diversion plan in the United States, building of levies to divert water from entering into city proper, etc.
Disaster management itself is of recent origin here. The idea of special dispensation for disaster management really started in India in the post-tsunami episode of 2004. City flood water management is yet to catch up in a big way. Even the Uttarkhand floods, Chennai city flooding and the recent Kerala floods appear to have taught very little lessons to the civic systems in the country.
Some critical issues
Non-participation of people’s representatives in city development, diversion of money from specific schemes to other more popular vote catching programmes etc.
Lack of sufficient resources
Inadequate application of modern technology in managing calamities.
