In April 2023, Ipsos created a poll internationally to assess public opinion in multiple countries on their efforts against climate change. Amongst Indians polled, climate change has generated a strong array of opinions on the basis of state actions, to public opinions regarding action towards climate change, the long term economic consequences climate change has, and the role of India in international participation and actions towards climate change.
Climate change in national discourse is bold and not a closed topic with clear demands for action across civil society. On the international stage, India prides itself in its efforts against climate change and public opinion not being significantly regressive in contrast to more developed countries. But along with public opinions and comments, there is the need to evaluate the efforts being currently done, especially in sectors close to the roots of India.
One of the biggest challenges that climate change brings, is immense desertification of arable land. This has meant the loss of agriculture and even the loss of rain and livelihoods. It makes regions more vulnerable to drought and famine, and even risks creating future climate refugees. The Aravalli range was seen in the public imagination as God's gift to India due to it being a natural barrier between the Thar desert, and the agricultural mammoths of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This however has been challenged with desert sand being found in particle pollution in smog across Northern India with sandstorms and dust storms being reported in recent years becoming intense per year.
In the face of the threat of desertification, a key cause that many have pointed to since the 2000s, has been the rise of illegal mining operations across the range from Haryana to Gujarat. Despite attempted bans on mining, with a 2002 supreme court ban on mining in the Aravalli range, this judgement has been neglected with illegal mining being concealed by corruption in the civil service. A 2015 corruption scandal in Rajasthan exposing bribery to IAS officers from mining companies, highlighted the tribulations Aravalli range was experiencing where the state government seemed to be oblivious to the actions on the ground.
The consequences from its continued destruction contributes to present catastrophic trends nationwide both for the environment and the human landscape. Between 2019 to 2022, the magazine Down to Earth reported on the desertification of India’s arable land, with an estimated 10% of the land becoming desert and near unfit. This in turn contributes as a sledgehammer to agricultural economies, where maintaining arable land becomes more expensive, with less groundwater available as a result of desertification, this has meant a rise in cutting costs and drastic measures such as stubble burning that will contribute to worsening AQIs regionwide.
In the face of hand in hand ties between environmental protection and finding alternatives for communities in economies surrounding raw materials and agriculture, corruption and transparency in efforts will be major factors. Where corruption persists in environmental efforts, expectations will be a sand storm.
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