Intensity of extreme rainfall estimated to increase by 15% (GS Paper 1, Geography)
Why in news?
- Climate warming is causing a decrease in snowfall and increase in rainfall at high altitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. A recent study has predicted an increase in the risk of extreme rainfall events.
Details:
- To assess how climate change might be driving a shift in precipitation patterns, researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California combined data from climate observations from between 1950 and 2019 with future projections, up to 2100, taken from Earth system models.
- The results suggested that warming causes an increase in rainfall extremes within regions of high elevation in the Northern Hemisphere.
Key Findings:
- On average, the intensity of extreme rainfall events is estimated to increase by 15% per 1 degree C of warming.
- The estimated rate of increased rainfall in high altitudes is approximately double that of low altitudes, highlighting the increased vulnerability of mountainous regions to extreme precipitation.
- They utilised both a climate reanalysis dataset and future model projections to show that the amplified increase is due to a warming-induced shift from snow to rain.
- The findings pinpoint high-altitude regions as ‘hotspots’ that are vulnerable to future risk of extreme-rainfall-related hazards, thereby requiring robust climate adaptation plans to alleviate potential risk.
Way Forward:
- The implications centre around the importance of developing sound climate adaptation plans to protect the natural and built environments and the 26% of the global population living in or directly downstream of mountainous regions.
- It is also important to recognize that the amplification of rainfall extremes is likely to be associated with a decrease in snowfall extremes owing to the transition from snow to rain.
National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission launched
(GS Paper 2, Geography)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Prime Minister of India launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCEM) in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.
Key Highlights:
- NSCEM combines both screening and awareness strategies to ensure early detection and treatment while promoting education about the disease as people may not be aware that they suffer from this diseases, and may unintentionally transfer it to the next generation, hence the role of screening becomes even more important in this regard.
- The elimination programme reflects the government’s Intent and determination to eliminate the spread of Sickle Cell Diseases.
- Across 278 districts of India, screenings will be done for people between 0-40 years to stem the further spread of the disease.
About National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission:
- The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Program, introduced in the Union Budget 2023, focuses on addressing the significant health challenges posed by sickle cell disease, particularly among tribal populations of the country.
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic single gene disorder causing a debilitating systemic syndrome characterized by chronic anemia, acute painful episodes, organ infarction and chronic organ damage and by a significant reduction in life expectancy.
Implementation:
- Implemented in 17 high-focus states across the country, this program aims to improve the care and prospects of all sickle cell disease patients while reducing the prevalence of the disease.
- The 17 states are- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, and Uttarakhand.
- The program is executed in a mission mode as part of the National Health Mission (NHM), aims to eliminate sickle cell genetic transmission by the year 2047, showing a long-term commitment to eradicating the disease.
- Over a period of three years, spanning from the fiscal year 2023-24 to 2025-26, the program targets screening approximately 7.0 crore people.
