The Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) that was prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and released on Wednesday has warned that earth’s oceans are currently under severe stress due to climate change and India has got much to worry about. It has highlighted that due to warming of oceans, frequency and severity of climatic events like cyclones will be on a steep rise in India that is going to render a good number of coastal cities and islands inhabitable within a few years, resulting in displacement of at least 28 million people. Reports containing caveats of this magnitude had been churned out religiously before, urging the world to wake up before it’s too late. Initiatives had started lately to fight back climate change, but it goes without saying that they are far from what can be called as ‘comprehensive’.

Although it is not sure how the world’s foremost contributors to this great climate change that had led to all these warnings are going to react, its contents are enough to escalate concerns. Prepared by more than 100 international experts and based on over 7000 studies, this new report says that oceans are going to be negatively impacted due to climate change and as a consequence lose abilities of playing the crucial role of absorbing much of carbon dioxide generated by human activities. It has been specifically pointed out that sea level has risen globally around 15 cm during 20th century, but it is currently rising more than twice as fast as 3.6 mm per year and would reach around 30-60 cm by 2100 even if greenhouse gas emissions are sharply reduced and global warming limited to below 2 degrees celsius. With the rescuer at stake, it is quite understandable that serious imbalances are in store with more severe cyclones and floods, all leading to great infrastructural damages and economic losses. India’s position is vulnerable since it has a 7,500 long coastline and half a dozen of its cities namely Kolkata, Mumbai, Surat, Chennai, Kochi and Vishakhapatnam are at risks. Also, islands like Andaman & Nicobar will be unfit for human dwelling and people have to face relocation and migration. The report has been brave enough to admit that some of these approaching happenings can’t be reversed, thus reminding that time has come to act. And since it’s a problem that is enduring in nature and concerning entire humanity, a coordinated action plan with emphasis on effective adaptation to the unprecedented situations is the only solution left.

And going strictly by logic, those countries which have been singularly responsible for this approaching mess, which is nothing short of an apocalypse must be ready to shoulder the majority of responsibilities.