‘Patna and other cities to witness hotter days’

PATNA: Cities located in the Gangetic plains, including Patna, are likely to witness a rise in temperature in the present century due to the adverse impacts of climate change, as per a study made by a team of scientists of Central University of South Bihar .

“The changing climate coupled with global warming has posed a multitude of threats to different cities in the country, particularly those in the Gangetic plains,” the study, led by CUSB environmental sciences’ (EVS) dean Pradhan Parth Sarthi, said. It was published in the March 2024 issue of the International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Climatology.

A ccording to the findings, a consistent rise in the number of hot days with temperatures greater than 40 degrees C and a decreasing trend of cool temperature days with minimum temperatures less than 10 degrees C has been observed in Patna and other cities in the region. Besides, there is a possibility of an increase in surface minimum temperature in Patna in future. This future projected change is for the period of 2015–2100 as compared to the period of 1979-2014 using different climate models.

“Of late, extreme heat episodes have been a prominent hazard over the Gangetic plains and the situation may turn grimmer in the time to come,” the study said. The study team analysed different aspects of urban climate using ‘Global Climate Models’ under the global warming conditions and successfully resolved the future temperature projections over smart cities in the Gangetic plains, including Patna.

Parth Sarthi, also a member of the Bihar State Action Plan on Climate Change and the president of India Meteorological Society (Bihar branch), said the findings of the study have a potential implication for the local climate. “The research findings could prove helpful for policymakers to chalk out adaptation strategies to minimize the negative impacts of climate change,” he said.

“In a bid to reduce the risks associated with urban climate, it is advisable to develop green belts, encourage green building practices and make efforts to reduce carbon emissions over smart cities,” he said.

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