R B Singh, Senior scholar and teacher of Geography at prestigious Delhi School of Economics (DSE), Delhi University and Secretary General of National Association of Geographers, India (NAGI) has worked a lot on Himalaya region, climate and glaciers. He has been guide for several projects and researches related to glaciers too. In an exclusive and detailed interaction with fachcha.com he revealed various aspects about climate change, glaciers and Delhi’s environment. Excerpts:

fachcha.com: We are facing unusual winter this year. Is the cycle of weather or season is changing?

RBS: Whatever signals and signs we are getting indicate that it is changing. 90’s was the hottest decade in the history. It has been proved by records too. There is increasing tendency of extreme weather. Events like cloud brust, flash flood, heavy rain, drought, devastating flood etc. have increased.

fachcha.com: What is the role of global warming in it?
RBS: See, increase in such kind of trend is not limited to India only. It has no boundary. Several countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and other continent are affected by these developments. This is a clear sign that global warming has a big role in it.

fachcha.com: How would you describe the changes in weather and climate?
RBS: One thing is very clear that it is extending further. In other words it is moving forward. For example, there were 2-3 Western disturbances in Delhi and surrounding areas few years ago but it has increased upto 5-6 Western disturbances. Last year, the Western disturbances were appeared till May and caused rain. But earlier it used to appear in December, January and February only. I would like to use the term ‘climatic variables’ for these. These ‘variables’ have been increasing.

fachcha.com: There are four seasons in India – Summer, Monsoon, Winter and Spring. With the extended winter do you think that spring or India’s favourite ‘Basant’ has been vanishing slowly?

RBS: It needs a long time to predict about such kind of change in climate or season. We need at least 30 years’ observation to reach to some concrete conclusion. But yes, on the basis of observations for last six-seven years I can say that the span of spring has reduced by at least six to 10 days. We start facing hotter days much earlier after winter. On the other hand span of winter has increased.

fachcha.com: Would you say that it is again related to global warming?
RBS: Certainly. It relates to global warming. Global warming has some relation with extreme weather and uncertain behaviour of nature.

fachcha.com: What would you say about recent controversy on the issue of global meltdown?
RBS: This IPCC controversy is unnecessary and unwarranted. The situation of climate, glaciers are changing so the assessment too. We are lacking infrastructure to get accurate conclusion. Even, we are unable to do exact forecast of daily weather despite having such a huge infrastructure. The approach of research and availability of infrastructure too influence it.

fachcha.com: But the prediction was made that glaciers would disappear by 2035?
RBS: It is true that glaciers are melting but its speed and life depend upon region to region and place to place. It can not be said that it (glacier) will be totally disappear but you must remember that the report was made in few years ago when the situation was very bad. Lot of changes have been made through human or say government’s efforts.
As far as glaciers are concern one part of the Himalaya is different from the other part of the Himalaya. The central part of the Himalaya is more fragile while western part of the Himalaya is comparatively in better position in terms of meltdown. Though the exact figure is not available but there are about 8000 glaciers in the Himalaya. Glaciers at the central part are melting fast than the other part of the Himalaya.

fachcha.com: Is it in the defence of the mistake (made) about the prediction of meltdown?
RBS: First thing it is just a small part of global meltdown. The conclusion of complete meltdown of glaciers like Gangotri etc. may be wrong, as IPCC head R K Pachauri has already accepted but you must remember that there are chances of human errors also in the findings. That is the reason that some get meltdown speed of 130 meters per year of a glacier while other gets 12 meters. Some find that there is no meltdown in western part of the Himalaya. Moreover, there are some other factors also work in it like research tools, methodologies, available infrastructure and others. But it does not mean that for this a larger cause should be ignored due to undue pressure. And, one thing you must remember that efforts bring positive changes in environment and climate. You can just compare Delhi’s present environment with 15 years’ old environment. It does not mean that the prediction, plans and researches were done 15 years ago about Delhi’s future were wrong. In fact, efforts have changed the situation.