UPSC Mains 2023 GS3 Q18 — Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted a global sea level rise of about one metre by AD 2100. What would be its impact in India and the other countries in the Indian Ocean region? (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What would be
- Scope keywords
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)global sea level riseone metre by AD 2100impact in Indiaother countries in the Indian Ocean region
- Implicit sub-parts
- Geographical vulnerability of the Indian coastline (7,500+ km) to a 1m rise.
- Socio-economic impact on mega-cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.
- Geopolitical and security implications for SIDS (Small Island Developing States) like Maldives and Mauritius.
- Impact on marine ecosystems, biodiversity (Sundarbans), and food security (salinity ingress).
- Regional migration and the 'climate refugee' crisis in the IOR.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing only on India and neglecting the 'other countries in the Indian Ocean region' specified in the prompt.
- Failing to quantify the impact, such as ignoring the specific 'one metre' threshold mentioned by the IPCC.
- Writing a generic essay on climate change instead of focusing strictly on sea-level rise (SLR).
- Omitting the strategic and security dimensions (e.g., loss of Exclusive Economic Zones or naval base vulnerabilities).
- Neglecting the Sundarbans or the Mekong/Ganges delta impacts which are critical to the IOR context.
- Dimensions required
- Geographical/TopographicalEconomicDemographic/SocialEcologicalStrategic/Geopolitical
- Marks allocation hint
Spend approximately 50-60 words establishing the IPCC context and India's coastal vulnerability. Allocate 80-90 words specifically to India's urban and agricultural impacts, and another 80-90 words to the broader Indian Ocean region (SIDS and deltas). Conclude briefly with a 10-20 word forward-looking mitigation/adaptation statement.
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