US List of ‘Countries of concern’ on climate

The United States categorised India as a ‘country of concern’ on climate in the assessment of the American Intelligence Community in its report called “National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on climate”.

Highlights

• India was put in this category along with 10 other countries namely, Afghanistan, Haiti, Colombia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Iraq, North Korea, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
• These countries will bear the brunt of global warming such as intensifying & more frequent heat waves & droughts and water & power scarcity.
• As per report, intelligence community has assessed that these countries will face “warming temperatures, extreme weather, as well as disruption to ocean patterns which will also threaten their food, water energy, and health security”.
• Frequent heat waves and droughts will create water supply volatility and might strain their electric utility operations, while growing population & economies will increase the electricity demands to handle rising temperatures.
• As per report, frequent and intense cyclones will contaminate water sources and increase vector populations & diseases they transmit in some of the 11 countries.
• Report suggests that, instances of dengue will probably increase in countries like India, Haiti, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Iraq, Honduras, and Pakistan.

National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) report

This was the first ever “National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on climate”. It was put together by US Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The IC (Intelligence Community) had identified 11 countries as well as two regions of concern with respect to threat from climate change.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2021