(The monsoon has regularly…) DOHA: India faces the risk of
devastating drought as monsoon rains are likely to have a
shortfall of 70% in the years ahead, as climate change shakes up
global weather phenomena, recent research and experts at a
global conference said. The risk of adverse changes in global
weather is aggravated by the fact that international efforts to
act against climate change have been blocked by deep divisions
among the 200 countries negotiating at the UN-sponsored climate
talks at Doha. Developing countries want more funds and firm
commitments from industrialised nations to cut emissions.
Narrowing these differences at the conference is important to
facilitate a new global treaty to tackle global warming. Experts
say research suggests that changing climate has already upset
rural livelihoods, while Indian scientists say the country has
already faced adverse weather phenomena. The monsoon has
regularly stumped forecasters in the first decade of the 21st
century, during which the country faced