As a result of global warming, the Indian economy has shrunk by 31% than what it would have been otherwise, says a new Stanford study that reveals how the temperature of our planet have boosted inequalities.
The study shows that the increasing greenhouse concentrations in the planet’s atmosphere since the 1960s have augmented cooler countries such as Sweden and Norway, while bringing the economic growth down in the warmer countries like Nigeria and Sweden.
According to Noah Diffenbaugh, climate scientist from the Stanford University, the study shows that many poorest countries are relatively poorer while majority of the rich countries are richer than what they would otherwise have been in the absence of global warming.
The study evaluated the annual GDP and temperature measurements for 165 countries from the year 1961 to 2010. The findings revealed that there was 17 to 30% decrease in wealth/person across poorest countries because of global warming.
Though climate change impacts might appear to be small each passing year, they can still result in dramatic amount of profits or losses with time, said Diffenbaugh.
After collecting small impacts from global warming over the decades, the Indian economy now is 31% lesser than what it would have been otherwise, Diffenbaugh added. Though the economic inequalities between nations have reduced in the last few decades, the study suggests that the gap may have reduced much faster in the absence of global warming, he further said.
The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
Deepali Sharma
Deepali has worked as an editor for various print-based magazines for more than 5 years. She brings together substantial news pieces from Science/Environment niche.
