Previous Year Question
Given below are two statements:
Assertion (A): Climate change is leading to an increase in social tension in India.
Reason (R): The frequency and intensity of the extreme weather events will have serious repercussions on food security.
Choose the correct answer from the code given below:
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct reason of (A).
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is not the correct reason of (A).
(A) is true but (R) is false.
(A) is false but (R) is true.
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
Climate Change can alter the frequency or intensity of Heatwaves, Droughts, Floods, Extreme Rainfall and other extreme weather events. Such events can affect agriculture, water availability, livelihoods and food supplies.
A decline or instability in agricultural production can affect food availability and food prices. It can also place pressure on the income and livelihoods of farmers and other agriculture-dependent households.
Food Security is not limited merely to the physical availability of food. Its major dimensions include—
Availability — sufficient food being available,
Access — people's ability to obtain it,
Utilisation — safe and nutritious use of food,
Stability — maintaining these conditions over time.
Extreme weather can affect all these dimensions. Food shortages, loss of income, increasing pressure on resources, migration and livelihood insecurity can, in turn, become factors contributing to social tension.
Therefore, serious impacts of extreme weather on Food Security can be an important mechanism through which Climate Change contributes to Social Tension.
Current Status
Current IPCC assessments also show that Climate Change and extreme weather increase the risks of food insecurity, food-price shocks and disruption of agricultural livelihoods. South Asia is among the regions particularly vulnerable to these risks.