Temperature rise in cities - Study
Disna MUDALIGE
Climate change adaptation methods should focus on specific locales in
the country, and serious research should be carried out to find out the
extent of its effect to different locales, said Colombo University
Science Faculty Zoology Department Senior Lecturer Professor Sarath
Kotagama.
He said that the climate of the country is not wholly dependent on
the international climatic situation but it is fluctuating according to
monsoon rains and sea conditions. Therefore the effects of climate
change are not felt equally around the country. From the studies carried
out up to now, it is found out that there is a clear rise in temperature
in Kurunegala at night and Nuwara Eliya at daytime, he pointed out.
He was addressing a national symposium on "Climate Change and
Adaptation" held at the Renuka Hotel yesterday.
"We have to have our own stand regarding climate change. Today the
technology has improved and there are highly sensitive devices to
measure and predict changes.
There are 36 automated weather system recorders established over the
island. These should be utilized while bringing all the intellectuals of
the subject to a common platform to form a collective approach to suit
our country to face climate change challenge," he explained.
He also noted that the country would face adverse affects with the
dry zone and wet zone shift as predicted by 2100. The highland species
will be affected and agriculture is endangered by this process. The
scientific knowledge of these studies should be used productively in
arriving at a final policy, he mentioned.
He also pointed out that the generations of microbes are rapidly
changing and have become unpredictable.
"They have adapted to changing conditions. For example H1N1 disease
naturally existed in the world for many years, but it became an
infectious disease suddenly.
About 32 such infectious diseases were recorded all over the world
during the recent past. Fortunately most of them died as soon as their
emergence," he noted. |
