Negative Feedback from Himalayas Balancing Climate, But There’s a Catch.
Welcome to Tamanna Sharma Newsletter
This week's newsletter is dedicated to my niece, who we tragically lost in a sudden thunderstorm a few weeks ago. She was only four years old. Unable to find the words to comfort my grieving cousin, I've poured my heart into this article instead. Please read, remember and share. Thank you.
Quote of the week
What is quite unlooked for is more crushing in its effect, and unexpectedness adds to the weight of a disaster. The fact that it was unforeseen has never failed to intensify a person’s grief. This is a reason for ensuring that nothing ever takes us by surprise. We should project our thoughts ahead of us at every turn and have in mind every possible eventuality instead of only the usual course of events.
- Seneca
Story of the week
It's one thing to read about climate science and another vastly different experience to see it, feel it, and understand it.
Right now, geographically, I am placed at the foothills, right between the Himalayan High Altitude Range and plains. What I see through visuals is both beautiful and scary. My left feet touching burning grounds and the adjacent hand raised into moist and troubled air. Chances of being struck by lightning feel both probable and surreal.
It’s a lot to process but this experience, together with what Climate science has to say, is something of great importance. The Himalayan region is regulating and balancing the impact of heat, but we have no idea what lies ahead - for the people of the region and the regions of the Indian Subcontinent.
While yogis meditate and scientists dig for samples and clues in this magical and mighty kingdom, entrusting our fate to chance lacks foresight and initiative. Indeed, in these unpredictable times, prioritising safety is paramount.
Take a look at this weather map. Notice the extreme redness marking heat, meeting the incredible cool blues? I am right at this intersection in my Home District -Kangra, Himachal Pradesh.
Every day, I read the weather, track winds, temperature shifts, and cloud formation. From my vantage point, it's incredible to witness and feel the feedback loops.
Before I get into what exactly I am witnessing, we need to understand:
What are feedback loops?
A feedback loop is like a cycle where one thing affects another, which in turn affects the first thing, creating a loop. In the context of climate, there are positive and negative feedback loops.
Positive feedback amplify changes. For example, when ice melts due to warming temperatures, it exposes darker surfaces like water or land, which absorb more heat, causing further warming and more ice melt.
Negative feedback tend to stabilize. For instance, as the Earth warms, more clouds might form, reflecting sunlight away, which can help cool the planet down.
Understanding these feedback loops is essential because they can either make climate change worse (positive feedback) or help mitigate its effects (negative feedback).
Also, what is a tipping point?
Tipping points are critical thresholds in the Earth's systems. When Earth's temperature is pushed past these tipping points, it can lead to big and sometimes irreversible changes.
We need to be careful not to push the Earth's systems too far, or we could face some serious consequences, currently projected by scientists. Read IPCC Reports and Warnings here.
When positive is a bad vibe!
On one hand, human activity, with its relentless amplification, contributes significantly to positive feedback loops. Beyond natural sources of emissions, humans primarily contribute to these loops by emitting greenhouse gases through activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, livestock farming, industrial processes, and the accumulation of gases in landfills.
We know that already, though what we fail to realize is how a region, best known for fast tourism, marijuana, and getaways, is standing as a barrier between climate change and a complete climate crisis.
Ladies and Gentlemen - Presenting The Mighty Himalayan Region
The Himalayas, among Earth's most majestic mountain ranges, arose from the collision of tectonic plates. Around 50 million years ago, the Indian Plate began its northward journey, converging with the Eurasian Plate.
This gradual collision induced immense pressure, causing the Earth to buckle and fold, ultimately giving rise to the towering peaks of the Himalayas. This slow but forceful process of tectonic convergence sculpted the iconic landscape we marvel at today.
Ongoing tectonic activity continues to uplift the Himalayas, shaping not only their physical features but also influencing the climate and ecosystems of the entire region. Serving as a formidable barrier, these towering peaks redirect air currents.
The South Asian monsoon, vital for agriculture, is significantly influenced by the Himalayas, as moist air from the Indian Ocean is forced to rise, causing heavy rainfall upon encountering these mountains.
Furthermore, the Himalayas influence global climate dynamics by redistributing heat and moisture in the atmosphere. From what I am witnessing for the past few years, the Himalayan region generates a negative feedback and balances out warming.
This pushback is becoming extreme, in keeping with times when heatwave is getting intense. We have categorically shifted from Global Warming to Global Boiling.
Please note: Himalayas also contribute to positive feedback effects. This includes factors such as the release of greenhouse gases from thawing permafrost, which can add to warming trends. During this Winter, lack of snow and melting of glaciers, were not only bad news for summer water supply, it can be considered a positive feedback.
In layperson’s language, as it gets hot in the plains and when ocean winds bring warmth to higher altitudes, it increases precipitation, turning into clouds and ultimately rains.
On a large scale, this balances the climate, albeit for time being.
Big Picture
One thought or question in the long term (not that far along though) is around the tipping point for feedback loops. Currently I am not able to articulate the question very well, but I will try.
What happens if the Mighty Himalayas are unable to push back on the positive feedback? And what must we do to avoid the tipping to irreversible change?
This is a big-picture question that will require a team of experts in modern science, indigenous knowledge, and R&D on scale from my end. Humanity faces ‘devastating domino effects,’ including mass displacement and financial ruin as the planet warms. While I may not have the resources for the big picture today, I can find out more about immediate reality.
Up Close!
What is the impact of the current Himalayan climate negative feedback on the people and environment of the region?
And the answer is that on a smaller scale, this is growing to be devastating.
Picture the impact with me. I am somewhere right in the middle where the red-hot rest of India and beyond; meets the blue and cold Himalayan barrier.
Whats happening right now?
In a heatwave, the air near the ground gets warm, causing it to rise. This rising warm air carries moisture from the Earth's surface up into the sky. As the winds bring warmth to a colder region, the moisture condenses to form big clouds called thunderclouds.
Inside these thunderclouds, tiny water droplets and ice particles bump into each other, creating electric charges. Eventually, these charges build up and release as lightning bolts, which we see as bright flashes in the sky.
When lightning strikes, it heats the air around it to temperatures of up to 30,000 degrees Celsius (54,000 degrees Fahrenheit) in a fraction of a second. This intense heat causes the air to expand rapidly, creating a shock wave that we hear as thunder.
The sound of thunder travels slower than light, which is why we see the lightning before we hear the thunder.
So, during a heatwave, the hot air and moisture in the atmosphere can lead to more lightning and louder thunder because they create the perfect conditions for these dramatic weather events to occur.
You can listen to my short podcast episode on India’s Environment Today - a striking killer on the loose (2021) to know more about incidents of lightning and related injury and death count that have grown exponentially in the recent years.
SAFETY FIRST
The logical first step is to understand how to adapt to this situation. Since Climate Change is no longer a mere warning, its a fact and we are in the middle of it, here are some guidelines to know and share with your community. Especially if you are in areas prone to heatwave and thunderstorms.
For managing physical and mental health during a heatwave, check out this guide I made last year. It has brief warnings on certain drug and medicine interactions with extreme heat and some general but important suggestions on maintaining good health.
During a heatwave, the increased frequency and intensity of thunderstorms can have various impacts on people, wildlife, and nature.
Increased lightning activity during a heatwave can pose risks to people, especially those engaged in outdoor activities. It can cause injuries or fatalities, and property damage.
Thunderstorms during heatwaves may also lead to flash flooding, around water bodies and in cemented areas with inadequate drainage systems. This can result in property damage, road closures, and disruptions to transportation and daily life.
Flash flooding triggered by thunderstorms can disrupt habitats and endanger wildlife, particularly species living in flood-prone areas such as wetlands and riverbanks.
Lightning strikes can ignite wildfires, especially in regions experiencing prolonged heatwaves and dry conditions. These wildfires can devastate natural ecosystems, destroy habitats, and contribute to suffocating air pollution.
Increased rainfall associated with thunderstorms during heatwaves can have both positive and negative effects on nature. While it can replenish soil moisture and benefit plant growth, excessive rainfall can lead to soil erosion, loss of nutrients, and water-logging of habitats.
And of course, this comes with a heavy cost of disaster management.
Making any place safe from thunderstorms involves taking precautionary measures to minimize the risks. Here are some steps for the same:
Consider installing a lightning protection system, which typically includes lightning rods, grounding conductors, and surge protection devices. These systems help to safely redirect electrical currents to the ground, reducing the risk of damage to structures and injuries to occupants.
When thunderstorms are approaching, seek shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid taking shelter in small sheds, pavilions, or other structures that do not provide adequate protection.
Stay away from open fields, hilltops, tall trees, water bodies, and other high-risk areas during thunderstorms.
If you are indoors, stay away from windows, doors, and electrical appliances. Lightning can travel through wiring and plumbing systems, so avoid using electrical equipment and plumbing fixtures until the storm has passed.
Avoid using electronic devices such as computers, televisions, and corded phones during thunderstorms, as they can conduct electricity and pose a risk of electrical shock.
Educate yourself and others about lightning safety guidelines, such as the "30-30 rule" (seek shelter if the time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder is 30 seconds or less, and wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before leaving shelter).
One more common and simple preventative measure:
Earthing, also known as grounding, is a safety measure used in electrical systems to protect against shocks and damage. It involves connecting conductive materials, such as metal rods or wires, to the Earth's surface. This connection provides a low-resistance path for electrical currents to flow into the ground, diverting excess energy away from equipment and structures.
Right here, right now, we have to save our lives and our resources. Nature has its own way of balancing life, but it is in no way partial; it doesn't choose to save some species and leave others. We are responsible for our own safety.