PANAJI
The record-high sea levels, driven by rising mean temperature and rainfall apart from urbanization, has threatened the mangrove ecosystem and khazan land in the coastal State of Goa, reveals the draft Goa State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
The first of its kind plan drafted by the Goa State Biodiversity Board has been kept open for public suggestions till July 22.
According to the report, the average sea level rise trends in Goa has seen an increase at the rate of 1.45mm per year with a 95 per cent confidence interval of +/- 0.46mm/year from the period of 1969-2013 which means in 100 years sea level increase in Goa is 0.48ft.
The report also says that the mean annual rainfall in Goa has increased by 68 per cent over the period 1901-2018, while inter annual rainfall has also increased since the 1970s. “Goa’s mean annual temperature has increased by over 1 degree celsius since the beginning of 20th century,” it stated further.
The draft plan states that in recent years the Arabian Sea is emerging as a cyclone hotspot especially after the year 1995. It has been observed that “the Arabian Sea is experiencing a regional climate-shift after 1995, which is accompanied by a five-fold increase in the occurrence of “most intense cyclones”.
“The 40 years of data from 1980- 2020 shows “a significant increasing trend in the intensity, frequency, and duration of cyclonic storms and very severe cyclonic storms over the Arabian sea,” it said.
“There is 52 per cent increase in the frequency of cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea during the recent two decades (2001–2019),” it said further.
As a result of all this, mangrove ecosystem and khazan land are under immediate threat. The study says that the mangroves will turn less productive apart from losing out to be a habitat for species like crocodiles, birds, and the mangrove forest ecosystem will change due to the loss of saline-intolerant species.
