In the tumultuous tapestry of 2023, India confronted nature’s formidable forces, rendering the year a poignant chapter of resilience and reckoning. From the haunting flash floods triggered by a South Lhonak Lake cloudburst to landslides in Himachal Pradesh, the nation grappled with disasters underscoring the urgent call for climate action. The Himalayan town of Joshimath quivered under cracks from land subsidence, echoing the toll of uncontrolled development. Delhi and Chennai witnessed contrasting watery spectacles — the Yamuna’s 45-year high flooding Delhi’s streets, while cyclone Michaung halted Chennai. Wildfires ravaged Lahaina in Hawaii, compounding the aftermath of severe drought. Tectonic tremors shook Turkey, Morocco, and Afghanistan, leaving a somber imprint on 2023. Amid demographic shifts, India surpassed China in population. In this narrative of upheaval, glimpses of hope emerged — sustainable aviation fuel flights, green hydrogen-run buses, and resilient “rat-hole miners” in Uttarkashi — urging reflection and collective action in the face of a ticking climate clock.
