“On climate change, we often don’t fully appreciate that it is a problem. We think it is a problem waiting to happen”. Kofi Annan.
Nature maintains a balance between living and non-living organisms. This balance is critical for the survival of both living and nonliving organisms. Human beings are considered a part of this nature.
If anyone living or non-living disturbs or interferes in nature, it will respond. Therefore, when human beings started interfering in nature, nature also responded in a brutal way in the shape of extreme and unpredictable weather conditions. Meanwhile, the main reason behind rising temperatures is the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide and methane.
After the Industrial Revolution, the developed states started making industries. This has seen a rapid increase in the use of fossil fuels and the emission of carbon dioxide and methane gases. Consequently, the temperature has been rising gradually. It was recorded by NASA in the summer of 2023 that the average temperature increased by 1.2°C higher than the summer between 1951 and 1980. Concurrently, the warmest decade ever recorded in human history is from 2011 to 2020. Moreover, according to climate experts, if the emission of greenhouse gases continues, the global temperature rise will likely exceed 1.5°C by 2050. However, if the emission of the gases declines sharply in the next two decades, there is the possibility of holding the temperature rise to less than 1.5°C.
Initially, the term global warming was used for environmental change. With the consistent change in weather and with time it was realized that the term does not considerably address the extreme cold temperature. Therefore, the term global warming was replaced with Climate change. This new term incorporates both hot and freezing temperatures. However, to address the issue of climate change, the world community first came together in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. The core purpose of the meeting was to reduce emissions. However, the pattern of meetings was followed for years until the Paris Agreement in 2015
The central goal of the Paris Agreement was to strengthen the global response to climate change and keep the rising temperature below 2/Two degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century. Furthermore, climate finance was also the central theme of the Paris Agreement. All the developed countries should provide financial assistance to developing nations to address the climate problem. Recently, COP28 was held in UAE to double energy efficiency and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030. Finance to climate-damaging states was also an agenda of COP28 to assist the states that were deteriorated by climate disasters. The climate expert argued that by 2030, the developing nations will need $1.8 trillion to deal with the issue of climate disaster.
Nevertheless, the effect of the climate crisis is so vast and adverse. This crisis affects every aspect of our environment. The utmost impact of climate is on humans as well as on agriculture. With the rising temperature, the glaciers have started melting and the rising of sea level occurred. Some climate experts believe that around 200 million people will be affected by the rising sea level. Contrarily, floods occurred in the most vulnerable regions such as a flood in Pakistan back in 2022 which took the lives of hundreds and displaced millions of individuals. According to climate experts, the environmental conditions are responsible for the deaths of 13 million annually.
As a matter of fact, the technology has the potential and capability to reduce reliance on fossil fuels to mitigate the climate threat. Rewriting our climate story needs collective endeavours. It’s the responsibility of each of us to reduce carbon emissions, advocate for stronger climate policies, and support sustainable practices. Human beings have the potential to compete with climate challenges through collective vision. We have the power to shape its outcome by embracing hope, taking action, and working together.
Despite the flooding and rising temperature, there has been a rapid increase in fatal diseases. Moreover, it also affects the land, mostly fertile land due to flooding. Despite this, it also has implications for marine life. The melting of icebergs has severely impacted marine life. Subsequently, forest fires have also been seen across the world due to rising temperatures. It is all due to the endless human desires for power and wealth. However, the rationale behind the rising temperature and climate issue is fossil fuels, deforestation due to which the absorbing capacity of carbon dioxide has reduced which leads to a rise in temperature. Hence, due to extreme temperatures, trillions of icebergs have been melting in the Arctic, Greenland, Siberia, and Antarctica. Climate experts declare that it’s not a climate emergency but a planetary emergency.
However, hope and inspiration are significant elements of our new climate story. Individuals are working on climate issues and fostering social awareness on the global level. Furthermore, our youth, especially women, are working with different types of organizations and NGOs to tackle the climate crisis. Meanwhile, technology and innovation are playing a critical role in mitigating climate change. The inclusion of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydro is gaining momentum worldwide. The innovation of electric and solar vehicles will help out by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
As a matter of fact, the technology has the potential and capability to reduce reliance on fossil fuels to mitigate the climate threat. Rewriting our climate story needs collective endeavours. It’s the responsibility of each of us to reduce carbon emissions, advocate for stronger climate policies, and support sustainable practices. Human beings have the potential to compete with climate challenges through collective vision. We have the power to shape its outcome by embracing hope, taking action, and working together.
