Climate change biggest threat to modern world
By: Mohammad Yasir Lone
Nature possesses an inherent ability to adapt to a certain degree of change. However, due to human-induced factors like deforestation, land encroachment, pollution, and overexploitation of natural resources, this natural resilience has been significantly diminished.
To address these issues and build resilience, countries should prioritize regaining nature’s lost immunity and implement solutions that are inclusive, cost-effective, and provide multifaceted benefits. We therefore have many instances of how nature has lost its ability to withstand the upheavals it is currently experiencing, with climate change being one of them.
Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns are referred to as climate change. Such fluctuations may be brought on by significant volcanic eruptions or variations in the sun’s activity. However, in modern times, human activities have been the primary cause of climate change, particularly owing to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, which produce greenhouse gas emissions like co2, which operate to trap solar heat and raise the earth’s temperature.
The balance between energy entering and leaving the planet determines the temperature of the planet. Earth heats as incoming solar energy is absorbed. Earth does not warm when solar energy is reflected back into space.
Changes in the greenhouse effect, the reflectivity of the earth’s atmosphere, and other factors can alter the energy balance of the planet, which will ultimately result in a shift in the temperature. More quickly than previously anticipated, the environmental shift sweeping the globe is taking place. The environmentally harmful human behaviour are to blame for all of these changes
In today’s world, climate change is a major worry. Recently, this issue has become more prominent. Emissions from autos, industrial sources, and the expanding usage of fossil fuels all contribute to air pollution. The earth’s temperature has risen as a result of the gaseous emissions.
The poorest nations are bearing the brunt of the costs of human-induced climate change, which is the biggest, most ubiquitous threat to the world’s ecosystems and cultures. The greatest danger to humanity today is global change. Numerous disastrous effects have been caused by the extensive burning of fossil fuels, the unchecked emissions of greenhouse gases, & the loss in the amount of forest cover. Melting of glaciers, escalating sea levels, landslides and an increase in earthquake frequency. Climate change is the current threat we have ever faced.
According to FTA of U.S,CO2 accounts for 95% of all transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. By releasing ancient carbon from fossil fuels’ geologic deposits into the atmosphere when we burn them, we are the ones responsible for CO2 levels rising at an unprecedented rate.
But as of right now, CO2 levels are at their highest point in at least three million years. Additionally, the concentration of CO2 is rising at a rate that is faster than it was at the conclusion of the last ice age. This implies that there is something more going on, and we are aware of it. Humans have been using fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution, which is why the planet is currently warming.
How severe will the consequences of climate change be?
It depends on how zealously we combat climate change. By the end of the century, if things continue as they are, heat waves in the Middle East and South Asia will make it too hot to venture outside. Southern Africa, the Mediterranean region, and Central America will all experience droughts. Rising sea levels will also engulf several island nations and low-lying regions, from Bangladesh to Texas. On the other hand, climate change may result in a welcome warmth.
The effects of climate change already extend far beyond the recent temperature increases and catastrophic weather occurrences. Because of human activity, global temperatures are increasing, and climate change now affects every element of human existence. These modifications may raise the likelihood of heat waves, droughts, and floods. Droughts have also been made worse by climate change, mostly due to an increase in evaporation. Natural droughts take place as a result of unpredictable climate fluctuation.
We can observe the effects of climate change visually, such as shifting rainfall patterns, erratic heat waves, and increasing sea levels. We can also all clearly see the effects of climate change because they are occurring. As ice sheets and glaciers are becoming smaller. Climate change is one of the global crises we can’t ignore. The destruction of our ecosystem and the overuse of our planet’s resources have increased alarmingly over the last several decades.
Since our behaviour has not been in line with conserving the environment. Deforestation is the worrisome rate at which trees and forests are being lost. The trees keep the earth’s temperature stable while also giving us oxygen, a variety of raw resources, and other benefits. The earth’s climate has drastically changed as a result of the removal of trees for commercial use. These concerns are a sign of an impending catastrophe.
The more global change advances, the more likely it appears to be that it will be a source of conflict, including international conflict, over who has the right to influence the activities that are implicated as causes, who will pay the costs of responding, and how disagreements will be resolved. If global warming continues uncontrolled, humanity and environment will suffer catastrophic warming, which would cause droughts to increase, sea levels to rise, and a mass extinction of species.
The scientists Predict that if nothing is done, global warming might rise to 4 degrees Celsius in the future, causing severe heatwaves, loss of millions of houses to rising sea levels, and the Irrevocable extinction of plant and animal species.
India saw devastating heatwaves and extremely high temperatures just the year before. The most suffering is anticipated to be experienced by residents of underdeveloped nations since they have fewer resources to adjust to climate change. These countries are disappointed, nevertheless, as they have created the least greenhouse gas emissions.
China and Pakistan, two of our neighbours, encountered tremendous difficulties, In the preceding year. Pakistan experienced flooding while China struggled with terrible droughts. In a warmer world, it will also be more difficult for terrestrial animals to find the food and water they require to survive.
There are potential solutions to the enormous dilemma the world is facing:
A comprehensive strategy for development planning is needed to address the complicated and linked nature of climate-related issues. Some remedies derived from historical lessons might not always be suitable for newly arising problems or effective in them. However, it is crucial to acknowledge the interconnectedness of the challenges surrounding climate change and comprehend how solutions put into place in one area or sector might result in issues in other regions or sectors.
It is impossible to overstate the magnitude of the challenge of combating climate change. ‘’easy solutions,’’ like moving to alternative sources of energy, can help us all lessen our individual impact on the climate of the planet earth. Public transportation can be one of the solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, along with each other techniques like improving vehicle economy, proper involvement of social forestry,& lowering fuel carbon content.
The overarching conclusion is straightforward: unmanaged climate change would probably worsen already-existing disparities. Poorer nations will be severely harmed on a global scale even if they historically only generate a small portion of the warming gases. This is due to the fact that many less developed nations are located in tropical areas, where further warming will make the temperature intolerable for living beings in these nations.
Climate change is a threat, but we are not helpless. Contribute to halting climate change!
(The author is a student and pursuing his masters at ICSC Srinagar)
KV News
