Climate Change: impacts and way out

“We can now say with credibility that we have kept 1.5 degrees alive. But, its pulse is weak and it will
only survive if we keep our promises and translate commitments into rapid action.”
−By Alok Sharma, UK President of COP26
The issue “Climate Change”, at present, is the most concerning and discussed topic in the global world,
threatening the existence of mankind who itself is the responsible for this danger. Usually, climate change
means the abnormal changes in the climate circle that includes earth, sun, ocean, rain, wind etc., that is, the
changes in the global climate which has long term and significant impacts on earth.
The first thing that, when it comes to the impacts of climate change, becomes visible to our sight is the
continuous rise of global temperature that rose about 1.1 degree Celsius from 1901 to 2020, indicating more
frequent incidents of disasters such as flood, drought, cyclone etc. to come (Climate Change Impacts |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2021). The temperature of earth atmosphere known as
the greenhouse that keeps sun’s heat and discharges to the earth to the extent beneficial for life is rising due
to the immense carbon emission from earth, causing global warming. A survey of NASA, regarding the rise
of Global temperature given below, shows us the statistical changes.

(SOURCE: NASA)

Following Global warming, the sea level has also risen about 8 to 9 inches from 1880, half of which
happened in the last two decades. Global mean sea level was 91.3 millimeters (3.6 inches) higher in 2020
than it was in 1993, making it the highest yearly average in satellite history (1993-present) (Warm Heart
Worldwide, 2021). According to the data captured by Institute for Economics and peace, the incidents of
natural disasters caused by change in climate rose from 39 scale to 396 in 2019, ten times higher than what
in 1960. With the highest rate of occurrence (42%) among climate-oriented natural disasters, floods
contribute to the forcible migration of people a year.
With a view to mitigate and adapt with the climate changes, many organizations including WHO, IPCC,
UNICEF, WB, along with numerous regional and national organizations, are urging countries to reduce
carbon emission that accounts for around 76% of total greenhouse gas emissions (Environmental Protection
Agency, 2019).

Source: IPCC (2014)

UNICEF has urged nations to reduce emissions by at least 45 percent by 2030 (relative to 2010 levels) in
order to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. In the agenda of recent COP26 of UNFCCC
held in Glasgow, Scotland on October 31, developed countries which are mostly responsible for carbon
emissions that affect other poor countries in terms of climate disasters are promised to compensate in
mitigation and adaptation purposes. Though, in previous conferences, developed countries pledged to
donate USD 100 billion, these are yet to be fulfilled. To leave a livable earth for our next generation, we
need to act urgently with this issue. In this case, developed countries have to come forth with determination
to reduce carbon emission and help disaster-prone counties to come out, while poor countries have to
abstain themselves from all kinds of pollution affecting climate behavior.

REFERENCES
Climate change impacts | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2021). National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate/climate-
change-impacts

Environmental Protection Agency (2021, September 9). Global Emissions. Center for Climate and Energy
Solutions. https://www.c2es.org/content/international-emissions/#:%7E:text=by%20Gas%2C%202015-
,Notes,6%20percent%20to%20global%20emissions

V. (2021, September 19). Increase in Natural Disasters on a Global Scale by Ten Times. Vision of
Humanity. https://www.visionofhumanity.org/global-number-of-natural-disasters-increases-ten-times/

Warm Heart Worldwide. (2021, August 13). Climate change, what is it? Understanding the basic facts
about global warming. https://warmheartworldwide.org/climate-
change/?gclid=CjwKCAiAp8iMBhAqEiwAJb94z-
uKqyuim5jUIjuWg34UF8btACQiKf_zQzd14HOq4OfUMXi9gZZnBRoCNlQQAvD_BwE