I wonder what will destroy the Earth first; climate change or humans?
Climate change is a defining issue and one of the most important global environmental challenges facing humanity in the contemporary world. Changing climate is affecting the prevailing weather conditions and contributing mostly to the rise in temperature leading to melting of glaciers. The scariest thing about this change is extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, cloud burst, famine, storms, forest fires, heat waves and vector borne disease among others.
Climate change is real and no part of the earth is left untouched under its influence. Many of skeptics would find it difficult to accept that it is exacerbated by anthropogenic activities. Planet is being poisoned by many pollutants emitted by human activities but all the pollutants are not responsible for climate change. The pollutants which mediate climate change are referred to as green house gases and they include carbon dioxide (CO2), which is dominant one along with Methane, Nitrous oxide, Chlorofluorocarbon and Water vapor. They trap heat energy in the atmosphere resulting in temperature increase and warming of the earth.
The largest contributor of CO2 emissions is energy sector contributing about (25.9%) followed by industries (19.4%), forestry (17.4%), agriculture (13.5%), transport (13.1%), residential & commercial building (7.9%) and waste water (2.8%). India is ranked third amongst global environment polluter and it might bear the greatest blunt of climate change impacts because it is largely dependent on climate- sensitive sectors, such as rain fed agriculture. In recent years, climate change signs have become evident in different parts of the world. Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, cloud burst, snow stroms, avalanches, earth quakes, tsunami, etc. have shown a devastating effect world wide and such events may become more prominent over next couple of decades due to changing climate.
In order to prevent the future consequences of the climate change, the simple and easiest steps which can be taken by an individual to combat climate change would entail reduction of their carbon footprint. This can be achieved in number of ways including planting trees as they are capable of up taking carbon dioxide and utilizing it for photosynthesis, switching to clean energy (Solar, Wind, Tidal and Geothermal energy), using eco-friendly products, driving vehicles on biofuels as they emit lesser CO2 than fossil fuels and following 4 R’s Viz. reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse.
Credits:- DTA
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