Climate Change; the end or the start of change

By: Jason Delfigo Jusuf

Climate change has been one of, if not the most defining crisis of our time. It has been slowly but surely encroaching upon us, threatening to destroy our world, once and for all. However, it is not too late, this crisis can still be stopped.

What is climate change?

Climate change is a change in the climate over the years, pretty self-explanatory. It is a shift in the average conditions of the weather. It is caused by the consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas which releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. These greenhouse gases trap the heat of the Sun, causing the temperature of the planet to increase.

Effects of climate change?

The effects of climate change have only grown worse over the years. The Earth’s temperature has increased by 2 degrees fahrenheit or just a little above 1 degree celsius. However, just a few degrees is abnormal in Earth’s past. This tiny increase in global average temperature can spell doom for the environment.

In the Arctic, glaciers have melted and in Siberia, frozen grounds have melted, releasing trapped greenhouse gases, further worsening the situation. Longer and more intense waves will occur, along with wildfires. Hurricanes will become stronger and more intense. Sea levels will rise further due to the expansion of water and the melting of ice.

How to stop climate change?

Although the situation may seem bleak, there is still hope. Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out, “the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win”. New and efficient technologies can help reduce carbon emissions such as renewable sources of energy and electric cars which are poised to become common.

For individuals, they can still do their part in saving the world. To name a few, they can use energy efficient products, electric cars, switch to an electric heat pump, reduce, reuse and recycle and take public transport.

Conclusion

All in all, although the climate change crisis has grown to an enormous extent, there is still time for us to be able to stop it. Furthermore, COP26, the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties is currently being held in Glasgow, United Kingdom where they will be discussing how they can cut emissions and bring climate change to control.

Sources: https://climate.nasa.gov/ https://www.ekoenergy.org/extras/climate-change/ https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772 https://www.un.org/en/un75/climate-crisis-race-we-can-win