Actions for a healthy planet
Climate change is one of the most significant threats the world is facing today. According to the American Meteorological Society, there is a 90 per cent probability that global temperatures will rise by 3.5 to 7.4°C in less than 100 years, with even greater increases over land and the poles. These seemingly minor shifts in temperature could trigger widespread disasters in the form of rising sea levels, violent and volatile weather patterns, desertification, famine, water shortages, and other secondary effects, including conflict.
One way to reduce emissions would be to switch from fossil-fuel-based power to alternative sources of energy, such as nuclear, solar, wind; developing new technologies and industrial efficiency along with research and innovations.
In November 2011, the International Energy Agency warned that the world may be fast approaching a tipping point concerning climate change. To avoid the world from the worst consequences of climate change will require large cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Humans produce GHG by burning coal, oil and natural gas to generate energy for power, heat, industry, and transportation. Deforestation and agricultural activities like stubble burning also yield climate-changing emissions. All such measures, however, engender significant cost, the onset of the global financial crisis, mainly due to Covid has placed serious new constraints on national budgets, both in developed and developing worlds.
Climate change requires efforts both on the macro and micro levels. On the macro level, global cooperation is essential to tackle climate change. United Nations took a serious note of climate change issues many decades ago.The Kyoto protocol, which was adopted on 11th December 1997 ,formalised the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by committing industrialised countries and economies to limit and reduce GHG emissions in accordance with agreed country wise targets. The follow-up of the UNFCCC was the formation of the Conference of the Parties (COP), which is an annual meeting of the member countries; which reviews the reduction of the GHG programs , funding and policy amendments. The first COP was in Berlin,Germany 1995 .Through the COP , the world witnesses the evolution of climate change policies , shaping the trajectory of collective action in the fight against climate change. In the end, it is every individual’s responsibility to contribute to the alleviation of GHG emissions by conserving energy.
Yashvi Singh, Class IX , Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur
