The climate crisis is perhaps becoming one of the greatest challenges worldwide. Greta Thungberg, a high school student from Sweden has become an international sensation with her strongly opinionated views on Climate Change, with her blunt and bold nature to speak out and call out political leaders to keep environmental issues at the top of the priority list. Meanwhile, in Nagaland efforts to go plastic-free have begun, with the official announcement made in June this year. General awareness and the sense of urgency to save our natural resources and the environment around is an important social responsibility we must adopt even in Nagaland. Read on to understand the wider implications and effects of climate change happening around the world.
CLIMATE CHANGE: NEED FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
“A species capable enough to cause climate change is also capable enough to cease climate change, but only if we realize our mistakes in time – and that time is now because later will be too late.”
― Abhijit Naskar
The world we live in is not the same as it was some decades ago. We can see rapid changes in the field of science and technology, literature, arts, aerodynamics, space travel, etc. However, with the good also comes the bad. The environment we live in is at stake for all the development that takes place. And climate conditions are the most important of them all. And it is a well-known fact that some people are being displaced or evacuated to other places because of different calamities like heat waves, typhoon, heavy rains, flood, drought, and so on in different parts of the world as a result of climate change and global warming.
In the early and mid 20th century, we heard or read about people dying due to wars and how many people had to flee their homes to other places for survival. But in the recent scenario, that’s not the case anymore. We can say that climate change poses one of the most threatening conditions to the life of humans. It has been estimated that thousands and thousands of people are dying annually because of calamities, as a result of climate change. And the numbers of deaths are increasing year after year.
Whenever we open a newspaper or any social media platforms, we can always see the news on calamities like floods, droughts etc. happening all around the world. The best example of climate change can be the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, which has started sinking due to the rising sea levels. Jakarta is starting to pay the price of climate change. Another example we can take is of Kiribati, which is a sovereign state in Micronesia in the Central Pacific ocean. It has been said that this country would have completely sunk after a decade’s time, again because of the rising sea levels. It might become the first country to pay the price of climate change if necessary action is not taken. Even though we are not affected directly by it, extreme weather events as a result of climate change will soon arrive and when it does, I am certain that we will not be able to handle the consequences.
When we talk about the term climate change and global warming, I have seen many people who talk about it as though it was a faraway situation in the future not realizing it is a problem of now and today, not tomorrow. Some people have already declared that the Earth is now too late to be saved. But I say, it’s better to be late than never.
Recently, I came across an article which states that the ice caps of Greenland have been melting at an alarming rate causing a threat to the inhabitants of Greenland. Why do you think this happened? Don’t you think it is a result of climate change? When we think or discuss about climate change and the causes of climate change, we give reasons like deforestation, overgrazing, pollution, etc., which are all caused by human activities. So my question is, if we humans are the ones who cause climate change, then don’t you think we can bring an end to it too?
Some communities have already started to face the consequences of climate change. Newspapers are always filled with the news of different calamities affecting the people across the world. People are evacuated and displaced because of the calamities and are forced to live as refugees in different countries. A few years ago we heard of people evacuating because of wars but today people are being displaced because of extreme climatic conditions. It is because of these conditions that are indirectly affecting the loss of culture, loss of indigenous tribes, and many more. It also affects the people’s livelihood and health and our actions will eventually lead to our downfall.
Recently, when the Amazon Rain Forest fire broke out, and continuously burned for more than three weeks. According to the Los Angeles Times, the President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro thinks that the “Amazons should not be protected, and the lands reserved for indigenous peoples should not be recognized, all in the name of economic growth”, While this report could, of course, be one-sided or contextually quoted, and only partially presents his stance, the thought of development by harming the natural environment must be removed and must be replaced by the thoughts of ways through which we can increase the green cover hand in hand with industrialization.
No one in this world will be able to escape the consequences of climate change, be it the rich or the poor, young or old, black or white. A small initiative taken by us individuals, starting in our very homes would contribute greatly to the greater vision of saving our environment. It is my belief that there are many people out there who want to work to tackle this serious issue of climate change for better living. I urge each individual to come together and work for a better tomorrow.
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Dr. Aniruddha Babar, Dr. Pfokrelo Kapesa, Webei Tsühah, Meren and Kvulo Lorin.
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