Climate change: A major global threat
Published on Sunday, March 15, 2020 @ 15:42 CET
The climate change, that is, the change of the global
climate and in particular the changes in meteorological conditions that extend
on a large time scale, is a major global existential threat, much larger than
the coronavirus.
The
greenhouse effect causes the increase of temperature of the planet primarily due to the
tremendous increase in carbon dioxide, which has increased by 35% since the
beginning of the industrial revolution. And of course the lion's share in
pollution of the atmosphere with 50% of all carbon dioxide have Europe and
North America. All other countries together are responsible for the other half,
while the poorest countries are the least responsible. However, the people who
live in these countries it is they who will suffer more strongly of the
consequences.
The causes of climate change are mainly identified in
combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gasoline, natural gas, etc.) which
account for 50% of total emissions, in the production and use of synthetic
chemicals, in disaster of forest areas which contributes to the production of
additional gases in the atmosphere and of course to the greenhouse effect by
15% and in conventional agriculture and livestock farming, which account for
15% of emissions.
The expert scientists knock the danger bell and warn
that if there is no urgent global coordinated action by political leaders,
governments, industries and citizens around the world, the temperature of the
planet is likely to rise above 2°C relative to pre-industrial levels by 2060
and the increase could even reach 5°C by the end of the twenty-first century,
fact that will make the lives of future generations problematic.
Such an increase in the temperature of our planet will
have a devastating impact on nature, bringing about irreversible changes in
many ecosystems and consequent loss of biodiversity, that is, all living
organisms and species that make up life on the planet, that is, animals, birds,
fish and plants (fauna and flora). Many species are expected to disappear from
areas that will be directly and severely affected by climate change.
Today, compared to 1850 -from when recording data
began- a temperature increase of 1.1°C is observed. So, it is vital importance,
the increase not to exceed 1.5°C, because as scientists estimate, beyond this
crucial point there will be no way back.
The
climate change, however, which is due to human activities, is a tangible
ominous reality and is already adversely affecting our planet. The sectors responsible for the production of greenhouse
gases are primarily the sector of energy produce (units of production of electrical power, refineries) but also
industrial activities, the modern means of transport (cars, airplanes, etc.)
and the activities of the primary production sector.
So, the extreme weather events, uncontrolled fires in
forests such as the Amazon that have been characterized as the "lung"
of the planet, the heat waves, the heavy rainfall, the prolonged droughts that
create serious eating problems in the affected areas of the planet, the very
powerful hurricanes, are becoming constantly more often and more intensively,
costing tens of thousands of lives every year and causing huge disasters.
The ice at the same time and snow on the poles are
melting, with the Arctic being the biggest victim to date, and the world
average sea level goes up, as a result to be caused floods and
erosion on coasts and lowland coastal areas and to be created environmental
refugees. If this unfavorable development continues, areas such as the
Netherlands and Venice will be at risk of being permanently lost under the sea waters
as new Atlantis.
The
climate change also increases existing diseases worldwide but also creates new
ones, and can also lead to premature death. Too many diseases are particularly
sensitive to temperature change. To them included communicable diseases such as
yellow fever, malaria, encephalitis and dengue fever, but also eating disorders, mental illnesses, cardiovascular
diseases as well as respiratory diseases.
The
climate change will also have negative impacts on the economies of the
countries given the fact that the high temperatures
undermine the productivity of most sectors of the economy, from the
agricultural sector to processing. Valid scientists predict that by the end of
the century, global GDP will have fallen by 7.22% from what it would have been
without climate change.
The teenager Swedish activist against climate change,
Greta Thunberg, has managed in the most vigorous and loud way to pass the
debate over this huge problem, by the heads of state and government and public
dialogue, in society and in the companies of friends, mobilizing millions of
people around the world, especially young people, who began to demonstrate
demanding by governments the immediate taking of measures for the confrontation
of climate change.
So, Swedish MPs rightly suggested
her for the Nobel Peace Prize. And of course Greta Thunberg has big right when she says
that the measures are being taken to reduce greenhouse gases and, above all, carbon dioxide are not
sufficient.
So, what are the appropriate measures to be taken
without delay to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and keep
the temperature at + 1.5°C?
The basic policies for
resolutely mitigating of the problem consist in promoting and utilizing
renewable energy sources (wind, solar, biomass, etc.), the enhancing energy
efficiency, the drastic reduction of the exploitation of oil and gas deposits
and the imposition of carbon taxes in order to limit the use of fossil
fuels and thereby to reduce significantly carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and
eliminate them by 2050 at the latest, the rapid reduction of emissions of
methane, carbon black and other short-lived pollutants that burden the climate,
the
restoration and protection of ecosystems and, above all, forests.
The Paris Agreement, the first
universal legally binding agreement for the climate, entered into force in
2016 with great optimism and manifest ambitions, despite the official US
departure statement, which are one of the biggest polluters. Four years have
passed since then and there are no substantial results, fact which raises
serious questions as to whether there is really the political will to tackle
this particularly threatening global problem.
In closing, I
would like to emphasize that the effects of climate change will be so dramatic
that human civilization will be in danger to collapse as a paper tower. So, in
the face of this extremely dangerous climate crisis, the citizens around the
world should increase their mobilization even further and the political leaders
to finally stand up at the height of the circumstances and take immediately the
necessary drastic measures, before it is too late, to reverse this
unsustainable course and save the planet.
Email:
skarderinis@hotmail.gr
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Karderinis Isidoros
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isidoros Karderinis
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