Climate changes and challenges ahead!
By: Drimtiyaz Rasool
Fauna, flora and other forms of life constitute biota and any disturbance in their natural relationship creates imbalance in biodiversity and consequently affects life. We are facing great challenges as the earth’s climate has been exhibiting certain accentuating changes affecting life. Man is spearheading all these indiscriminate activities on mother earth causing threat to the ecosystem. Our survival is at stake and most of the population is unmindful of future climatic crises.
Land, sea and wildlife is facing devastation by unplanned industrialization, random development structures and excessive use of fossil fuels. This has been instrumental for the loss of many of nature’s gifts and benefits. We are losing priceless landscapes, and animals, plants and the wildlife are under persistent threat. One of The major challenges to climate and biodiversity are changes caused by destruction of wetlands, forests and other land Forms for industrial extraction and infrastructure projects etc.
We must protect our wildlife at any cost and restore the wildlife which have been disturbed Or deteriorated in various parts of the world. Startling revelation was recently made when it was reported record breaking heat wave in various regions of the world and especially capital city Delhi which recorded an all-time high of 49 C. We experience less rainfall in different parts of India. Jammu and Kashmir which was once known for wet weather has shown decline in rainfall by 70% in March -April 2022 against the normal 288 mm rainfall and received mere 64. 8mm.
The new analysis comes as an eye opener regarding a climate report from the World Meteorological Organization and UN atmospheric science body that has warned that four key indicators of climate change set new records in the year 2021 in terms of greenhouse gas concentration, sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification.
The world Meteorological organization WMO noted in its report “Last seven years from 2015-2021 were globally the warmest years on record-April 2022 was declared hottest by IMD since it began record keeping. Now the onus lies on mankind to streamline activities on mother earth to tackle climate disruption we must check fossil fuel pollution and replenish the renewable bio energy, plantation need to be taken at holistic scale and discourage deforestation, and contain plastic pollution which created havoc on land and water and safeguard the biodiversity by redirecting activities which are indispensable with alternate means and ways to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases which is main cause of global warming which triggered the increase in sea level by affecting millions of coastal dwellers.
The oceanic heat has also been increasing with record high affecting marine life while acidification has also touched higher mark mainly by plastic pollution as the plastic breaks down into micro plastics that find their way into marine organism and indirectly into other non-marine organisms hence accumulating in the food chains. So, dire need is to fight plastic pollution in oceans and on land.
Global warming has endangered many species and few are at the verge of extinction, it has raised food security crises in different regions. Efforts are on to contain global warming as various countries along with India are encouraging use of biofuels and other eco-friendly measures which have less effect on the environment than fossil fuels. Bio fuels involve direct conversion of biomass into liquid fuels which are blended with other types of fuels; ethanol and biodiesel are the two main biofuels used in transport fuels. Bio fuels are comparatively better which mainly produce fewer emissions, particulates, Sulphur dioxide and less toxic substances because biofuels are obtained from organic substances which have relatively low carbon intensities.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its report has painted sensitive picture as; Climate change is already impacting every corner of the world and much more severe impacts are in store if we fail to halve greenhouse gas emissions this decade and immediately scale up adaptation withering droughts, water crisis, India ranks 13th amongst counties with highest water stress, recent NITI AAYOG report suggests that nearly 600 million Indian are facing high to extreme water stress.
Extreme heat and record floods are already threateningand food security is at risk which will deprive millions of people from decent livelihood. Climate change and challenges ahead may increase mortality as well as various diseases. Need of the hour is to sustain the balance of the planet with a sensible approach and action plan and plan a shared future for all life.
