GLOBAL WARMING – A GRAVE THREAT
Imran Khan
November 20, 2006
Kenya hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) from 6 – 17 November 2006. The main issue was Global Warming, its impacts on the world and how to battle it.
"Global Warming" A term used to describe climate change caused by human influences, which results in an increase of the average temperature of our earth. Global Warming is not associated with warming of the earth only, but it is a climate change and could cause it could be colder or hotter than normal. Global Warming is caused partly by the greenhouse gas emissions, which are produced by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, Methane, Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons, Sulfur hexafluoride.
Today's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are the highest in 650,000 years. Over the last century, the earth's temperature has been climbed by 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 of a degree Celsius). Global Warming is leading towards serious destruction of the earth.
Finally it was realized and world leaders made an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas affects when meeting at Kyoto , the ancient capital of Japan in 1997 and the deal was named as "Kyoto Protocol" which pledges the industrialized nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5% by 2012. Each country was set with its own targets according to pollution. But it could only come into force if the treaty was ratified by countries accounting for at least 55% of greenhouse gas emissions and it took 7 years to fulfill the requirement when finally Russia ratified it in 2004.
The world's biggest polluting nations in according to carbon dioxide emissions are: USA – 24%, Europe – 14%, China -13%, Russia – 6.2%, Japan - 5% and India - 3.2%. The biggest problem is that USA which is by far the world's most polluting country pulled out from the treaty in 2001 by saying that implementation of Kyoto Protocol will severely damage its economy. China and India are developing countries so they are not bind with any targets. It means 3 out of 6 are out of the treaty. Australia is the only other industrialized country which has also not ratified Kyoto Protocol.
Few scientists still don't believe in human caused Global Warming and say it is a natural phenomenon. But if we examine the ten hottest years in history have been recorded since 1983 and seven after 1990. A heat wave in the summer of 2003 in Europe killed more than 25,000 people. 2005 was the 2nd warmest year on record behind 1998. Malaria, which kills over One Million people every year, because of high temperatures is spreading to higher altitudes. The Sahara is expanding, turning farmland into deserts. Regular droughts, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, reductions in Ozone layer, and list goes on.
These events must work as an eye-opener for all. Whether someone believes in Global Warming or not, it's absolutely clear that something very bad is happening with the earth. Scientists say that if we don't reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in next 10 years, the world would be very badly damaged which has not happened in millions of years. It will not affect any single country but the whole world will face very dangerous consequences.
Each year thousands of environmental experts (including government officials and activist groups) gather for a conference on how to fight global warming. In 2005 meeting on Global Warming was held in Montreal, Canada. Meetings are useful and provide a good platform to discuss the issues in more depth and when delegates from 189 countries present new and better ideas do come. But still the outcome of these meetings so far is not what the United Nations had hopped for. Mr. Kofi Annan, United Nation's Secretary General, shown that un-happiness when he said in his address "While the Kyoto Protocol is a crucial step forward, that step is far too small. And as we consider how to go further still, there remains a frightening lack of leadership" and "Climate change is also a threat to peace and security". If Global Warming is such a big threat to the world and a person at such a top level in an organization which represents the whole world will say something like that it clearly shows that there are lack of actions. The reasons could be either countries don't take the Global Warming threat very seriously or otherwise countries still far away from thinking about global protection as their first priority. The other thing is that unfortunately countries like United States which are not considering Kyoto Protocol as the best solution, still in so many years could not produce any alternative or better solution than Kyoto Protocol. So it makes a sense to follow the Kyoto Protocol as now it is the best possible solution in hand.
The world still has time to heal the wounds of mother earth but fast actions are required. The economy of any country is very important, but the future of the world is even more important. Some risks will have to be taken for the betterment of all humanity. It certainly requires thinking big and beyond boundaries.
"Global Warming" A term used to describe climate change caused by human influences, which results in an increase of the average temperature of our earth. Global Warming is not associated with warming of the earth only, but it is a climate change and could cause it could be colder or hotter than normal. Global Warming is caused partly by the greenhouse gas emissions, which are produced by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, Methane, Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons, Sulfur hexafluoride.
Today's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are the highest in 650,000 years. Over the last century, the earth's temperature has been climbed by 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 of a degree Celsius). Global Warming is leading towards serious destruction of the earth.
Finally it was realized and world leaders made an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas affects when meeting at Kyoto , the ancient capital of Japan in 1997 and the deal was named as "Kyoto Protocol" which pledges the industrialized nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5% by 2012. Each country was set with its own targets according to pollution. But it could only come into force if the treaty was ratified by countries accounting for at least 55% of greenhouse gas emissions and it took 7 years to fulfill the requirement when finally Russia ratified it in 2004.
The world's biggest polluting nations in according to carbon dioxide emissions are: USA – 24%, Europe – 14%, China -13%, Russia – 6.2%, Japan - 5% and India - 3.2%. The biggest problem is that USA which is by far the world's most polluting country pulled out from the treaty in 2001 by saying that implementation of Kyoto Protocol will severely damage its economy. China and India are developing countries so they are not bind with any targets. It means 3 out of 6 are out of the treaty. Australia is the only other industrialized country which has also not ratified Kyoto Protocol.
Few scientists still don't believe in human caused Global Warming and say it is a natural phenomenon. But if we examine the ten hottest years in history have been recorded since 1983 and seven after 1990. A heat wave in the summer of 2003 in Europe killed more than 25,000 people. 2005 was the 2nd warmest year on record behind 1998. Malaria, which kills over One Million people every year, because of high temperatures is spreading to higher altitudes. The Sahara is expanding, turning farmland into deserts. Regular droughts, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, reductions in Ozone layer, and list goes on.
These events must work as an eye-opener for all. Whether someone believes in Global Warming or not, it's absolutely clear that something very bad is happening with the earth. Scientists say that if we don't reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in next 10 years, the world would be very badly damaged which has not happened in millions of years. It will not affect any single country but the whole world will face very dangerous consequences.
Each year thousands of environmental experts (including government officials and activist groups) gather for a conference on how to fight global warming. In 2005 meeting on Global Warming was held in Montreal, Canada. Meetings are useful and provide a good platform to discuss the issues in more depth and when delegates from 189 countries present new and better ideas do come. But still the outcome of these meetings so far is not what the United Nations had hopped for. Mr. Kofi Annan, United Nation's Secretary General, shown that un-happiness when he said in his address "While the Kyoto Protocol is a crucial step forward, that step is far too small. And as we consider how to go further still, there remains a frightening lack of leadership" and "Climate change is also a threat to peace and security". If Global Warming is such a big threat to the world and a person at such a top level in an organization which represents the whole world will say something like that it clearly shows that there are lack of actions. The reasons could be either countries don't take the Global Warming threat very seriously or otherwise countries still far away from thinking about global protection as their first priority. The other thing is that unfortunately countries like United States which are not considering Kyoto Protocol as the best solution, still in so many years could not produce any alternative or better solution than Kyoto Protocol. So it makes a sense to follow the Kyoto Protocol as now it is the best possible solution in hand.
The world still has time to heal the wounds of mother earth but fast actions are required. The economy of any country is very important, but the future of the world is even more important. Some risks will have to be taken for the betterment of all humanity. It certainly requires thinking big and beyond boundaries.
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