Daily Times

Although some may choose to believe that either the world in 20 years will be a better place or a far worse off place than it is today, people often forget that in 20 years the earth may cease to exist. If an all out nuclear war does not break out before 2032, an interesting phenomenon known as global warming is the next favourite to be the most likely to cause global destruction.

Since the gaping hole in the ozone layer was discovered above the Antarctic Circle, the term ‘global warming’ has become a familiar one. However, many of us do not understand the true magnitude of the situation. Some scientists believe that this phenomenon is responsible for the sharp rise in diseases such as skin cancer, melanoma, cortical cataracts, skin photo ageing and cold sores over the last 40 years; despite the fact that these scientists are not mistaken, a vast majority of people fail to see the big picture.

Global warming harms us in more ways than one. Unlike the other pressing matters that we face in the present, global warming targets the environment. The deteriorating state of the environment is the biggest and the most dangerous threat that we face today. There are a number of chain processes that further put the survival of the human race at risk as a result of global warming. The most well known is the greenhouse effect, which causes the melting of the ice caps present at the North Pole.

In the likely scenario where significant steps are not undertaken to reduce the greenhouse effect, the ice caps will completely melt, causing an alarming rise in sea levels. Countries such as New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be entirely submerged under water. There will be an increase in floods in Europe and a shortage of fresh drinking water in North America, Asia, Africa, as well as Latin America. In addition, countries like Pakistan, which experience an equatorial climate of very hot summers and cold winters, will experience at least a 1-3 degrees Celsius rise in temperature.

Despite the joint efforts by leading nations in the past to find a solution to global warming, such as the ‘clean air act’, the Kyoto Protocol, UNFCCC, REDD and the Montreal Protocol, we are not much closer to addressing the issue since all these endeavours have either failed or been discontinued. Moreover, we see that countries such as the US, which themselves lead initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol, have failed to keep their carbon emissions in check. This sends a negative precedent to the general public as well as the global community.

This necessitates a different approach. Governments should undertake initiatives to educate the general public about the effects of global warming and how making simple changes in our daily lives can help put a stop to the problem altogether. In countries such as Sri Lanka, the public is just now realising that unless some immediate action is taken, they will lose their homes and their lives as countries like Sri Lanka are likely to be submerged by 2032 due to global warming. After this realisation, the public is protesting, urging the government to take steps against global warming. The general populace themselves are making changes in their own lives to ensure the survival of their beloved homeland.

In many cases, for people who live in developing nations such as Pakistan, these changes can benefit the country in numerous ways. Encouraging recycling, the usage of energy efficient products, non-aerosol sprays and reducing the amount of heating and air conditioning can all help to reduce the greenhouse effect, and hence to an extent global warming. Furthermore, by encouraging carpooling and the use of public transport, problems associated with traffic and congestion in major cities in Pakistan, such as Lahore and Karachi, can easily be solved. By passing laws that ensure catalytic converters are fitted in motor vehicles, gases such as carbon dioxide are emitted to a lesser extent. Emissions of major pollutants such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides are also reduced greatly.

By buying energy efficient products and reducing the amount of electricity used, we can help conserve energy. Conservation of energy would result in a reduction in the amount of fossil fuels that are used, which would be beneficial as the amount of greenhouse gases and pollution released into the atmosphere will be decreased. For Pakistan, where load shedding is a major issue, this policy can be beneficial not only for the environment but also for the conservation of Pakistan’s resources.

It is about time that we start working, both on an individual and international level, towards reducing global warming, not only to ensure a better life for ourselves but also to ensure a better life for our future generations.

The writer is an A-Levels student at the Aitchison College and can be reached at mazenloan@gmail.com