This Article is written by Mannan Samad, a Fifth Year Law Student of University Law College, Quetta

Introduction

The climate crisis is a serious threat to the existence of humanity. The nature of the issue requires swift and determined action across all facets of life. With the passage of time, the negative impacts of climate change are looming larger. Extreme weather events are accelerating, ice caps are shrinking, sea levels are surging, and the biodiversity is intimidating. Viewing the destruction ramifications, it is important to take climate action to ensure a livable future for the decades to come.

In this article, I am going to explore the nature of climate change, its devastating impacts, and the dire need to take swift action.

The Urgency of the Climate Crisis

Scientists are frequently warning that humanity is on the verge of annihilation unless immediate measures are taken to avert climate catastrophe. In its report issued in 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) raised concerns that the world is about to surpass the 1.5°C global warming threshold by 2030 if existing patterns continue unabated. Traversing this threshold would lead to devastating environmental effects, such as adverse heatwaves, wildfires, and heightening sea levels that could endanger the lives of millions of people.[1].

If global warming is not reversed, human and environmental costs will continue to increase. Man, coastal areas will become unlivable, leading to mass displacement. Food security will be jeopardized due to the decline in agricultural yield. Biodiversity loss will exacerbate as species fail to adapt to ever-altering ecosystems, causing ecological imbalances. These results will cause innumerable human miseries and exert massive pressure on the world's political and economic systems.

The Call for Immediate and Decisive Action

In the face of this dire climate crisis, the world cannot afford negligence in terms of addressing climate change. Every year of inaction makes it harder to cope with climate change and more expensive to safeguard a sustainable future. The door of opportunity to deal with the negative impacts of climate change is coming to an end, and quick action is needed before this climate catastrophe overtakes the world.

Key Measures To Be Taken In Addressing Climate Change[2]

1. Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The most dire challenge is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are the central factors of global warming. This can be obtained through a multi-faceted strategy such as energy transition, forest regeneration, and shift industrial working mechanisms.

All the world can do is reduce emissions by abandoning fossil fuels and adopting renewable energy sources such as solar energy. Renewable energy technologies are evolving increasingly, through which most countries are economically competing with coal, oil, and gas.

2. Safeguarding and Reviving Ecosystems

Ecosystems such as forests, oceans, etc. are greatly lessening the impacts of climate change. Forests play a huge role in absorbing carbon dioxide, which is a key element in causing greenhouse gases. Safeguarding forests and reviving dead ones is a crucial solution to the climate problem. Besides the efforts to restore greening, efforts must be made to safeguard the marine environment. Oceans absorb approximately one-quarter of the CO2 that is released through human activities, but this results in ocean acidification, which endangers marine life. Measures ought to be taken to secure the marine ecosystem from debris, overfishing, pollution, etc.

3. Climate Adaptation and Resilience

While action to mitigate climate effects is mandatory, adaptation plans are equally essential. Global leaders need to enhance resilience to climate catastrophes, including extreme weather

events, rising sea levels, etc. Adaptation techniques include building resilient infrastructure, such as flood blockage, and establishing warning mechanisms for natural disasters. Governments across the world should invest in adaptation measures to reduce vulnerability, strengthen coping mechanisms, and ensure a sustainable and equitable future.

4. Global Response and International Cooperation [3]

There is a dire need for global response and international cooperation to cope with climate catastrophe. No single country can address the climate crisis on its own, as greenhouse gas emissions are an international issue that is not limited to only national borders but affects the entire world. International cooperation is, thereby, instrumental in sorting out this climate dilemma. In light of international measures in tackling the climate crisis, the Paris Agreement epitomizes a serious international step to deal with climate change. Its foremost purpose is to keep global temperature below 2°C, which is highly promising. To meet this goal, countries have pledged to present their nationally determined contributions, which carry the roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

5. Duty of Individuals and Societies

Individuals and societies have the foremost duty to bring about a positive difference in the battle of climate change. It's all about the right choices we make in our daily lives, such as the correct use of energy, decreasing waste, promoting eco-friendly products, traveling through public transport or utilizing electric vehicles, etc. These initiatives can make a huge difference in addressing the climate crisis. Moreover, local communities can lead climate combat by carrying out initiatives such as renewable energy projects, urban green activities, and sustainable agriculture practices. Grassroots initiatives are too important to spread awareness regarding climate change and bring governments and companies to book for their horrific contributions to climate catastrophe.

6. Adopting Renewable Energy

The transition to renewable energy is a gigantic step towards lessening our dependence on fossil fuels and combating climate change. As we know, the world is heading towards a new energy era by adopting renewable energy and abandoning old energy techniques because energy consumption patterns are developing across the world with time, such as the use of solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy, and geothermal energy. This paves the way for the use of clean energy technologies, which are widely utilized for electricity generation and transportation. The future of energy is shaping the trends across the world.

7. Promoting Sustainable Transportation

We should collectively foster energy transportation by encouraging cycling, walking, etc. This will revamp air quality and generate a healthier environment. Global leaders across the world should invest in climate-friendly infrastructure and ramp up climate-friendly transportation. Moreover, we should prioritize sustainable transportation because it is less expensive, less energy-consuming, and more climate-friendly.

8. Raise Public Awareness

There is a pressing need for organizing awareness seminars and conducting advocacy programs in all climate-affected areas to educate the people about the impacts of climate change and possible steps to combat climate change on an individual and collective basis.

Conclusion

To sum up, the climate crisis is a gigantic jeopardy to our survival, which needs to be dealt with swiftly. From decreasing greenhouse gas emissions to safeguarding ecosystems and utilizing renewable energy to adapting to climate impacts, we, as a whole, should take climate action on an emergency basis. The consequences of inaction are far-reaching. Humanity is under existential threat. Today's decisions determine tomorrow's future for generations to come. Through collective action and decisive leadership, we can make the planet liveable and healthier for all.

References

[1] Rohit Malhotra “Climate Change: A Call to Action for a Sustainable Future” (2023) , LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/climate-change-call-action-sustainable-future-rohit-malhotra-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&utm_campaign=share_via/ accessed on 22 October 2024

² UN Environmental Program, “Act Now - Speak Up” (2014) UNEP, https://www.unep.org/interactives/things-you-can-do-climate-emergency/ accessed on 14 August 2018

³ Jamil Ahmed, “Climate Justice” (2024), DAWN, https://www.dawn.com/news/1833417/ accessed on 22 October 2024

⁴ The Global Goals, “Climate Action” (2010) TGG, https://www.un.org/en/actnow/ accessed on 15 July 2015

⁵ Climate and Clean Air Coalition “Why we need to act now” (2012) CCAC, https://www.ccacoalition.org/content/why-we-need-act-now/ accessed on 30 May 2017

⁶ Robert F. Roy, “International action on climate change”, (2023) Climate Change Committee, https://www.theccc.org.uk/international-action-on-climate-change/ accessed on 22 October 2024