We always say, “Global Warming is Real” when it’s really hot. The phrase would be met with laughter, expletives and a long tirade about the cost of sunscreen and which brands are best. SPF is something that I’ve never heard of before, and it may be something you should know about. The global warming is causing subtle changes to our daily routines. These shifts will continue to grow in intensity as time goes on. I am speaking as someone who is more fortunate. Some of my people are dying from flooding, droughts that last for months and lost livelihoods. Some of my countrymen are dying because of floods, extended droughts and loss of livelihoods. Climate change is an interdisciplinary problem. We don’t know how to solve it because we’ve never dealt with a global problem like humanity. I would prefer to deal with a space invasion at this time.
Climate change is real. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other scientific reports have proven this. There are many options to curb this crisis, but they have all failed. This is because most of the solutions have been either insensitive, vague, naive, or unrealistic. This crisis requires a new perspective to be effective. To ensure that these solutions are effective, we need to first understand the position of each country, determine what our largest contributors to our CO2 footprint are, and provide deadlines. Our policies should be very clear and have legally-binding consequences for anyone who does not comply. Introduce carbon taxes that include carbon rationing. Implement cap-and-trade regulatory systems. Regulate subsidies. Oil and gas extraction industries should no longer be subsidised. Food and Aviation Subsidies should be removed as well. They are close behind fossil fuels when it comes to pollution. The Paris Agreement has a very unifying effect on climate change, as evidenced by its 185 ratifying Parties out of 197. The Paris Agreement’s agenda promotes diplomatic relations by having an open and inclusive process. It champions formal dialogue and informal discussions, concentrates on domestic policies that are more impactful, advocates global stocktaking and names and shames noncompliant governments. Despite their achievements, they need to set realistic goals for the world’s temperature rise, and have countries meet mandatory targets. In addition, they have a lot of doubts about the legality of the agreement and should clarify this. To the dismay of their citizens, the US government has the opportunity to withdraw from the agreement. This sends the message that climate-deniers are now in control. Other countries are unlikely to follow suit. But the remaining members may not want to invest in this effort, as the second most polluting country in the world will not be bound by any agreement. In addition, the exit of their country will hinder climate change’s urgency and shortness. We are aware that time will be a major factor in its evolution. Although it’s painful, we can’t wait to see if it gets better. Costs of climate change are high, and the costs to adjust to these changes are even higher. Mother Nature is owed money for 300 years’ worth of economic growth fuelled by fossils. She is now ready to pay. We must decide whether we will let future generations and ourselves live in an unattractive, toxic world where there are conflicts over resources. Climate change mitigation requires a shift from our heavily fossil-fuel reliant infrastructure to cleaner sources of energy. The technology will be a key component in combating climate change economically and politically. The technology will give us data about the problems, and also reveal solutions and opportunities. The use of advanced sensors to map the pollution spread can be used for planning. Our very economy, capitalism, must be rethought because mitigating the climate change requires us to use fewer resources. That is the opposite of capitalism. We must deal with the population explosion because it will lead to greater environmental exploitation. As nations, we will have to change our view on wealth. We as humans will have to decide if we are willing to sacrifice the future of our children in order for us satisfy our greed. As someone who lives and works in a developing world, I am aware of the pain that comes with paying for mistakes you did not make nor benefit from. If you have profited from pollution, then you must make it up to your people. We have moved beyond pointing the finger and celebrating our successes. It is time to act. Immediately. Urgently. Now.
