Climate Change is one of the major international and environmental issues of our time.
With the advent of modern technologies revolutionizing world industrial structure since the 18th century, humankind has placed environmental and climate change issues in the ignorance bucket. However, people are becoming more vigilant about environmental and climatic issues.
The mindless emission of greenhouse gases has transformed the Earth into a hot burning stove where the temperature is constantly moving in an upward trajectory. The severe consequences of climate change are most visible in the present age.
Earth’s lithospheric temperature is up surging affecting territorial as well as marine ecosystems negatively. The Australian Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, has immensely affected in the form of coral bleaching due to rising ocean water temperature.
Glacial melting is another worrisome aspect of climate change. Polar ice, covering beyond the Arctic as well as the Antarctic circle, is melting at a much faster pace threatening to submerge island and coastal areas due to sea water level rise. Rising sea water levels can create a panic situation in island nations like Maldives, Fiji etc.
Climate change is triggering more wildfires incidents globally.
Wildfires have become a more extreme phenomenon due to augmentation of summer temperatures.
The intensity and duration of rainfall pattern have also changed due to climate change. This directly affects the agriculture of the region and consequently, the socio-economic conditions of farmers’ lives also.
Rainfall pattern changes are giving birth to frequent flood situations. The state of Kerala in India has faced the most recent flood calamity in which many people have lost their lives along with socio-economic, ecological and biodiversity losses.
Cyclones or hurricanes have become more intense and disastrous. Many coastal areas of the world are experiencing the wrath of destructive cyclones. Storm surges are also appearing frequently in coastal areas threatening more lives.
The intensification of heat waves and droughts are prominently affecting the lives of millions of people, especially poverty-stricken families. According to reports, 75% of the world population will be severely distressed by heat waves in coming years if greenhouse gas emissions are not curtailed substantially.
The Paris Agreement of 2015 is a positive step by the world community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to save the Earth and humankind. Every country should reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to keep the global temperature well below 2 °C pre-industrial levels.
All countries should stand together. We should move towards making our world sustainable by cutting down greenhouse gas emissions and adopting alternative energy options like clean renewable energy to live better lives.
With the world running out of fossil fuel, their prices skyrocketed in the last decade, while their emission externalities threatened with dire consequences. Just when energy scarcity had begun to look like the Achilles’ heel of human civilization, the acceptance of solar energy as a commercially viable option heralds a new era that will not only change businesses, but also impact politics, societies and culture.
Hinduism as the traditional way of dharma based life has been followed in India religiously since as long as the human history is recorded. It survived several onslaughts from foreign invaders, new ideas like Buddhism and new religions like Islam and Christianity.
Even though the year 2017 did not bring the kind of disruptions as were witnessed in 2001, 2008 and 2012, the developments during this year are likely to lead to several far reaching consequences. That way, 2017 can be considered a year of silent revolutions, which saw great changes in human trajectories without violence or abrupt crisis.