I think everyone in this world has been impacted by global warming directly or indirectly. The impacts of global warming are very much clear now. The global warming is taking place at alarming rate and the global temperature has already risen by 1.0 °C above pre-industrial levels. We are seeing many extreme climatic events like flash floods, frequent droughts, rising sea level, melting arctic ice and ozone depletion.
Recently, the Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) in its special report in Incheon, Republic of Korea asserted that the world has to act fast and need to arrest the rising temperature within 1.5 °C by 2030.The report compare the likely impact of global warming of 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C above pre-industrial levels.
Here are the key take away from the report:-
Global warming is likely to reach 1.5 °C between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase with current rate.
Warming from anthropogenic emissions will persist for centuries to millennia and will continue to cause climatic changes.
If peak temperature is high as 2.0 °C then Earth may lose some ecosystems and species permanently.
So let’s see what world is doing to deal with this global threat of climate change which has become potential threat to very existence of human kind and eco-systems.
Are we on track to reduce emissions to limit the rise to 1.5 °C? The current pledges by the nations are not on track, hence we can overshoot the limit of 1.5 °C, even if current pledges achieved by 2030 the warming would exceed 1.5 °C because researchers find very few ways to reduce emissions after 2030 sufficiently and quickly. The nation who accepts or ratifies the Paris agreement submits pledges how emissions would be cut. These are different for each nation and called nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
If world is committed to hold global warming to 1.5 °C and consistent in reducing
Emissions then there would be rapid decline in green house gases in coming decades but on the other hand delayed action and lack of cooperation among countries can put the limit of 1.5 °C out of reach.
What we have to do to limit global warming to 1.5 °C?
We need to maintain net zero emissions of Co2 that is the amount of co2 entering into atmosphere and the amount of co2 being reduced must be equal. But it is not possible until we curb the energy use at large scale. If we use large energy from coal sources then it would be difficult to achieve this target.
What are the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C?
The impacts are felt everywhere but they vary in distribution across the earth. Some regions may have large and frequent extreme weather conditions. The warming is higher at continents especially in Arctic in winter season and mid latitude areas in summer season. The melting of ice sheets in arctic region will reduce the capacity of reflecting the solar radiation as ice has more albedo than barren land.
Therefore,we need to cut the emissions rapidly. The regions which are lacking in arresting the emissions need to be proactive and reduce emissions drastically in coming decades.
The IPCC report is eye opening and world must work together and cooperate to fight this global cause. The small islands are already facing the problem of sea level rise and losing their land due to submergence. If these nations are submerged then where climatic refuges would go. There will be many socio economic problems.
The poverty and malnutrition are already became great concerns for the world It would be poor people who will be hard hit by the climatic change. They are not in position to adapt the new changes.
The world needs to work together and adopt the renewable energy sources at large scale. The support of finance and technologies should be made available to the nations who lack these resources.On the other hand the people should understand the global concern and the need of the hour and should change the habits to reduce the energy waste; they need to adopt green technologies and life style.The support and cooperation is the key.
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