Recent Developments On Climate Change
Global warming has increasingly been the topic of many news outlets in recent times, and that is for good reason. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a report recently that shows how irreversible the self-inflicted damage has become, and continues to intensify rapidly.
As of August 9 there have been numerous reports from major news outlets released on the IPCC panel, which has been described by most as a ‘code red’ that confirm the current state of the extreme weather and climate conditions are definitely human-induced, and that we are ‘unequivocally’ the cause of these weather extremes that lead to violent wildfires, hurricanes, and melting ice caps.
The IPCC report gives a clear and detailed picture of how climate change is altering Mother Nature and indicates what still lays ahead. This being the latest global report since 2013 from IPCC, it has hit harder than expected and is now causing alarm all over the world. It is now clear that the damage is inevitable.
The IPCC warns that the extreme heatwaves, droughts, and flooding will continue to intensify, with predictions of a key temperature level being broken by 2040. The world will be one and a half degrees warmer, and going beyond this will cause more intense and frequent heatwaves
According to the report, the rise in sea levels is accelerating, tropical cyclones are getting stronger, while the ice in the arctic sea is dwindling further. Some regions will expect to be hit by more than one climate disaster at once, not just extreme weather conditions.
For more than three decades, the United Nations has issued warnings that the world had been ignoring. Almost all the effects of global warming are caused by the emission of harmful gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. Only about ten percent or less can be blamed on the earth’s natural forces
So What Can We Do?
While it is clear that there is no going back, there is still hope for the future if we reduce the rate of global emissions by half by the year 2030. This can help to halt the rise in global temperatures and allow us to attain net-zero but it will not be an easy task. Getting to net-zero would involve the wide use of clean technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, planting much more trees, and using carbon capture to curb the further release of harmful gases into the atmosphere.
Since the negative trend will continue for decades to come, it is essential to pay attention to ways in which we will adapt to the climate. One way is by investing in early warning, climate, and water services. We also need to focus on setting up the weather and hydrological observatories in the marginalized areas of Africa, South America, and other Island states, to increase the accuracy of weather forecasts worldwide.
Shirley Mist has been involved in fashion and design for many years. She has also written extensively for many online publications. She currently writes for The Tribune World and is a valued member of our team.