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Human activities like rapid industrialization, population explosion, deforestation and military actions have very destructive impact on natural environment of the earth. And now changing climate due to humans is turning against humans themselves. Recent estimates about world environmental future does not sounds good.
Image Credits jworldtimes
On July 14th 2017 Asian development bank published a report on climate changes and environmental future of Asia and pacific region. And the figures are alarming. Following are some points of concern discussed briefly.
Temperature Change
Average summer temperature is increasing continuously and it is highest among Asian countries. In some pre-industrialized area of Asia, summer temperature will increase by 6-8 degree Celsius at the end of ongoing century that will badly effect not only agriculture and environment but also industrial production.
Image Credits davidsuzuki.org
Sea Level
Sea level rise is a big challenge for most of the island nations such as Philippines, Maldives and pacific nations. Coral reef system is most venerable to see level rise. Melting of glaciers, global warming and ice melting from poles are causing sea level rise. According to Business-As-Usual scenario, sea level, by the end of ongoing century will rise by 1.4 meters but if Paris agreement fully implemented, it can be retained to 0.6 meters rise.
Image Credits anthropocenemagazine.org
Glaciers and river System
Glaciers are melting day by day but their melt down do not follow any straight pattern. In some regions glacier melting is very fast which is causing heavy flooding. If this situation continued soon, certain countries will face extreme scarcity of water which can intensify security risks.
Image Credits prezi.com
Migration
Although, today migration is happening due to bad law and order and peace and terror situations. But soon, this scenario will change and migrations will happen on vast levels due to changed climate. If present variation in climate continued to intensify, many areas will not be able to grow crops and population will have to migrate, intensifying burden on certain areas. Furthermore, migration to big cities from rural areas is also posing problems to urban areas.
Image Credits npr.org
Agriculture
Agriculture is major source of food for human and cattle of the world. In agriculture revolution man destroyed forests while in the name of industrial revolution cultivated land was destroyed on big scale and turned it into industrial zones producing tons of pollution causing material. Food security is major concern due to climate change. Agriculture land is decreasing, sea level rising, temperature increase is effecting crop growth seasons and disturbed pattern and timing of rains is also playing havoc on agriculture infrastructure. Intense research for advanced disease and drought resistant crop specie is need of the hour for food prosperity of the world.
Fisheries and ecosystem
According to business as usual scenario climate change will result in 1.4 meters rise in sea level by the end of this century. This is an alarming situation for coral reef systems and ultimately to the fisheries around the globe. If sea level rises by 1.4 meters, most of the coral system will be destroyed. But, if according to Paris consensus, we succeeded to retain sea global warming rise at 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of this century, reef system may be saved from total destruction.
Cyclones
Intensity, frequency and duration of trophic cyclones is increasing day by day. Dur to rising sea level cyclones are causing massive destruction.
Moreover, other alarming factors are increasing papulation and pollution in mega cities, out breaks due to natural disasters, increasing heat extremes and vulnerability of supply chains to be disturbed due to extreme weather conditions.
Image Credits noaa.gov
Solution to The Problem
If your plane is for one year plant Rice.
If your plane is for ten years plant Trees.
And, if your plane is for hundred years, Educate children. Confucius
Leader ship around glob has met many times regarding climate change effects and how to tackle with the problem. Most worth mentioning meets are Stockholm declaration 1972, Rio Earth Summit 1992, Kyoto Protocol 1997, Johannesburg Summit 2002, Gleneagles Meet 2005 and recently Paris consensus.
Image Credits skepticalscience
To fight against climate changes and minimize its effects every country need to work on emergency levels. Nations should follow Sweden, Brazil and Iceland which are turning their dependency on oil to renewable energy resources. Clean technologies should be promoted. Developed countries should help developing and under developed regions in this regard. Good environment governance should be practiced. Municipal waste needs to recycled, degraded and used for energy production.
Image Credits cleantechnica
Forests, glaciers and wild life should be protected and conserved leading to protection and conservation of natural environment. Public awareness campaigns regarding clean technologies and environment friendly practices should be launched. A transparent, people friendly and accountable administration can promote environment friendly policies.
Image Credits worldbank.org
At the end, we need to hope best and work to for it.
