Introduction
Climate change is the change of climate patterns caused by human activities and greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental pollution and pollutants, also known as anthropogenic, have resulted in a 1-degree Celsius increase in temperature. If human activities persist, the temperature increase will likely increase to more than 1.5 degrees by 2030 (Ahmed, 2020). As a result, due to the temperature rise, the world has experienced more than 315 natural calamities caused by climate change. The effect is enormous, and statistics reveal that economic losses due to climate change amount to more than 131.7 billion dollars. More than 68.5 million people have been victims of climate change, such as drought, storms, wildfires, and floods.
Warning of Climate Change
While contemplating the matter, the scantiest had warned of climate change due to burning fossil fuels for more than 50 years, yet no severe actions were taken to combat the situation (Fawzy, 2020). However, the failure to take action against this global crisis can be due to skepticism and lack of action from people who believe that climate change endangers the planet. As a result, the most vulnerable sectors to climate change have been the basics of human survival: health, infrastructure, habitat, water, and food (Ray, 2019). The estimated losses will escalate to more than 13 percent globally if appropriate measures are not taken immediately (Kahn 2021). The losses, however, vary from country to country, which depends on the rate of increase in temperature.
New Generations and Climate Change
Climate change is often described as the most significant environmental challenge facing the new generations to come. However, it is with deep concern that the young people have no idea of the threats posed to them by a change in climate since the condition is deteriorating, making the future blurred. Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases produced when these gases are burned. They include Carbon dioxide produced when something is burned, Methane gas, Nitrous oxide, Sulphur hexafluoride, and Fluorinated gases. Water, an essential constituent of life, is also in jeopardy, considering it is affected by heavy rainfall and drought resulting from climate change (Hornsey, 2020). It is worth noting that using clean water for irrigation and drinking is suitable for healthy living. However, ignorance of this fundamental issue of climate change will affect the future because young people will not have clean water.
Is There a Chance to Handle This
With knowledge of the catastrophe facing the young generation now and, in the future, the best thing is to think of how this artificial catastrophe of our time can be dealt with. The first way to deal with climate change is to embrace new technologies which are decarbonizing. These are technologies that reduce the emission of Carbon four oxide emissions by embracing other forms of energy such as renewable energy (Fawzy, 2020). Fossil fuel is the widely used form of power today and years backdating to when the world was experiencing industrialization. However, with the knowledge of the threat posed by this form of energy, switching it with other forms of energy would save the future of the young generation today and the age to come.
The threat of Heat, Melting Glaciers, and Intense Drought
Consequences of climate change, such as melting glaciers and intense drought, pose great risks globally. An increase in heat has caused weather patterns to change, and mostly it has resulted in more evaporation of water. As a result, the world has been experiencing hurricanes, floods, and other horrific calamities. It also results in the melting of glaciers which increases sea levels sinking the earth slowly. Some the cities, such as New York, will drown in the future due to climate change. Moreover, drought, caused by increased heat, causes plants to wither. Since plants are the primary food producers when they die, then all the animals’ fate is sealed to die (Khalid et al., 2020).
Dealing with Climate Change
Other forms of technologies would be used which are oriented to switch fuels such as nuclear power and carbon capture utilization and storage. These are acceptable technologies, and they manage the risk of global warming (Fawzy, 2020). Moreover, policy, social and economic dimensions have a significant role in mitigating climate change. Policymaking is instrumental in reducing the pollution which causes climate change. Policymakers can formulate laws that would outlaw the use of fuels as a form of energy and only give way to other forms of it. Social life also plays a crucial role in reducing climate change. This would mean that the social life of many people would have to change to reduce climate change. This would involve changing traveling methods such as bicycles and moving to work. According to Hornsey (2020), social norms influence people’s psychological way of perceiving things, affecting their behavior. It is worth noting that this method has the effect of influencing the decisions people make.
Economic and Politic Dimensions
The economic dimension is also a way to be embraced and help mitigate climate change (Nordhaus, 2019). Climate change is mainly a result of using fossil fuels and switching to other forms of energy would need heavy findings. Other eco-friendly forms of energy include nuclear power, wind energy, and solar energy, and their use can be easily implemented. It is worth mentioning that these forms of energy require serious funding before piloting (Fawzy, 2020). Moreover, the Paris agreement goals would also limit temperature increase by 0.01 degrees Celsius (Kahn, 2021). The UNFCCC conference introduced the Kyoto Protocol, which was adopted in 2005, and it required the developed nations to lay out commitments to mitigating the emission of fossil gases (O’Neill et al., 2020).
Carbon Capture
Moreover, carbon capture is also a promising technology that would seize the deterioration of climate change. Enhancing silicate decomposition would also reduce the levels of carbon in the atmosphere. Decomposed silicate ions flow through the streams and combine with ocean water; they form alkalinity or precipitate with a land system to form carbonate minerals (Sippel, 2020). These chemical reaction dissolves Carbon and reduces its presence in the atmosphere. Therefore, accelerating this decomposition would help minimize carbon present in the atmosphere and reduce climate change effects. In conclusion, climate change has caused a lot of human suffering, which is evident in catastrophes which range from floods, drought, wildfires, increases in temperature, and rises in water levels (Clayton, 2020). However, there are scientific has provided a solution to remedy climate change. Therefore, the youth whose future is at stake need to embrace scientific recommendations to save their drowning future.
References
Ahmed, Mukhtar. “Introduction to Modern Climate Change.” Science of Total Environment, Vol. 274, no. 1, 2020, pp. 139-397. Web.
Fawzy, Samer, et al. “Strategies for Mitigation of Climate Change: A Review.” Environmental Chemistry Letters, 2020, pp. 1-26. Web.
Hornsey, Matthew J., and Kelly S. Fielding. “Understanding (and Reducing) Inaction on Climate Change.” Social Issues and Policy Review vol. 14, no. 1, 2020, pp. 3-35. Web.
Kahn, Matthew E., et al. “Long-term Macroeconomic Effects of Climate Change: A Cross-Country Analysis.” Energy Economics, Vol. 104, no. 1, 2021, pp. 105-624. Web.
Khalid, Shah, et al. “Effects of Climate Change on Irrigation Water Quality.” Environment, Climate, Plant and Vegetation Growth, 2020, pp. 123-132. Web.
O’Neill, Brian C., et al. “Achievements and Needs for the Climate Change Scenario Framework.” Nature climate change vol. 10, no. 12, 2020, pp. 1074-1084. Web.