While the world is now recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, the effect and the impact of climate change, specifically air pollution remains continuous and has been impacting our lives throughout.
The Air Quality Index of New Delhi
The capital city in India, is currently fluctuating between the “very poor” and “hazardous” category. The situation has been deteriorating further as a result of stubble burning in the northern parts of India, cracker bursting and the slow wind speed during this time of the year. Thus, environmental protection has been a serious concern and needs to be given due attention. In 1994, under the aegis of the United Nations, many governments of the world came together, and the first-ever convention on climate change took place, with the formation of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate), as the governments realised that there was a problem that needed long-term solutions. They realised the fact that the more it will get delayed, the more dangerous impact it will have on humanity.
26th session of Conference of the Parties
Recently, COP 26 (i.e. the 26th session of Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC) ended after two weeks of discussions and deliberations amongst the signatory nations/organisation(s). It took place in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, after getting delayed by a year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The main agenda of this conference was to review the advancement of the Paris Agreement held in 2015. A global pledge was also made, where the signatories pledged to reduce methane emissions in the environment.
To achieve the goal of limiting rising temperatures all over the world, Paris Agreement took place in 2015, which can be seen as a turning point, in the international climate summits scenario. It is a legally binding agreement that focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Under it, all the signatories (197 parties in total), agreed upon limiting global temperatures below 2 degrees and aimed at keeping it down to 1.5 degrees Celsius (pre-industrial limit). It was agreed that it will work in a 5-year cycle, that is, the situation will be reviewed every 5 years. Thus, COP 26 was critical in the sense that it marked an end to the first-five year cycle. Thus, in the recent meeting, the progress of the signatory parties was examined and analysed.
The conference took place just after the release of the first part of the 6th assessment report by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which paved the way for COP26. It was noted that to keep the global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius, to conform to the Paris agreement, there was a need to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Moreover, it was also noted, that the average surface temperature of the planet will cross 1.5 degrees Celsius (above the pre-industrial level) and 2 degrees by 2040, this means in 20 years, there will be an even further increase in heatwaves, droughts and extreme rainfalls, along with other abnormal happenings. Thus, if nothing concrete is done on an immediate basis the situation will become “code red for humanity”, as suggested by the IPCC report.
Thus, it comes with no surprise that COP26 recent findings were unpleasant. The targets set in Paris have hardly been achieved. The global temperatures continue to increase. The situation continues to be dreadful, and finding the light at the end of the tunnel is almost becoming impossible. The United States pulled back from the Paris Agreement, under the leadership of President Trump, based on the statement made by the President that “climate change doesn’t exist”. With such examples in place, it’s almost a herculean task for the rest of the world to achieve what was agreed on in Paris. This may also increase the difference between the developed and the developing countries, as the developing countries do not have sufficient resources to take this task all by themselves.
We should eventually be aiming at producing ‘net zero carbon and methane emissions (which means producing less carbon and methane than we take out of the atmosphere), to save the world from yet another pandemic. The world witnessed its first-ever climate patient, who is diagnosed with “climate change” in Canada. According to some reports in most of the developing countries around 21 crore people will be displaced because of climate change, and many states especially coastal states might get submerged. We will keep hearing about such uncommon instances if we don’t take any action on an urgent basis.
The things that we can do in terms of making concrete plans:
- 1. All the countries need to work together especially developed countries to provide better support to developing countries.
- 2.We need to reduce carbon, methane and greenhouse emissions. In India, the river Yamuna is discharging toxic foam(high in phosphate) again, adding to this due to the discharge of industrial pollutants in rivers, ammonia levels in the river have increased. Thus, there is a need of balancing the emissions. India is set to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
- 3.Countries especially the developed countries must rapidly phase out coal. The focus must be given to clean energy (wind, water and solar energy), which are the cheapest sources of energy, and are renewable.
- 4.Limiting the increase in temperature to 1.5 degrees (above pre-industrial levels).
- A switch should be made in the automobile industry, where the focus should be made on the electric and hybrid models. Governments around the world should push towards its adaptation.
- A budget should be allocated especially towards Climate change- Climate Finance Budget.
- Focus should also be given to planting trees. Recently in India, Tulsi Gowda, an Indian environmentalist, was awarded Padma Shri. She has planted over 30,000 saplings to date.
- Early warning systems must be improvised for better preparedness, and to avoid further loss of life, livelihoods and economies.
There is also a need to recognize the importance of education and learning to set a stage for a climate positive future. There is an urgency to embed climate-related topics in the formal education systems so that future generations are better prepared to tackle environmental-related changes. The Government of India has already planned to include climate adaptation policies in the school syllabus, which is a welcome step.
It is always the decisions we make today that matter, Wishes and Blessings vouches for Accessible education for all, where all the children coming from economically weaker sections are given formal education. This they do by connecting the beneficiaries with the donors. Thus, education is one the most important component to making the future, as well as the present generations, learn and understand climate change issues. This is one of the ways through which people will think ahead and plan to take action, in order to contain the situation.
About the Author
Arushi Painuly is Programme Officer for Squad For Change (SFC) at Wishes and Blessings. She has done her Masters in Political Science from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University. Arushi is passionate about reading books, writing and dancing. She firmly believes in being part of the solution, rather than the problem.