KARACHI:
In recent years, global warming has become a widely discussed and politicised topic. It refers to rising global temperatures due to decades of human activities. The extreme climate events have exemplified how global warming is a threat to the environment and the global population. However, the discourse on global warming remains divided with one side considering it to be a myth while the other considers it a reality. Former US President Donald Trump called global warming a hoax created by global competitors to harm US manufacturing. He also withdrew from the Paris Agreement. Economically powerful countries have downplayed the significance of global warming to continue their industrial activities, which are responsible for a majority of the carbon and other poisonous gas emissions in the atmosphere
The school of thought that does consider global warming a reality has urged all countries to act against it. Former United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon said it was critical to take necessary actions to curb global warming. To determine whether it is a myth or reality we must consider its signs and effects. One glaring sign is the depletion of the ozone layer because of which there is greater exposure to ultraviolet radiation. A greenhouse gas emission blankets the earth and traps the sun’s heat. Currently, fossil fuels, oil, and gas account for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Longer summers, extreme heat waves, and shorter winters have demonstrated that the climate is rapidly changing. Therefore, people must abandon the idea that global warming is a myth. Our government should improve awareness through a widespread campaign and encourage people to reduce the use of vehicles, recycle more, plant trees, etc. The situation is expected to aggravate in the coming years; thus, we must act now.
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2022.
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