Global Warming: The Scary Truth and What You Can Do
What is the current situation regarding Global Warming?
Global warming is both a distant and very serious future threat and an increasingly worrying present reality that is already impacting our world. From heatwaves, rising ocean temperatures and outbreaks of disease, the subtle effects of climate change are already around us. However, all is not yet lost. Understanding the threats and knowing the solutions can empower us to make a difference in our personal lives that will ripple out and affect the wider reality positively. This article will explore some of the scariest truths about global warming and what we can do to deal with them, on both a macro and micro level.
Threat 1: Rising Global Temperatures
Imagine a world where summer days aren’t just hot, but unbearably so, when stepping outside will feel like going into an oven. Global temperatures have been climbing at a steady measurable rate for decades (this has been tracked by many scientific bodies and peer reviewed over this period) and this trend, if we continue to behave as we do, will not change.
[Since the late 19th century, the planet’s average surface temperature has risen about 1.18 degrees Celsius (2.12 degrees Fahrenheit), primarily due to increased carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.
Source: Nasa Earth Observatory (.gov)]
If this sabotage of the atmosphere carries on, we can expect more frequent and severe heat waves that will lead to (but is not limited to) life threatening heat stroke, more wildfires, and an increased load on our energy systems as more people use air conditioning. It goes without saying that the rise in energy used to cool our interior spaces will simply throw more fuel on the fire, further accelerating the problem and the financial costs.
The Solution
To help on this problem and put the brakes on rising temperatures, we must seriously cut down on our carbon emissions. This means switching from fossil fuel power to renewable energy power sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. Governments and businesses need to invest heavily in these technologies and infrastructure. Media outlets and Social media platforms online need to combat disinformation from ‘invested parties in the fossil fuel sector’ and promote awareness of the scientific facts.
Individual Actions:
- Reduce Energy Consumption: Buy or rent energy-efficient appliances, change to LED lighting, and install insulation in your home.
- Support Clean Energy: Choose green energy plans if available, install solar panels if possible, and speak up for renewable energy solutions in your community.
Success Story: In Germany, the Energiewende (energy transition) policy has led to large investments in renewable energy, aiming for 95% of electric power to come from renewable sources by 2050. This has already noticeably cut the country’s carbon emissions and influenced other nations to take up similar programs.
Policy and International Cooperation: Governments must implement radical carbon pricing mechanisms and put serious money into research and development for new green tech. International agreements like the Paris Agreement are critical in coordinating efforts globally to reduce harmful emissions and limit global temperature rise.
Threat 2: Melting Ice Caps and Rising Sea Levels
The earths’ ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctic are melting at a rate previously unseen for centuries. As these glaciers and ice sheets melt, they cause rising sea levels, which will in time submerge coastal cities and displace millions of people.
[Every four or five years, NOAA leads an interagency task force that reviews the latest research on sea level rise and issues a report on likely— and “unlikely but plausible”—amounts of future sea level rise for different greenhouse gas and global warming pathways.
In the 2022 report, the task force concluded that even on the pathway with the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions and warming (1.5 degrees C), the global mean sea level would rise at least 0.3 meters (1 foot) above 2000 levels by 2100. On a pathway with very high rates of emissions that trigger rapid ice sheet collapse, the sea level could be as much as 2 meters (6.6 feet) higher in 2100 than it was in 2000.
Source: Climate Change: Global Sea Level | NOAA Climate.gov]
This will not only imperil homes and vital infrastructure (imagine having to re-site many of the world’s primary harbors and their communication linkages – and the cost of this enormous undertaking) but will also negatively affect sea life and the livelihood of those who depend on the sea.
In addition, combining a more active (heat is expressed as energy in weather patterns) weather system with more available seawater raises the grim specter of mammoth storm surges striking deeper onto the land, more often.
The Solution
Handling this problem requires a two-pronged approach: cutting greenhouse gas emissions and building sea defenses in critical areas.
Individual Actions:
- Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Travel less by car. Use a bicycle or E-bike, or walk whenever possible, and minimize air travel. Ships and trains are far more energy efficient as well as more pleasant ways to travel.
- Support Conservation Efforts: Join in with or donate to organizations focused on reforestation and conserving marine ecosystems.
Success Story: The Netherlands has long been a leader in managing the sea. Through radical engineering projects like the Delta Works and Room for the River, the Dutch have successfully protected themselves from flooding many times and have set a global example in coastline defense.
Policy and International Cooperation: Strong sovereign and federal policies that support large-scale investment in coastal defense and sustainable forestry practices are essential. International cooperation is critical to combine knowledge and resources to protect endangered areas worldwide.
Threat 3: Extreme Weather Events
Climate change will make extreme weather events happen more often and be far more severe. Imagine a hurricane so strong and large that it carves a path of devastation far greater than ever seen before, smashing most buildings, crippling vital services, killing thousands of people and drowning thousands of square miles of agricultural land.
Then imagine it happening again a month later… and then again three weeks after that…
Floods, droughts, and hurricanes are becoming more intense due to global warming, causing billions of dollars in damage and causing tragic loss of life. As I write this article, the United States and Canada are experiencing a heatwave of unusual strength, with temperatures of 40 celsius/104 fahrenheit. (18th June, 2024)
The increasing temperature of the oceans fuels more powerful storms with energy trapped as heat*, and changing weather patterns alter water supply to crops, leading to food shortages and economic problems.
*Large bodies of liquid are excellent long term heat storage media.
The Solution
Communities on all scales from small to large need to look at their current ability to handle extreme weather events, and make the necessary changes to ensure they can withstand severe events. One area in which most communities will currently fall short is in the strength and water resistance of buildings.
Individual Actions:
- Be Prepared for an Emergency: Make a plan to protect your family and neighbours, and store the correct equipment and supplies.
- Support Community Plans: Help your community with money or direct assistance in strengthening against extreme weather events.
Success Story: After Hurricane Sandy struck the USA, New York City brought in the “Resilient NYC” plan, which included building stronger networks and buildings, restoring natural flooding sinks like wetlands, and beefing up the emergency response system. This has greatly improved the city’s ability to withstand storms.
Policy and International Cooperation: Governments must prioritize investment into extreme weather resistance plans. International Agencies like the UN can expedite the sharing of best practices across governments globally and provide funding to help developing countries join the effort.
Threat 4: Ocean Acidification
Based on current data, we know that our oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide is also a direct influence on the acidity of the oceans. The more carbon absorbed, the more the oceans become acidic.
Our oceans cover 7/10ths of our planet, and support many ecosystems directly within them, or symbiotically on the land. Obviously, this includes us.
Rising acid levels in the sea are, frankly, disastrous for marine food chains. Coral bleaching on a widespread scale as well as drag net fishing is having a catastrophic effect on the base of the marine food chain. This effect will knock on dependent food chains, leading to possible very serious effects that we cannot even foresee.
However, an effect we can see is this – oceanic plants also trap CO2 and release oxygen, and the loss of these will act as an accelerant for Global Warming.
The Solution
Cutting carbon emissions is critical to reducing and then stopping the increase in ocean acidification.
Individual Actions:
- Cut Your Carbon Emissions: (see above & below)
- Reduce Your Plastic Use: Stop using single-use plastics and support the clean-up of our oceans from plastic pollution.
- Support Sustainable Seafood: Pick seafood to eat from sustainable outlets and avoid species that are overfished or endangered. Find out which these are as it is likely to change.
Success Story: In Palau nation in the Pacific Ocean, the local government has established a marine sanctuary area covering 80% of its territorial waters. This has helped in protecting marine biodiversity and slowing the effect of ocean acidification.
Policy and International Cooperation: International agreements to protect marine areas and reduce pollution must be pursued. Countries must work together to enforce fishing regulations and reduce carbon emissions globally.
Threat 5: Loss of Biodiversity
Imagine a day waking up and you can hear no songs of birds, no more colorful butterflies in the gardens. This can happen due to the loss of Biodiversity, which occurs as the current climate change conditions destroy the habitats. As it happens at a fast rate, it gets harder for the species to adapt quickly to the changing climate and environmental conditions and so they face extinction. This leads to a break in the food chain and can lead to a collapse in the ecosystem. And the reason for this? We humans often turn a blind eye to how we use and abuse our resources without looking at the consequences.
The Solution
Restoring ecosystems that are degraded and protecting our natural habitats is important to preserve biodiversity.
Individual Actions:
- Implement conservation methods: Plant more trees, use sustainable energy resources, volunteer or donate to organisations that protect endangered species and their habitats.
- Create Wildlife-Friendly Spaces: Make sure you know where your plant seeds come from. It will help to prevent the spread of unwanted invasive species, which devastates indigenous crops which threatens biodiversity. Also, avoid using pesticides.
Success Story: Costa Rica has become a global leader in biodiversity conservation. The country has reversed deforestation through a series of initiatives, including establishing national parks, reserves, and wildlife refuges, which is under the administrative control of SINAC (National System of Conservation Areas) and implementing eco-tourism.
Policy and International Cooperation: International cooperation is important to save biodiversity, it will help prevent wildlife trafficking and preserve habitats on a global scale. It is important to enforce policies that will preserve and protect habitats, fund conservation projects and preserve land with sustainable practices.
Threat 6: Food and Water Insecurity
As of today’s date, food and water shortages are a critical issue in some countries. It is a sad reality that there are countries and regions already starving and thirsty due to a lack of food and water shortages.
As the climate changes there is always the risk of having a time of drought or unpredictable rainfall. Extreme weather conditions leading to crop damage which then will lead to food shortages. Water scarcity worsened by climate change will affect agriculture which could lead to conflict over water supply.
The Solution
Implement sustainable agricultural practices like agroforestry, precision farming, conservation agriculture, biodynamic agriculture, organic farming, and all other sustainable agriculture methods.
Individual Actions:
- Reduce Food Waste: Avoid wasting food by planning meals and storing food properly.
- Support Sustainable Agriculture: Support your local farmers who use sustainable practices of agriculture and encourage them.
Success Story: In Malawi, farmers have adopted sustainable and profitable farming based on three principles of minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation. This strategy helps reduce poverty and in climate resilience. These methods have led to increased crop yields and food security, even at times like change in climate conditions.
Policy and International Cooperation: Governments must support and make sustainable agriculture and water management practises mandatory. International cooperation is necessary to provide funding to the regions affected by food and water insecurity.
Threat 7: Public Health Crises
Global warming poses a threat of rising severity to human health. Rising temperatures increases the potential of diseases like malaria and dengue fever as mosquitoes expand their range, and this will be into territories unused to handling these illnesses, adding stress to healthcare services.
Heatwaves will cause heat-related illnesses and deaths, and air pollution will make respiratory conditions worse. At this point of the article we won’t cover malnutrition, water shortages and the hazards faced in war and refugee crises, but these will also be factors affecting health.
The Solution
Strengthening public health structures and preparedness will help governments and regional bodies to handle these arising events.
Individual Actions:
- Stay Informed: Keep yourself informed on local health bulletins and take preventative actions during extreme weather events.
- Support Health Initiatives: Speak out about and support programs that improve community health and responsiveness.
Success Story: Bangladesh has been forced by repeated severe flooding incidents to develop a wide-ranging approach to public health and climate change by integrating climate adaptation into its health policies. The country has improved its disease monitoring systems and raised awareness about climate-related health risks among the public.
Policy and International Cooperation: Governments must invest in healthcare networks and climate-resistant health services. International organisations can assist by sharing knowledge and resources to improve health outcomes from climate change globally.
Threat 8: Economic Instability
The impact that climate change will have on all levels of the economy worldwide is difficult to overstate.
Ranging from loss of working hours due to illness all the way up to full-blown resource wars, the cost of repairs on extreme weather event damage, and taking in along the way disruption to industrial supply chains, politics, and individual lives, the combinations of negative effects on vital marketplaces are not only incalculable, but they will also be profound.
The domino effects of combined factors spreading out across the world’s markets, can either cause a loss of confidence and a hoarder mentality, at precisely the time we need to put that money into battle against our problems, or stimulate a renaissance attitude where the global markets see the opportunity in change, and take on this fight, creating entirely new niches and economies along the way.
We already see the negative view of this with underground or island ‘Prepper Bunkers’ gaining popularity amongst the very wealthy. Symposium subjects for them have included ‘How to pay security staff when money is worthless’, when the ‘Event’ (as they term it) occurs.
Source – Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires by Douglas Rushkoff
The Solution
It is absolutely imperative to put the finances at our disposal into Green Technology investment immediately.
[I could write a very great deal more about this; however instead I will simply instruct you to read that line again. Thank You.]
Individual Actions:
- Support Green Businesses: Actively select products and services from companies that prioritize sustainability.
- Invest in Green Technology: Switch to renewable energy supply and buy energy-efficient appliances for your home. If you invest in stock, seek out green-trend startups with good prospects (there are many).
- Political Action: Vote Green or put heavy pressure on standing politicians regarding this issue.
Success Story: Denmark has become a pioneer in wind energy, with this method now providing over 40% of the country’s electricity. This shift has not only reduced their carbon emissions but also created thousands of jobs and millions of Euros in trade in the renewable energy sector.
Policy and International Cooperation: Governments must implement policies that incentivize green tech and sustainable methods. International cooperation is vital to ensure that all countries can benefit from the huge economic opportunities of new green markets.
This topic is perhaps the worst aspect of Climate Change. It is with regret that I must write on it, but this must be done.
Fact: the equatorial belt of the planet houses approximately ¼ of the planet’s human population. Roughly 2 billion human lives.
Fact: this area of the planet’s surface is already the warmest before the global temperature climbs above the 2.5-degree critical tipping point average.
Fact: We are currently at 1.18 Celsius above average, and on target to reach 2 Celsius by 2030. That’s only 6 years away.
The Equatorial belt is already starting to suffer, and the grim concept I would like you to now consider is this:
2 billion desperate humans fleeing north and south away from the unlivable equator and its furnace-like heat. Where will they go? Will they respect borders? What resources are available to house and feed them? What will hardline governments do to protect their own citizens?
The strain such events like this will place on existing societies will be unprecedented, with a disruption level worse than WW2. Desperation for resources has historically had one major statistical outcome societally. We all know what this is.
I apologize profoundly to you the reader for writing this section in this way, however, we cannot hide our heads in the sand and hope the monster will leave us alone. If we do, it certainly will not.
Currently – [One in every 69 people, or 1.5 per cent of the entire world’s population, is now forcibly displaced.] [At the end of 2023, an estimated 117.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing the public order. Based on operational data, UNHCR estimates that forced displacement has continued to increase in the first four months of 2024 and by the end of April 2024 is likely to have exceeded 120 million.] Source – Global Trends | UNHCR India
The Solution
Promoting peace and cooperation is crucial in addressing climate-induced conflicts, but this will not be enough. Major Global players both official and in the marketplace must throw their weight behind net zero carbon commitments and measures.
The threat of mass migration must be made a front-page topic and bad actor disinformation actively fought. Countries in the affected area must be provided with profitable green programs to shore up the areas they face the most risk on.
Individual Actions:
- Advocate for Peace: Support organizations that work towards conflict resolution and peacebuilding and provide profitable green industry advantages to affected areas.
- Promote Fair Resource Use: Promote fair, sustainable use of resources in your own community.
- Media Activism: Subscribe to news media outlets that actively combat disinformation and promote accurate reportage. Spread Climate Change awareness.
Success Story: The African Union’s Great Green Wall initiative aims to reverse desertification and build resilience in the Sahel region. By restoring damaged land and creating green jobs, this project will prevent conflict over resources and support sustainable development, injecting increased financial flow into the area.
Policy and International Cooperation: Governments and international organizations must prioritize resolutions for disputes in climate policies. Supporting vulnerable regions with funding, resources and business opportunities can help stabilize these areas and prevent climate-induced conflicts.
Threat 10: The Domino Effect
The previous 9 sections have outlined various ways that Climate Change threatens our way of life and the lives of following generations. What many sites such as this do not do is raise the matter of combined effects.
We live in a networked, connected world. Everything depends upon everything else. If enough is not done, quickly enough, then we will reach the point where combined effects begin to multiply damage to the network, to such a point where repair of the system will not be possible.
Once this point is passed, a bunker mentality will kick in. Regions with the military might to defend their borders will do so to protect resources inside. Island nations will sever links.
War will break out. Extreme regimes will rise to power. A whole raft of deeply undesirable events will begin to occur, while the planet chokes on its overheated atmosphere, and ordinary people begin to die in numbers.
That’s your family. Your people.
The Domino Effect tip over point simply must not be reached.
The Solution
Global warming must be halted as soon as possible.
Individual Actions:
- Vote Green
- Buy Green
- Invest Green
Conclusion
Global warming is a terrifying threat, but it’s not unbeatable. By understanding the challenges and taking action, we can reduce the impacts of climate change and build a sustainable future and marketplace.
It requires a collective effort from governments, businesses, and individuals. Every step we take towards cutting emissions, protecting our environment, and supporting vulnerable communities brings us closer to a safer, healthier planet.
The time to act is now.
Threat 9: Social and Political Unrest