Climate Change and I

I read that “Climate Change” is the change in climate over a time period that ranges from decades to centuries. The term refers to both natural and human-induced changes.

Naturally occurring greenhouse gases (e.g. water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) keep the Earth warm enough to support life. Our human activities release greenhouse gases. These include the burning of fossil fuels for producing electrical energy, heating and transportation. By increasing their concentrations and by adding new greenhouse gases like CFCs, we contribute to raising the average global temperature.

We also contribute to global climatic change through land use changes. As we replace forests with agricultural land, or natural vegetation with asphalt or concrete, they substantially alter the way the Earth’s surface reflects sunlight and releases heat. All these changes also affect regional evaporation, runoff and rainfall patterns.

The evidence points to worsening cases of extreme weather accompanied by scientific proof that we are the cause. Recognizing this challenge (hopefully with the conscious belief that we hold our world in trust for our children rather than having inheriting it from our parents), countries and citizens are now waking up by committing to cuts in greenhouse gas emissions or pledging to move to a carbon neutral society or adopting sustainable or renewable energy goals as a way of life.

The math as I understood it works something like this – The current atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (“CO2”) is 380 parts per million (“ppm”). It is currently rising by an additional 2 ppm every year based on ~36 gigatonnes of man made CO2 every year, 29 of those caused by energy based emissions and the remaining 7 from deforestation. Estimates point to a safety threshold of 450 ppm and a danger zone of 560 ppm.

Lest I forget, the global economy is growing at 5% levels year on year aided by an energy consumption growth of 4-odd %. If this rate is sustained for half a century, first as Asia (India and China) and the other emerging markets (Latin America and Africa) grow and develop, we could hit this rate of 560 ppm by 2050 or earlier.

Therefore, the question to self this Saturday morning was: How would I, as a individual and responsible global citizen, contribute to positive climate change?

Well, for starters, I am pledging to avoid taking my car out one day a week. I am also pledging to use shared transportation more. Also, I’ve never taken the request, “Think before you print” on the emails that I receive seriously earlier. I shall do so now.

Cheers
S