This article is focused on the following Sustainable Development Goal:
After 2020 being more than halfway over, it is lucid that this year will rank amongst the hottest years in recorded history and will possibly break the all-time record, which was set in 2016 (Thompson). The climate of Earth has become warmer over the last two million years, for which climate change and global warming is responsible. The absurd increase in the atmospheric temperature leads to various drastic changes in the Earth such as season shift, the slight change in temperature which is enough to push the spring thaw earlier, and delay the first frost until later in the fall. Deforestation, the burning of fossil fuels, and other human activities are the most prominent reasons for global warming, which cause variations in the climate. Forest fires, intense rainfall, melting of the glaciers are examples of horrific climate changes brought about by global warming, which worsen each day. Which is why we need to take immediate actions to prevent global warming in order to avoid further destruction upon our planet.
I chose Sustainable Development Goal 13 as it calls for an action against climate change all around and here are the specific goals I am trying to reach through this article:
13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
While the world’s attention is consumed by concern over the global pandemic and protests against social injustices, the chronic condition of climate change continues to escalate. For this year, both NASA and Berkeley Earth rank 2020 as the second warmest year globally, behind 2016 (NASA, Berkeley Earth). This is actually magnificent considering that in the year 2016, there was a Super El Niño, in which the tropical Pacific Ocean releases copious heat into the atmosphere and warm years are expected. Unfortunately, this year there is no El Niño (Thompson).
In addition, we are currently at the bottom of the 11-year solar minimum, a time when incoming energy from the sun decreases. This further proves that solar minimums don’t have a substantial impact on climate (NASA).
To put this into perspective, the world’s five warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015, with 2020 highly likely to continue that trend.
Warming Stripes visualisation of January through May departure from average temperatures. Each line represents a year from 1850, at left, to 2020, at right.
Blue = cool years; Red = warm years.(Ed Hawkins)
This leads to the driving question, what is causing this extraordinary heat? Climate scientists have claimed that the main reason for the incline in heat since the past years is due to global warming. Which is caused by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mainly from human activities such as burning fossil fuel, deforestation and farming.
After reading this, you may think that “I don’t do any of these listed activities.” Well, the reality is that you are contributing towards global warming without even realising it. For example, by simply using the air conditioner: air conditioners are energy-intensive appliances which cause emissions that contribute to higher global temperatures. Air conditioners can save us from our ever-warming environment. But they're also contributing to the warming in the first place as air conditioners don’t just suck up lots of energy, but they also emit heat. Therefore, to prevent this, it is advised that you shouldn’t use air conditioners when it’s not required and you should also replace your electric appliances with more energy efficient appliances.
This was just one of the many solutions which you can do on your behalf to battle global warming. Listed below are some more solutions which you can do on your own or conduct with your community to battle against global warming:
1. Things you can do at your own house:
Add solar panels as a replacement for other energy sources
Buy new appliances with the Energy Star label
Unplug electronic devices when they aren’t in use
2. Things you can do on your table:
Eat less meat
Reduce food waste
Don’t drink bottled water
Plant your own garden
3. Things you can do along your route:
Start walking more
Only wash your car in a self-serve car wash when it’s necessary
Take public transport
Bring your own shopping bag
Start Carpooling
4. Things you can do in your neighbourhood:
Turn a parking space into a park
Plant a tree
Put books about climate change in your nearest
To summarise, we have been recording the hottest years in the history since the past 5 years and it is extremely important to know that the reason is not because of natural climate changes but, because of us. The temperature has been drastically rising each year and causing more problems on the Earth and if we don’t take actions right now, then we will never be able to prevent it. Therefore, by following the solutions mentioned above, we will not only contribute to fight against global change by taking action, but also help reach the Sustainable Development Goal 13.
Remember, change starts with you.
External Resources
Click on the link below to educate yourself more about global warming:
Work Cited
“Causes of Global Warming.” Causes of Global Warming, Facts and Information, 27 Feb. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-causes/.
Afox, and Author afox. “5 Significant Benefits of Using Energy-Efficient Appliances.” Astral Energy, 6 May 2019, www.astralenergyllc.com/5-significant-benefits-of-using-energy-efficient-appliances/.
Patrick Sisson, Megan Barber. “101 Ways to Fight Climate Change.” Curbed, Curbed, 7 June 2017, www.curbed.com/2017/6/7/15749900/how-to-stop-climate-change-actions.
“Goal 13: Climate Action.” UNDP, www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-13-climate-action.html.
Kelly, Joe. “The Top 10 Causes of Global Warming.” Sciencing, 22 Nov. 2019, sciencing.com/the-top-10-causes-of-global-warming-12512484.html.
“2020 Likely to Be the Warmest Year on Record Globally.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, www.cbsnews.com/news/warmest-year-on-record-2020-likely/.
Simon, Matt. “What If Air Conditioners Could Help Save the Planet Instead of Destroying It?” Wired, Conde Nast, www.wired.com/story/what-if-air-conditioners-could-help-save-the-planet/.
Thompson, Andrea. “Will 2020 Be the Hottest Year on Record?” Scientific American, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2020, www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-2020-be-the-hottest-year-on-record/.
“Is My A/C Really That Bad for the Environment?” Rewire, Rewire, 24 July 2019, www.rewire.org/air-conditioning-bad-environment/.
“Causes of Global Warming: WWF-Australia.” WWF, www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/climate/causes-of-global-warming.
Commentaires