Global warming refers to constant increase in World's
temperature. We have been witnessing a constant shift in world’s temperature
from colder to warmer side. Year ago, scientists predicted global warming but
it went unnoticed as it had not impacted our daily lives at then. Now, the
global warming is not a threat of distant or near future, it is happening. The
world’s temperature is relentlessly increasing. This disruption in temperature
encompasses various other problems in the form of heat stroke, water shortages,
poor agriculture growth and others.
As it is commonly said that if we want to remove the
evil, we must remove it from its roots. The sources of global warming and the
factors aiding it, are consolidating global warming and adding woes to our
botched counter measures so far. The foremost cause is industrialization. In
the current development projects, we have been witnessing countries rapidly
establishing industrial zones; countries are vying to lead the world. In order
to rule the world, it is a common mantra to secure your economy and follow the
old mantra of 'money makes the mayor go.' It is also evident from the fact that
the top two economics of the world i.e. the United States and China are also
the top two largest contributors to global warming due to carbon omission from
their industries.
The second major cause is deforestation. Trees inhale
carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. As oxygen is main constituent of life, the
need for carbon dioxide to be inhaled by trees is equally important. Because
this very gas affects the ozone layer thus letting harmful ultraviolet rays to
enter the earth's crust, further worsening the global warming. Other factors
include pollution created by vehicles.
Now the global warming has started affecting the daily
functioning of common masses. We have seen scores of people dying due to heat
stroke in Karachi. In addition to it, Pakistan is also facing an imminent issue
of water shortage. This rise in temperature also leads to rise in water consumption.
Wells are drying in Pakistan. As per the latest report, Pakistan will have no water
by 2025. The increase in global warming and water consumption is tantamount to
adding salt to the injuries.
Deforestation is also a major cause of global warming. At
earlier times, it was considered feasible to cut down trees and install
industries. This led to sweeping switches of forests to industrial zones. The
aim was to uptick development, create employment, increase exports and earn
revenue. But this short-sighted approach backfired today. But will we replace
industrial zones by the forests again? The answer is off course a big no. The
question is how to redress the deforestation that has taken place and how to
stop the deforestation which in underway?
Pakistan is also the victim of global warming, as per the
recent report, winter season is Pakistan has reduced to two months from four
months. Also, as discussed earlier, Pakistan is facing water shortage and
summer seasons consume more water than winters, this shows aforementioned
issues are interlinked with global warming. Every country needs to have twenty
five percent of its land covered with forest; whereas, only two percent of
Pakistan’s land is covered with trees – a further dip from previously recorded
3.5 percent. Additionally, the population is also on the higher side and thirdly,
Pakistan is considered one of the top five countries who is urbanizing rapidly.
These all factors are interlinked in a way that when population is on the rise,
urbanization becomes inevitable consequently leading to deforestation.
Recently, the incumbent government has also vowed to plant 10 billion trees to
counter global warming, we need desperate measures like this to counter in the
desperate times.
When the global warming started staring, the
international community came to its senses. In a bid to counter it, the
196-member has signed Paris agreement to curb deforestation, associate specific
budget for global warming and in next couple of meetings; the Paris Agreement
will also erect legal binding on its signatories.
Need to expound that as per the recent report, glaciers
are also melting at the highest rate. According to geologists, with the current
melting rate, glaciers have 100 years of life left in them. It is also of the
grave concern that as no glacier can be interpreted as no life. As recently,
Germany has banned the use of car with up to Euro-4 technology diesel engine
and up to Euro-2 technology petrol engine and has also set September 2019 the
deadline for Euro-4 technology engines in a bid to counter air-pollution. This
move by Germany has received praised worldwide but will Germany’s move be
enough? The need is to take the collective measures; the global warming is an
international phenomenon and cannot be dealt by the individual efforts only.
I believe countries should invest some percentage of
their annual budget towards measures countering global warming. Deforestation
should be immediately banned. A bi-annual UN conferences and meetings should be
held calling statesmen to apprise the world about the measures they have taken
so far to counter the hovering threat and the progress made so far in
comparison to previous year in particular. The UN should devise a legally
binding agreement to ensure the countries are contributing their part. Besides,
failing to make any substantial progress, the countries should be slapped with
sanctions and non-cooperation measures. As a human being, it is incumbent upon
us to leave a better place for the upcoming generations. As they are not
responsible for the mess we are creating.
As Chinese Proverb says
"The best time was twenty years back; the next best
time is today"
