Globally, extreme weather is an alarming situation for the existence of life on earth. Global warming is linked to extreme weather. In this situation, youth need to actively contribute to tackle global warming and climate change all over the world.
“Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions.
Climate scientists have showed that humans are responsible for virtually all global heating over the last 200 years” (United Nations). “Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface,” (NRDC).
Industrialization, transportation and cutting down forests are major cause of climate change globally. Climate change is directly contributing to floods, heatwaves and tropical storms.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year, from undernutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress alone.
Also, Climate change is one of the fundamental threats to human beings. WHO reports that 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to climate change. In 2020, 770 million people faced hunger in Africa and Asia because of climate change.
The Global Warming Crisis
Scientists observed that each year temperature of our earth is rising continuously. This rise in temperature is warming the air and melting sea ice and causing floods all over the world.
This climate change is destabilizing the ecosystem of earth. Farming crops is more unpredictable, and livestock is at extreme risk because of erratic weather patterns.
Also Read: Navigating the Climate Change Agenda: The Crucial Role of Climate Financing
NRDC reports that 500,000 species have insufficient habitat all over the world. Because of extreme weather, food shortage is rising in many parts of the world. In this situation, every individual has responsibility to contribute towards efforts to mitigate global warming and climate change.
WMO reports that in 2022, more than 110 million people on the continent were directly affected by weather, climate and water-related hazards in Africa.
Similarly, in Asia, more than 5 000 people lost their lives while than 50 million others were directly affected by the extreme climate change in 2022.
In 2021, IMF reported that, “rising sea levels from global warming are eroding arable land in low-elevation coastal zones, posing a severe risk for rural incomes, food security, and commodity exports. By mid-century, rising waters will impact nearly a billion people in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Youth need to be more sensitized about practical contributions to tackle global warming and climate change. Educational institutions should play a prominent role in motivating students for their active role to tackle global warming and climate change.
UNESCO highlights that, “climate change education helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change”.
Focus on Youth
Therefore, it’s important that conversations and dialogues should be the priority of educational institutions at all levels to educate youth about the alarming situation of global warming and climate change.
Yet, many students are not in position to define global warming and climate change. They are not aware about their responsibilities in tackling this alarming situation.
Curriculum needs to be revised keeping in view the needs and challenges about global warming and climate change. Insufficient material in the curriculum is not training the youth for their active role to address global warming and climate change.
Courses may be launched on global warming and climate change for the comprehensive understanding of youth.
Also Read: Africa to Boil in Global Warming
Similarly, workshops, conferences and seminars should encourage each department of educational institutions to address the existing situation of climate change.
World Metrological Organization (2024) highlights that Asia remained the world’s most disaster-hit region from weather, climate and water-related hazards in 2023.
Floods and storms have caused the highest number of casualties and economic loss in Asian regions. Similarly, 79 disasters associated with hydro-meteorological hazard events were reported in Asian regions.
UNDP reports that climate change is an existential threat of extreme weather, worsening poverty and risks of public health in Asian region.
The way forward
The way to address global warming and climate change has a range of options including sustainable building and transportations.
Ending our reliance on fossil fuels. The best platforms to address global warming and climate change are the educational institutions where youth can be actively trained for their practical contributions in tackling the alarming situation of global warming and climate change.
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