Greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere can cause calamities all around the globe. To avoid that, carbon must be reduced from the atmosphere. For this people should understand the concept of Net-Zero. In this process, the amount of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere requires to be reduced to zero.
Net-zero is also termed carbon neutral and climate neutral. Net-zero creates the balance between the carbons that are emitted into the atmosphere and the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere. Net-zero can be achieved by reducing the use of energy produced by fossil fuels and using renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal, etc.
According to the Paris agreement, global temperature is increasing. To reduce the temperature, and manage the impact of climate change, the use of greenhouse gases should be avoided. Naturally, greenhouse gases can be checked by planting more trees.
Suriname and Bhutan are the two countries that had achieved net-zero. Many countries are committed to achieving net zero by 2050 including the UK, Korea, Japan, Canada, Ireland, Fiji, New Zealand, etc.
Climate Change: The global temperature has increased over the past decade up to 1.1℃. The temperature changes gradually but due to the burning of fossil fuels during the period of industrialization, there was a sudden spike in temperature from 1901 to 2020. The things that are valued and are seen as necessary such as water, wildlife, transportation, agriculture, human health, ecosystem, energy, etc. are expected to be affected due to climate change. Climate change will disrupt the pattern of seasons and weather causing flooding, drought, and rising sea levels.
Impact of Climate Change
The impact of climate change can be seen in every aspect around the world. This can cause problems in various sectors such as the sudden rise of sea level causing submerging of many coastal areas, flood and drought affecting the crop productivity, and the spread of diseases that damages the ecosystem.
- There is a sudden rise in global temperate of about 1.1℃/1.8℉ from 1900 to 2020.
- The sea level is rising rapidly from 1.7mm/year to 3.2mm.
- Glaciers are melting down at an accelerating rate and all major glaciers’ size has decreased by 60 feet since the early 80s.
- The sea ice cover in the arctic region has drastically changed and shrunken by 42% since 1979.
- Since the industrial revolution, the production of carbon emissions has increased. In this period the CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by around 40%.
- The melting of snow is much more rapid as compared to the previous decades.
Adapting with Climate Change
The carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels will remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years. This will result in an increase in temperature due to the existence of CO2. The earth will get warmer in the decades to come.
The more earth gets warmer the more it will impact the earth’s ecosystem and it will disrupt the earth’s climatic system. This will be very difficult for a meteorologist to predict the climatic condition of a region. The exact impact on the planet due to climate change cannot be predicted in the future.
Climate change can be subsided by the idea of net-zero. There should be a coexistence of humans with nature where humans should not try to dominate nature. Instead, adaptability can likely reduce the effect of climate change. This can create a balance between human beings and the ecosystem, the adaptability to nature includes- quick action strategies, upgrading early warning systems, strengthening water conservation, preparing for hazards and calamities, etc.
Carbon neutrality can reduce the stress that is existed on the planet just by reducing the use of fossil fuels, gases, and oil. The amount of carbon emitted in the atmosphere when get removed net-zero is achieved and helps the earth to heal.
