Is it too late to stop climate change?
The concept of climate change has been here for quite a long time. In 1896, Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius who won a Nobel prize in chemistry wrote a scientific paper that made the first prediction that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could substantially alter the surface temperature by creating the greenhouse effect. It was just a forecast made by scientists back then, but in recent years we have seen massive fires spreading through California, hurricanes hitting Florida, and our oceans dying right before our eyes. And we all ask the same question, is it too late to stop climate change?
The United Nations defines climate change as a long-term shift in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural such as through variations in the solar cycle, but primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. Many people think climate change only influences the surface temperatures on our planet. Despite this belief, the Earth is a system where everything is connected, and even the slightest change in one area can affect and eventually destabilize this vast system of processes happening every second. The downfall of our ecosystem and our glorious planet has already started. A few clear examples are more severe storms and the loss of many species losing their natural habitats due to increased temperatures, warming, and rising oceans. In addition to my last example, Damian Carrington wrote for The Guardian: "The research shows the global heating to date will cause an absolute minimum sea-level rise of 27cm (10.6in) from Greenland alone as 110tn tonnes of ice melt. With continued carbon emissions, the melting of other ice caps and thermal expansion of the ocean, a multi-meter sea-level rise appears likely." Therefore, we cannot even imagine how destructive climate change can be, and the effects on our everyday life would be enormous.
Climate change cannot be stopped overnight. Even if our society and everyone on our planet would cease emitting any greenhouse gases, scientists from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) have stated that it could take as long as 1000 years to return to pre-industrial levels. If we want to stop climate change, we need to look at the sources of this problem. As I previously mentioned, the greenhouse effect is a product of using fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, and a majority of the human population uses these substances daily. Almost everyone drives a car, charges their phone with energy created by burning coal-fired power stations, and cooks lunch on a gas stove. It is clear that products we use daily create huge multi-billion, if not multi-trillion dollar industries. For instance, in 2020, the International Monetary Fund estimated the fossil fuel industry at 5,9 trillion dollars which represent roughly 7% of the Global gross domestic product (GDP).
Although we are not currently able to stop the usage of fossil fuels entirely, we for sure can make changes and improvements which would make our impact on climate less cataclysmic. Namely, we can start using public transport more often, and as a by-product would be fewer traffic jams, in other words, no one would be late for school or a dentist's appointment. But let us look at cars, almost everyone is using them, and practically no one is using electric vehicles. I admit electric cars can be pretty costly, but this is where the government should step in and provide some financial aid. In Slovakia, the government is offering 8000 euros on cars under 50,000 euros; in comparison, the Norwegian government is showing no registration tax and no VAT, making a 50,000 euro car roughly 17,000 euros less expensive.
Even though our politicians are doing little to nothing, financial aid is preferable to none. If you own a house, consider adding solar panels, a fantastic renewable energy source and a very lucrative investment.
But the solution to this problem is not only in gadgets like solar panels and electric cars; it is in the mindset of people fighting for our climate. Groups like "Klíma ťa potrebuje" are outstanding examples of young people who are not afraid to address what is happening with our planet. I believe that spreading awareness will always bring results, and if we want to see some changes, we need to start talking about it as much as we can. In other words, if you are one of the good ones and you are not speaking up on what the bad ones are doing, that makes you a bad one. In recent months we could hear about activists throwing canned tomatoes on paintings in art galleries; in my opinion, this is a fantastic way to shock the public and hit every major journal. Starting a conversation about global warming is crucial, and this is exactly what will keep the conversation going. Another great example of people getting together and fighting for our climate happened in the Netherlands, where dozens of people stormed an airport, placed their bicycles in front of a private jet, and stopped it from taking off.
In conclusion, I think that there is still hope for humanity, and we can still change. Even the most minor things can become significant if many people start doing them. So, if we join forces, we can still make our future bright and green, but we need to act fast and preferably with the support of our government. As far as I know, the European carbon-neutral plan looks promising, but only time will show if we can accomplish it, and maybe one day, we will stop climate change.
Sources:
Arrhenius, 1896, April, On the Influence of Carbonic Acid in the Air upon the Temperature of the Ground. London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science, vol. 41, pages 237–275.
Carrington, 2022, August, 29, Major sea-level rise caused by melting of Greenland ice cap is 'now inevitable'. The Guardian, www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/29/major-sea-level-rise-caused-by-melting-of-greenland-ice-cap-is-now-inevitable-27cm-climate.
