“Climate change is no longer a doom’s day prophecy. It is a reality!!”

-Astrid Noklebye Heiberg, Norwegian Politician and Environmental Activist

Extreme climatic conditions have affected humanity and the living system far from the beginning. Humans along with biotic and abiotic elements of the Earth have tried to withstand and survive the extreme climatic conditions induced by natural phenomena. However the status quo of our planet intrigues us with a question- how long can we withstand if climate change is not just a natural phenomenon, rather largely a human-induced reality??

The basic physics of how climate change works and the broad impacts of a rapid increase in the concentration of Greenhouse gases are all familiar and understood. However much is yet to be explored by science regarding the drastic impacts climatic change may put forth in the near future. The extent to which global climate change causes a provincial or local impact on different parts of the world is largely unfamiliar. It would involve the consideration of a host of factors both natural and anthropogenic that combine to produce climatic changes. Although extreme climatic conditions of the past caused massive destruction of life and property in several ways different life forms have tried to evolve, adapt and acclimatize to the infrequent variations. But since the offset of industrialization and urbanization anthropogenic factors have become the main reason behind climate change.

Human use of fossil fuels due to the rapid growth of industries has given rise to dynamic changes in the climatic patterns which could have been least imaginable two centuries prior. The effects include a global rise in average temperature, faster melting of ice sheets, increase in sea level and drastic changes in precipitation patterns.

Despite profound changes like global temperature and sea level rise, ocean acidification and soil infertility, climate change and the associated risks may still appear to many people as distant and remote in time and space. The natural daily and seasonal variability of weather may mask the overall climate change but we tend to notice the effects only during extreme climatic changes or natural disasters.

Projected changes in the climate system for the future are tragic. The oceans will continue to warm and acidify and the global mean sea level is all set to rise. In brief, the future awaits with more risks of devastating disasters. Climate change is one of the biggest threats affecting humanity. It exacerbates the existing threats to social and natural systems and can cause damage to life and property. Aligning climate policies with sustainable development is the need of the hour. It is high time that developed countries set an example to developing countries by following ideal environment-friendly policies. Yet instances like the shunning of Paris agreement by United States government project to us the ignorance humanity assert to the situation of our environment.

It is high time that SDG 13 gets more prominence in government policies all around the world. Adequate policy measure, strict monitoring, and implementation, widespread environment education and more consciousness towards protecting our habitat are the only available solutions to move forward.

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