Are we still on time to save the planet?

A lot of scientists have advised for a long time about the consequences of global warming. The economic interests of the big industries have made avoid the situation which that has caused the current serious situation. I think it hasn’t helped either the lack of information and public awareness.

Actions such as excessive consumption of meat and overconsumption and excessive use of plastic, as well as the no recycling contribute to increasing the problem. I can not understand that some people still don’t recycle, in my opinion seeing how things are standing right now, recycling should it be as important as breathing. 

An increase in greenhouse gases has been generated due to human activity which will have dramatic effects if it is not stopped in time.

All this have provoked many bad consequences:

First of all, an increase in the temperature of the planet: At this point of the century, the temperature has risen 1 degree which causes that summers are longer and hotter and so there is more danger of fire, as is now happening in Australia. 

Carbon dioxide emissions are expected to reach another record high this year, a new report said, with scientists warning the world is losing time to make the drastic reductions needed to avert a climate catastrophe. To reduce emissions, it would be necessary to make major changes with energy, industry, transport and cities.

On the other hand, this has provoked a huge warming in the oceans which in consequence has caused that the level of the water is rising very fast. More than 1 meter in the middle of the century which will have disastrous consequences. 

One example are the poles: Greenland’s ice sheet is melting much faster than previously thought causing the extinction of wildlife and its ecosystems. 

This means sea level rises are likely to reach 67cm by 2100, about 7cm more than what was predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This will put 400 million people at risk of flooding every year (150 million people worldwide will live below the high-tide level by 2050 and 190 million will by 2100). 

Furthermore, the rise in temperature of the planet imposes hot air on cold air, generating the formation of hurricanes and storms, so that means more number of natural disasters. For example, I live in Catalonia and right now we are contemplating a storm called Gloria which is affecting Spain since the weekend with strong wind, rains and snowfalls which has left four dead, several injured, river overflows, destruction on the promenades, cuts of electricity, transport services and, also, to more than 200,000 schoolchildren without classes.

We have to start making changes and everybody has to involve with the cause, for example cities like Brussels just announced Diesel cars will be banned from 2030 and petrol cars from 2035 and it will open new tram, metro and bus lines. 

As a general reflection, from my point of view, Climate Change is not an actual issue, nor of yesterday and nor of the day before yesterday; The consequence has been suffered for many years. In those times when it was considered a real problem as it is the Climate Change, whenever someone confirmed it, he was considered as “mad”. Those with powerful influences and politicians either kept it out from the citizens or believing nothing was really happening as if they were avoiding it.

We have to realize that climate change is a real problem and if we keep doing the same without changing our way of doing things, humans can be very destructive and we’ll destroy de planet provoking our own extinction. 

If we continue doing nothing within a very short time, we will notice on a large scale the consequences of climate change. I think the important thing is to have a lot of information and want to contribute with our small but essential grain of sand. The first step is to change many of our daily habits that harm the environment, at least, everyone should do a process of awareness of the situation and act accordingly.