Global Warming And Climate Change: Humanity At The Crossroads
- IJLLR Journal
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
Ritika S, Government Law College, Salem
Harinidevi S, Government Law College, Salem
INTRODUCTION
Earth’s average temperature, which had been constant over a long period because of the size and heat absorption capacity of the oceans, has increased to about 2° Fahrenheit (F) or 1° Celsius (C) since the pre-industrial era (1850–1900) due to the emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). This may seem like a small number, but it has caused climate change. And the rate of global warming since 1981 is more than twice as fast, that is, about 0.32° F (0.18° C) per decade. It is the beginning of a different era. Scientists describe this as the Anthropocene Epoch, which in geological time is defined as the period when human activities have significant impacts on the Planet’s climate and ecosystems. Everything that we have done for human progress, increased well-being and wealth generation has breached the national as well as planetary boundaries.
RISKY CHANGES
The rising global temperatures that cause a phenomenon known as climate change lead to a multitude of effects on Earth, including more frequent and intense extreme weather events, rising sea levels and changes in ecosystems.
Significantly, climate change is a slow-moving crisis. To be more precise, it is a very fast- moving crisis from the perspective of geological epochs, but very slow from the point of view of daily events and the political calendar. If the climate change crisis were going to culminate in a single event in a year, humanity would undoubtedly get itself organised to prevent or adapt to the crisis. Yet the climate changes underway will play out over decades, not months.
CURRENT HUMIDITY
Our situation is a bit like the proverbial frog that is put in water that is very slowly heated. The story has it that a frog in gradually warming water will never jump out and will eventually be boiled alive. Perhaps humanity will be the same. The changes witnessed year to year may be gradual to provoke large-scale actions, and yet the cumulative effects could prove devastating, or we may wake up to the reality when it is simply too late to change the course decisively.
