Note: This was the third prize-winning entry in an article writing event organized by AIChE-ICT IOCB and AIChE-AISSMS.
“Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term", as elucidated by NASA. Some of these effects include rising temperature, heat waves, floods, sea-level rise, drought, and pest rise. IPCC Assessment Report (2018) has estimated that the global surface temperature is likely to increase by 1.5°C by 2100, relative to the period 1850-1900 (pre-industrial period). Climate change is the greatest challenge that we face in this century. India is one of the countries that are most susceptible to climate change. From the Uttarakhand floods of 2013 and 2021, back-to-back droughts in 2014-2015, to projected fall in the farm incomes (by 25%) and rising heat waves, India is in peril because of changing climate.
"There is one issue that will determine the contours of this century more dramatically than any other and that is the urgent threat of climate change."
-President Barack Obama
Conundrums like climate change cannot be efficiently solved using the perspective of a single discipline. It requires the need for experts in natural science, engineering and social science to identify the problem. Climate scientists are needed to identify the changes in the climate; Engineers are needed to find possible mitigation strategies; media outlets are needed to publicize these mitigation strategies; Behaviourists and psychologists are needed to find ways to have effective communications when trying to attain a positive approach towards the changing climate; Investors are needed to invest in the companies working on the solution to find mitigation strategies to climate change. Finally, regulators and policy-makers are needed to form policies that help in resolving the climate problem.
Apart from industries; agriculture and energy production are the forerunners of global greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, there is a need to replace the current practices with new advancements and redefine sustainable goals to curb these emissions. Climate resilient agriculture food system could be one such change where the policies are made more farmer-centric, and identify the vulnerabilities, conduct local climate vulnerability studies, and define long and short-term sustainability goals to develop climate adaptive practices for different micro-ecosystems and make sure these practices reach the masses. Millet's mission is one such example of the above-mentioned method.
Another example is the need to employ regenerative farming techniques, such as planting a diversity of crops, including legumes and grasses, and ensuring the presence of plant cover throughout the year. It also aims at reducing tilling of the soil to ensure the soil retains the carbon it has captured. The advantages of this technique include escalating carbon capture, reducing pests and preventing erosion. There is a need to make this technique vocal, which is possible by using media podcasting that reaches the masses, as well as educational personnel (local school and college teachers) who ensure that the farmers from remote areas understand how to perform this farming method, along with the benefits it has on the yield.
Similarly, there is a need to move towards renewable energy in the energy sector. The foremost problem faced by renewable energy is unreliability and storage. This calls for the researchers in this field to find solutions to solve this problem and enable the complete paradigm shift (non-renewable sources to renewable) shortly. There is also the requirement of adequate funding and help from the government to set up research laboratories and provide financial assistance to support these researchers, thereby highlighting the role of investors and bureaucrats.
Gallup World Poll surveyed 119 countries to find the awareness of climate change. It was noted that more than a third of the world’s adults have not heard about climate change. Another survey found that younger age groups were more susceptible to the idea of climate change being an emergency rather than the older age groups.
Thus, there is a need for inculcating educational reforms as a part of training and capacity building under information, education and communication programs, especially for these younger age groups (between 14 to 25 years) where they are taught about the harmful effects of climate change and involving them in small-scale demonstration projects to better their understanding. As far as the older age groups are concerned, there is the requirement for behavioural scientists to analyse an approach to fathom the possible reasons for the ignorance and then use support groups (consisting of climate scientists to guide the masses) to make them aware of their geographical dangers (for example, flooding or draught, based on the topography of the place/country) posed by climate change and the requirement of immediate action. Media can play a major role in publicizing these support groups.
As President Franklin D Roosevelt stated, “We cannot build the future for our youth, but we can build the youth for our future”, there is a need to emphasise the importance of start-ups in building climate-resilient solutions. Examples include creating a carbon-neutral source of energy, climate negative material manufacture (Newlight and Carbicrete), large scale carbon capture device (Silicon Kingdom Holdings) and carbon eating microbes (Visolis). All this is possible only when they have proper access to financial and technical assistance. This involves the work of generous investors who strive towards the goal of finding climate solutions and funding the technological strategies to solve the above-mentioned problems.
“We are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change, and we are the last generation that can do something about it.”
-Jay Inslee (Governor of Washington)
Finally, the role of responsible citizens who must pitch in equally to combat climate change cannot be emphasised enough. It is imperative for climate change to be considered a real threat. Small steps like reducing our carbon footprint, shifting to a climate-friendly diet (less meat-based), conserving resources, trying to shift towards renewable resources, investing in research on approaches to mitigating climate change, and educating our neighbours on the catastrophe of climate change are some of the steps that conscientious and accountable citizens should take. Hence, this highlights the fact that the most viable solution to the climate problem is the harmony of all disciplines.
- Jaydev Zaveri
Fabulous article! Truly worthy of an award!!