GLOBAL WARMING: THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF THE TIME

Increase in global average temperature because of greenhouse gases (GHG) i.e. Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Nitrous oxide (N2O) etc. in the atmosphere is a burning topic discussed throughout the world. The concentration of GHG in the atmosphere, increase with the increase in population, and change in life style, which initiate rise in atmospheric temperature leading to global warming.

According to WHO, global warming may cause the spread of various skin diseases/skin cancer and other tropical diseases (like Cholera etc.) and affect the physiological and metabolic activities of human beings. It may also affect the distribution of plant and animal species. Moreover, it may also deteriorate the physicochemical characteristics of soil, leading to food and fodder scarcity resulting famine. Melting of glaciers results in the rise of sea level, which leads to flood & wash away several plants and animals in coastal belts, and displaces millions of people. Maldives - a country is already looking for a new habitat due to rise in sea levels. It is also reported that coastal cities of India i.e. Mumbai, Kolkata, and coastal towns i.e. Puri, Cuttack, Balasore in Odisha are treated to be submerged because of global warming effect. Rise in temperature can also lead to landslides, and increase seismic and volcanic activities. Global warming initiates high intensity storms -the more killer storms, desertification of green lands, widespread extinction of plant and animal species, disappearance of coral reefs, droughts, flow of heat waves, frequent wild fires and many more. It has become a major concern all over the world. If global warming goes unchecked, it is estimated that the world’s human population will decrease considerably with the increasing severity of storms, floods, earthquakes, wild fires and natural diseases. Majority of them would succumb to air related illness, starvation and poverty. A day may come; the earth will become a non-living planet. Neither a district nor a state or a country can control the worming effect. It is a global issue. We are all responsible for increase in global average temperature. It is high time to think, plan and work to stabilize the warning effect on earth. Stabilizing the global average temperature would require large reductions in CO2 emissions as well as reductions in emissions of other green house gases, and for that we must avoid use of fossil fuels and go for CNG/ electric energy/ solar energy/ wind energy. We should also use public transport instead of driving personal two wheelers or four wheelers. It is also imperative to replace some of our electricity supply with renewable energy such as solar or wind power. Besides, refrigerator and other electrical appliances should be replaced with gadgets that consume less energy. We should not use Air conditioner whole day and night and use only at the time of exigency. Awareness program on the sources, effects and consequence of global warming is the need of hour. Most importantly, we should plan and plant more and more trees in our surrounding, on the coastal belts, waste lands, and road sides to overcome the issue of global warning- the greatest challenge of the time