Global warming is the most pressing issue of our times – climate change is rapidly taking its toll on the Earth’s inhabitants and its ecosystems alike. In the face of such irrefutable evidence, it is natural that people should be asking ‘how dare we?’ as if to say that, collectively, we are guilty of a worldwide disaster. But is this an accurate or fair assessment?
The humanfingerprint on glabal warming is plentiful, from increased carbon dioxideemissions and deforestation, to burning fossil fuels, improper waste disposal and theuse of toxic chemicals. While these are undoubtedly having a negativeeffect, it is important to rememberthat climate change has been taking place for centuries – beforeindustrialization, before the automobile and even before the invention of the steamengine. The Earth has gone through natural periods of warming and cooling withoutany human intervention,making it difficult to pinpoint exact causes.
On its own, global warming wouldn’t be such a big problem. The real danger isthe speed at which it is changing – something that human activity has accelerated –and this presents us with a unique set of challenges. As coastal line erosionspreads, species face extinction, and extreme weather becomes increasingly common,it is becoming clear that global warming needs to be addressed head-on.
This has led to the expansion of green technology, with an emphasis on creatinga sustainable future – from alternative energiesuch as solar, wave and wind power, to eco-friendly farming practices that forbid the use of toxicchemicals. Governments and businesses are also taking responsibility for theircontribution to climate change and investing in greener methods of production, transportand waste disposal. There has also been an effort to reduce the levels of carbonemissions, with a number of initiatives that reward companies for cutting down ontheir output.
The effort to combat global warming is not just limited to industry though. Weall have a role to play, from restaurant owners cutting down on their food wastage,to families taking shorter showers – every small action is an important stepin the right direction. With the right attitude and educational campaigns, it isnot impossible to imagine a world without global warming.
It is understandable why so many of us are asking ‘how dare we?’ when it comes toglobal warming, but we should also remember that, as individuals and as a society,we are working hard to limit its destructive impact. The only way to successfullycombat climate change is to take collective responsibility and continue making thenecessary changes in our technologies, our habitsand our environment.
This is a challenge that no one can ignore or downplay, and so it is time for usto take stock of what we are doing and face the reality that global warming is a threatto all forms of life. As individuals and as a community, we must work together tosafeguard not only the present, but also our future. Now is the time for action –now is the time to dare.
