Between 1859 and 1864, physicist John Tyndall discovered that gases block infrared radiation. Tyndall further went on to suggest that changes in the concentration of gases could bring about climate change.
In 1896, Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius was the first scientist to calculate how changes in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could alter the surface temperature, causing what we know today to be global warming, which is in turn responsible for climate change. And there is no doubt that climate change is a real threat to human civilisation at present.
World leaders gathered in Paris recently to take decisions on how to tackle climate change. Around 150 leaders from developed and developing nations discussed the dangers of climate change, and how it is affecting the lives of the people in this planet.
A number of important decisions were taken at the Paris Climate Summit, also known as the Conference of Parties 21 (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Amongst them, two are the most important.
The first one is regarding limiting greenhouse gas emissions. That is, the world will have to limit global average warming to below 2 degrees Celsius. The second important decision is on finance. It was decided that developed countries should provide financial support to poorer countries to allow them to adapt to the impact of climate change. Developed countries have committed to generating $100bn per year beyond 2020 for taking actions against climate change.
We only hope that the commitments taken at COP21 are fulfilled by the respective countries. In the past, we have seen how developed countries failed to keep their promises.
They continue to industrialise despite how it increases pollution; they cut forests and destroy natural resources for urbanisation; they manufacture cars in spite of the harm it causes to the environment by emitting carbon dioxide; they generate chemical wastes which affect wildlife and the eco-system. On the other hand, when it comes to taking actions to reduce pollution and spend money to mitigate emission, they have continued to shy away.
As a result, the poor countries continue to suffer. Because of the emission in the richer countries, the least developed countries face natural disasters such as flood and cyclones. Recent floods in Chennai, India in November 2015 stand out as an example of the adverse effects of climate change. Bangladesh itself faced cyclone Sidr in November 2007.
Not only do thousands of people die during such calamities, but houses, schools, hospitals, shops, roads, and bridges are also destroyed. People lose their jobs and become homeless. Children go hungry and are affected by various diseases.
These events should serve as a wake-up call for us to start taking care of our world in order to save humanity. Because it is always the poor people who suffer the most due to natural disasters.
Can we hope that world leaders will really keep their promises this time? Many countries have set their targets to reduce carbon emission. But to achieve their goals, they really have to work hard. They have to stop using fossil fuels. They have to start using eco-friendly, renewable technology. Companies have to manufacture fewer polluting cars.
While developed countries have a lot to do to reduce carbon emission, developing countries like China and India also have to do their part. In Beijing, on windless days, smog cloaks the city like a dark veil, where the air becomes poisonous. Use of coal in India to build power plants is also a great concern for the climate. To avoid even more serious catastrophes, countries have to think twice before taking such steps.
As it is, a lot of money is needed to adopt clean technology in order to save our planet and save ourselves. Further delay can only increase such expenditures. It is time to think of our future. A future where children in Beijing can happily play in the parks. A future where Chennai can once again be crowned as the best city to live in India. A future where global warming is just a thought, an idea, and a concept of the past. Nothing more.