The future of the world is at stake

By Joshua Corcuera

Recently, some 20,000 delegates, advocates, activists, and leaders from around the world met in Glasgow for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP26. But why you may ask? Because the future of the world is at stake.

Climate change is not just some common social issue out there that can be solved in months or a few years. It is not an issue that only affects a few people or a small locality. Rather, climate change is a global issue that affects all of us not only in the future, but even now. Here in the Philippines, we can see that storms are getting stronger and more frequent; in temperate countries, wildfires burn vast areas of the forest; in the poles and the tundra, ice is melting resulting in higher sea levels. Wherever you are right now or at some point in the future, climate change affects how you live.

Some places, however, are more affected than others. The president of Maldives, a favorite among tourists for its pristine waters, warned in his speech during COP26 that his country will cease to exist by the end of the century if climate change will not be addressed. It may sound unrealistic and exaggerated to some, but it is true. Aside from the Maldives, rising sea levels due to melting ice from the Arctic and the Antarctic pose a serious threat to coastal areas—including here in the Philippines. As a result, we have to spend heavily on flood and storm surge defenses as well as elevating roads and infrastructure.

Aside from humans, the existence of some plant and animal species are at risk due to climate change. Some creatures which are so important to our existence, so important as they impact our nature and the food we eat, are nearing extinction because of climate change, because of us.

It is crucial to remember that the phenomenon of climate change we are witnessing currently is primarily caused by human activities. Look at our energy sources, for instance, and you will see that we rely heavily on coal and fossil fuels which are detrimental to the environment. Basically, these dirty energy sources produce large amounts of carbon dioxide contributing to a warmer world.

During COP26, several heads of state pledged to help in reducing carbon emissions to net-zero. This means that the greenhouse gases we produce will equally be removed from the atmosphere. Some nations aim to achieve this ambitious goal decades from now—one nation aims as far as 2070, others as early as 2040. By achieving net zero, we minimize the consequences of global warming to, at most, 1.5 degrees Celsius. This can help alleviate ice caps from melting, control the rise of sea levels, protect coastal areas, avoid storms from getting stronger, prevent droughts from affecting our food supply, and so on.

However, these ambitions and goals are easier said than done. The path to attaining these lofty objectives will be long and arduous. Nevertheless, we must carry on for the good of not only our generation, but also future generations who are yet to be born.