GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE

   GLOBAL CLIMATIC CHANGE

A  SERIOUS THREAT TO THE EARTH

 Global  climate   change is the long –term shift in weather patterns globally. It  is a holistic concept which refers to the changes in a region’s overall weather patterns including  precipitation ,temperature, cloud, cover and other such conditions which prevail   for a longer period of time .The concept  emphasizes   on   the change in Earth’s average temperature.

Weather includes the short term  changes witnessed in a region’s temperature, humidity, clouds, and precipitation  etc. The  weather may vary  from one day to another and morning to evening .However, the climate is the climate is the weather conditions prevailing over an area for a longer period of time.

Anything that has an impact on the amount of energy being absorbed and radiated from the Sun is a contributor to the global climate change. These changes can have short-term and long-term impacts. One such process is the greenhouse effect which leads to global warming. The human activities have led to the rise in the greenhouse gases which have resulted in global warming .The greenhouse gases include the carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. The greenhouse gases have potential to trap the heat in the atmosphere and keep the Earth warm. They capture the infrared radiations released  by the surface of Earth and make the atmosphere warmer. The  impact of the greenhouse gases is circulated through the water vapour in our atmosphere .A fact states that without the greenhouse gases, the Earth would have been a frozen planet.

So, the concern is the presence of greenhouse gases but the human activities which are contributing to the rise of the same. The burning of fossil fuels is the  largest source of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. Besides deforestation, emissions from the vehicles and industrial effluents are some of the causes of the rising greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and cholor florocarbons  (CFCs) also lead to the ozone layer depletion.

Apart from the greenhouse effect, there are some natural causes for the global climatic change .The changes in the internal climate system of the Earth may lead to the changes in the   global climate. The fluctuations such as EL Nino and La Nino lead to the interaction between   the oceans and the atmosphere resulting in the variations last for several years. A  small  changes in the Earth’s orbit can have a direct impact on the amount of sunlight received by a region and the distribution of the seasons across the planet. Besides the Sun , there are other sources of energy on the Earth.

The geothermal energy produced due to the heat and decay of radioactive compounds below the surface of Earth is also one of the contributing factors to the rising temperatures. Volcanic eruption also lead to the changes in the Earth’s climate.

Over the years, the climate of the Earth has changed considerably. The Earth is warming. The small changes in the average temperature of the planet can lead to the dangerous shifts in the climate and weather. This is quite evident from the fact that there have been significant changes in the patterns of rainfall at certain places. These have resulted in droughts, floods or intense rains . The ocean are warming and becoming more acidic. The glacier are melting, leading to the rise in the sea levels. The global climate changes has led to the variations in the seasons, which have further led to the changes in the behavior of different species.

If not checked timely, global climate change may lead to various problems, few of which are listed below:

. spread of vector borne diseases increase in weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy rainfall and heat waves.

. An  imbalance  in the natural ecosystem.

. Expansion  of   sub-tropical deserts.

. Acidification  of the oceans.

. Affect on the basic necessities such as water supplies, electricity and agriculture.

All these hint towards a dire need of the urgent steps to be taken in order to reduce the greenhouse effect. People can make a difference by changing their everyday habits and lifestyle. The problem of Global Warming can be controlled by minimizing  the emission of greenhouse gases into the environment.

The practices of deforestation needs to be strongly discourage . Instead, the focus should be on  the plantation of more trees and plants. The trees and plants absorb the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere. The educational institutions and NGOs can create awareness among the children and people regarding the problem of global climate change.

The more is the awareness, the more it will be helpful in solving the problems related to climate change. Our government has a very important role to play in rectifying the problem  .The government can provide special concessions and rebates on the use of the clean fuels. The focus of the countries should be to reduce their carbon footprints i.e. the amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere.

 The climate Change Division Of Ministry Of Environment, Forest and Climate Change coordinating the National Action plan on climate change to tackle the global issue on a national level. It has  undertaken many new efforts under the National Action Plan which work around achieving eight missions namely; National Solar Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National  Mission on sustainable Development, National Water mission, National Mission for sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for a Green India, National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for climate change.

The Nation Action Plan on climate change pulls together all the mission bundled with effective implementation and additional efforts to reduce the stress of climate change.

The Paris Climate Change Agreement, within the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on climate  change is a giant  leap  in this direction. Under the agreement, the countries are expected to set their own targets for reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

The target is not a legal binding, but the countries need to update them every five years. The agreement is scheduled to go into effect from 2020. It is only with the joint efforts of the people, countries and the global environment regulators that the problem of Global Climate Change can be reversed.