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Most of us do not know what will happen if the global temperature rises only 1° Celsius. William Nordhaus first introduced limiting global warming to 2° Celsius. In his paper, Nordhaus argues that 2° Celsius would push the global climate beyond any point humans have experienced. Either way, after taking preliminary measures, stopping the global temperature from rising to a minimum of 1° Celsius is inevitable.
What is 2 degrees?
All countries, except IRAQ, LIBYA, and YEMEN, set the target of keeping the global temperature below 2° Celsius. The countries signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, and it entered into force on November 4, 2016. The USA, under Donald Trump’s presidency, withdrew from this agreement and again rejoined it on the first day of Joe Biden’s presidency.
What steps have been taken after the agreement to prevent Global Warming?
- Over 70 countries including China, the U.S. and Europe have taken a major leap towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050- 2060.
- Governments give subsidies to promote renewable energy like Solar & Wind energy which is highly cost-competitive and eco-friendly compared to fossil fuel.
- Steel and cement manufacturers are exploring low-carbon production methods by using hydrogen fuel.
- Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), every five years many countries have already updated their NDCs with more ambitious targets
- To reaffirm the Paris Agreement’s goal Summits like COP26, COP 27, COP28 & COP 29 were organised to limit the global temperature by 1.5°C.
What Carl Sagan said about the emerging issues of Global Warming/Climate Change and the role of greenhouse gases in causing global warming in 1985?
The power of human beings to affect, control & change the environment is growing as our technology grows. In the present time, we have reached the stage where we are capable both intentionally and inadvertently of making significant changes in the global climate.
We don’t generate much water into the atmosphere but certainly do generate a great deal of carbon dioxide through the burning of wood and fossil fuel.
He also said the greenhouse effect makes life on Earth possible. If there were not a greenhouse effect the temperature would be 30 c degrees colder than the present temperature or below the freezing point of the water everywhere on the planet which will make it impossible to form life on earth. So a little greenhouse effect is a good thing but there is a delicate balance of these invisible gasses and too much or too little greenhouse effect can mean too high or too low in temperature.
He closed his testimony by saying, here is a problem that transcends our particular generation. It is an intergenerational problem. If we do not do the right thing now there are very serious problems that our children and grandchildren will have to face.
Countries like the USA are asking developing countries like India to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and shift towards green energy. but in reality, the USA and China emitted the most at the beginning of the industrial era.
After all these Conferences on Climate Change worldwide optimistic and universal tagline comes- “Hope for a better tomorrow”.
