Climate Action Urgency 

Global warming is one of the biggest threats facing lives and livelihoods across the world. It is affecting our climate in unprecedented ways like:

• Extreme weather pattern due to rising temperatures
• Global sea-level rise
• Coral bleaching due to changes in water temperatures, amongst others

In addition, rising temperatures are fuelling natural disasters, environmental degradation, food and water insecurity & economic disruption.

But who is driving this drastic change? It’s us! It’s our actions and our daily activities that are contributing to global climate change. Some of these activities are burning fossil fuels, chopping off the green belt for industrial development and increasing pollution. Human-induced actions are a significant reason for climate change that is dangerous now and will become much more dangerous if we do not act.

The Fifth Assessment Report of IPCC concluded that climate change is real and human activities, largely the release of polluting gases from burning fossil fuel (coal, oil, gas), is the main cause.

Earth has already warmed by about 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times and any delay in climate action can put living beings’ health, agriculture and water supply at risk.

Though the world faces the biggest threats of all time, there is still time to act. Much harm has already been done but its mitigation and achieving a safer future is very much in reach if we act now!

To stem the tide, we need to make fundamental transformations across all aspects of society — how we use land, grow food, execute manufacturing operations, transport goods amongst others. In addition, advanced technologies such as renewable energy as an energy source and electric cars can help us achieve net-zero emissions and create a cleaner world.

While we look for ways to decarbonize our economy, nature-based solutions can play a key role. These solutions not only help to mitigate carbon footprint but also, support biodiversity, vital ecosystem services, improved livelihoods, etc.

Let’s leapfrog to a cleaner, greener and more resilient world.