The Devastating Global Environment

During 1800, with most possibilities lying at the end of 1800, Global Warming started to emerge out. According to a few researches, between the 1850s and 1880s, there was a significant increase in the world temperature by 0.2 degrees celsius. That was the first time when there was an increase in temperature due to Greenhouse Gases, that were mostly emitted from industries back then. Since then, there has been a series of gases emitting, as industrialization gained peak. Nevertheless, since the concept of Globalization came into being, Global Warming leveled up, as there were more emissions from even more countries.

This Global Warming has been having adverse effects on the world. There are measures being thought upon, but are not being implemented as such. Be it developed country like the US or an under developing country like Pakistan, each one of them has to earn to keep their economies going steady. And it quite hard to boost the economy without damaging the environment, honestly.

 

Industrialization & Environment

 

 

Since the Industrialization Revolution all around the globe, people moved from labor to machines. And those machines came with a cost. From factories being set up, to everyday used cars, almost all machines produce CFCs. Not only is this harmful to humans, but also for other living things. What is more absurd about CFCs is, that it harms the Ozone Layer. The ozone layer has been divided into several layers, and CFC damages the outermost layer, stratosphere. How? By breaking into separate Chlorine and Florine Atoms, where Chlorine damages the Ozone layer.

Now, countries have been moving towards industrialization, as countries are completely running on it. Be it big companies, or small electronic appliances at home, we are all used to it now. Do you know that even your refrigerator emits Chloro Floro Carbons (CFCs)? And so does your Air Conditioner. So, all in all, it is not only the bigger industries to blame, but we all have played our part in damaging the Ozone Layer, bit by bit.

 

DEforestation & Global Warming

 

 

According to the sources, the world has been cutting down trees, for various reasons. Be it for building wooden goods out of trees or be it for building a factory or building houses, if one cuts down trees, they are helping CO2 escape into the atmosphere. From 2000 till 2016,1.3 million square kilometers of forest has been cut down.

Not only one releases CO2 in the atmosphere while cutting down trees, but also eradicates the source of CO2 consumption. It disrupts the water cycle too, which has its own adverse effects on the farmers working in nearby fields.

Countries are moving towards the initiative of planting trees, as it was done by Imran Khan in Pakistan. Imran Khan planted a billion trees and reforested an area of 350,000 acres in KPK. Moreover, Norway has become the first country in the world to ban deforestation completely.

 

Globalization & Environment

 

 

The world has clearly moved towards globalization. And in current times, it seems like it is quite difficult for countries to not work in a globalized world. Each country, in some way or other, is depending on other countries now. There are companies being set-up in other countries. People are commuting from one place to another. Bulk trade is running economies and people are adapting to different cultures. All because of Globalization.

In a globalized world, there are more chances of global warming. When MNCs move to different countries, as they have people working at lower wages, they exploit the country. And in between that they also exploit the environment. Most of the impacts are indirect, as globalization oppresses a country to ecologically stress out. Goods and foods are transported from one country to another and from one place to another. And this all adds up to disposing of gases from vehicles, and different modes of transportation.

So one can say, that the process of globalization in deforming the environment is like that of a domino. It might or might not have a direct impact, but one thing would lead to another, hence causing an environmental crisis as well as a health crisis.

 

Global Warming Post COVID-19

 

 

As for now, the whole of this earth is facing a pandemic. COVID-19 has taken over the world and people are dying because of it. Not only this, but entire countries have gone in a lockdown. And due to that, many countries have faced a severe economic backlash. This economic crisis has to be covered back and countries are in dire need of coming back to their regular economic phase. To do so, many countries will be heavily investing in industries, so they can get something good out of it.

It doesn’t seem like globalization would be much of a something post-COVID-19, as countries would first want to revive themselves. And in that revival, there would be a havoc of industrialized wastage, that would be harming the environment directly and indirectly.

When the countries get out of this pandemic they will move towards a phase of recovery. And when they move towards a phase of recovery and revive their economy, they will affect the environment. Either one can save their economy or the environment, to be very honest. The more the countries revive their economy, the more they will harm the environment. If we see, now China has also moved away as the Global Climate leader. Also, the United States also hasn’t ratified the Global Warming Bills.

 

Actions Taken Against Global Warming

 

 

 

 

Montreal Protocol

Made back in 1987, the Montreal Protocol works upon Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The aim and goal of this protocol is to limit countries in the emission of such substances. These substances damage the ozone’s stratospheric layer. Although, as informed before, this is the layer that helps earth’s environment from receiving dangerous radiations from the sun.

Since this treaty has been made, there is a strict overview of several different countries. If it wasn’t for this protocol, things might not have been good. Moreover, there were chances that the ozone layer would have depleted twice by 2050 (as per the latest levels).

Keeping all its factors in view, the Montreal Protocol is said to be the best of the Climate Control Protocol to date. It has helped in reducing emissions of ODSs by 98% as that of 1990. It has also helped in reducing CO2 emissions by 135 Gigatons from 1990-2010. This is the only UN Protocol that has been ratified by all 197 countries in the UN.

Kyoto protocol

Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, after which the protocol is named. The basic reason for the making of this protocol was to bring down Greenhouse gas emissions. There were many countries that were in favor of this. But, there were many countries that never wanted to be a part of this protocol. Hence, the US dropped out of this protocol in 2001, although they had already ratified it.

Nevertheless, there were countries that were voluntarily ready to cut down emissions from the environment. Canada for example, told that they would cut the emission by 6% – 7% by 2012, which they did. As a follow-up of this protocol, the Paris Agreement took place in 2015. Then-President, Barrack Obama, supported the agreement. However, Trump told if he came into power, he will be withdrawing from the agreement. And he did.

There is a slight difference between the Montreal and Kyoto Protocol. The difference is that Montreal looks over ODSs, whereas Kyoto looks at the greenhouse gas emission.

 

Latest Effects

 

 

Last year, almost the whole of Australia was under smoke due to the Australian Bush Fire. As a result, 46 million acres of land turned into ash. Around 3,500 houses came down and 34 people lost their lives because of these fires. Moreover, around a billion wildlife animals lost their lives due to smoke and fire, both. The fire was so intense that it had effects in New Zealand too. There, the sky remained black for several days. Australian Bushfire went on from the start of November 2019 and ended somewhere in the middle of January 2020. And the fire went out because of heavy rain in the area only, or would have continued for several more days. This would have resulted in much more destruction and deaths, all across the country. And not there, but also effected New Zealand somehow or other.

 

As for the latest issue, wildfires have erupted in the Californian region in the US. Their fires have covered an area of 44 sq miles around, injuring two firefighters. As for now, things are under control, but might get out of control if not controlled properly.

There are several other issues related to it too. Which comprises of a rise in water levels, erosion, earthquakes, tsunamis, and whatnot. All these natural disasters are because of an imbalance in the atmosphere. And this basically happens due to climate change all around the globe.

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

There is a noticeable recovery in the Ozone Hole that was formed earlier. This recovery shows a positive sign. However, one needs to work more on caring about the environment before things get out of hands. There is still time to repent what we have done and invest in protecting the earth. It is now, or never. We should move towards reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, and move towards battery-operated engines. This would help reduce CFC emissions. Moreover, we should try reducing water-pollution. We have to do all of this ourselves.

If we are able to reach a point where ozone layer repairs completely, we should help in maintaining it. Rather than damaging it again. If we start working on it today, only then we can help our coming generation. And this can’t happen unless all countries are on the same page. Unless countries like the US & China agree on reducing emissions. It won’t happen unless developed countries find an alternative. We can do it if we want to do it.

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