House on fire

RELEASING the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on Tuesday, scientists have warned that all evidence points to a dire ‘now or never’ situation for planet earth. This do-or-die caveat assumes significance in the light of the near-certainty of the world veering towards disaster at the present rate of climate change mitigation efforts. This caution must propel agencies worldwide to forcefully press all levers towards restricting global warming to 1.5°C. The next few years are critical for achieving this temperature threshold as the greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 43 per cent and methane cut by a third within this decade. It is critical for the containment of the catastrophic consequences of warming.

Highlighting that nearly a fourth of the emissions come from the building sector, the report calls for action, even as it acknowledges achieving net zero is challenging, especially for the developing nations. The nations, governments, societies, organisations and even individuals must pull out all stops to ensure changes in policies, infrastructure and technology that are geared towards securing a liveable future. The lifestyle resulting from enhanced energy efficiency and use of renewable resources and reduced deforestation to capture carbon would have the advantage of enabling an ecosystem of improved health and biodiversity.

In its report around a month back, the IPCC had warned that time was running out for action to be taken. Given that millions of Indians are living in vulnerable areas, the country would be severely impacted. The report projected distressing scenarios of flooding, food insecurity and health hazards emerging from rising sea levels, depleting groundwater and extreme weather patterns. Along with other developing countries, India finds itself on this precarious precipice largely due to the developed world’s huge contribution to global warming during its industrialisation period. Now when the house is on fire, the richer nations’ obligation to alleviate the calamitous turn of events assumes urgency. For the sake of everyone’s future, they must deliver on the promised technological and financial transfers geared towards aiding the poorer lot in their transition to a greener living.

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