With the unusually warmer climes and extreme weather experienced in various parts of the world today, talks of global warming and climate change commonly come up in conversations, discussions, and debates. But how involved, concerned, or ignorant are we as individuals in this matter?
Humanity has undoubtedly achieved so much over the past century with industrialization and new technology paving the way for progress by leaps and bounds. But the implications of said progress to this planet we call home seem to have been quite negative, which subsequently could put humanity at risk. Don’t you think?
Based on NASA’s 134-year record, fifteen out of the 16 hottest years took place since year 2000. And just recently, temperatures have spiked in various locations. For instance, Klawock Airport in Southeast Alaska recorded a 21.6 degrees Celsius (71 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature in march 2016, the hottest in the region. Then about 2 months later, temperatures in Phalodi, India shot up to a record breaking 51 degrees Celsius (123.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
The average global temperature has risen at the most rapid rate in recorded history since about 50 years ago. What, with the amount of pollution churned out the world over and to that that reducing coverage of forests and vegetation due commercial and illegal logging, agriculture, urbanization and industrialization, how can Earth possible recover from the current global warming trend?
The questions is, what have we collectively and actively done to prevent or even prepare for the worst case scenario. Are we being realistic and making the necessary measures to safeguard the future of the planet and humanity? According to experts, unless we limit and control global-warming emissions and participate actively in preserving and restoring forest resources, temperatures will continue to rise, which could mean heat waves, extreme weather, drought, flooding, famine and uncountable disasters.