Inverted amid climate crisis and global warming

Naomi Klein, a prominent Canadian author and professor, mentions in her book “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs The Climate” with a remarkable example that climate change is not just a plight, but the developed political systems along with the economic forces are connected deeply together to form a capitalist society. So is it, entire superpowers are unfaithfully heading toward capitalism. The deep-rooted insights of capital society are a lion's share now-a-days.

Klein's resistance toward globalization seems to be more precise and the momentum of 'glocalization' in her volume can have a unique blend of globalization and localization. Over the global hotcakes, climate change and global warming seem more awakening but turning a blind eye to these issues can result in long-term impacts. The agency for regulation and monitoring over climate change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under the umbrella of Conference of the Parties (COP), seems to have a regular meeting among partners globally but the execution remains poor. Are the partners worldwide just putting the demonstrating concur?

A brand new concept of climate capitalism emerged in around 1999 with the version of reformation over global energy consumption inequalities that have existed hitherto. It is supposed as a sequential rethinking of ideas that prerequisite to be addressed using various marketing tendencies. Here, the idea behind climate capitalism is to shift investment away from fossil fuels and toward energy efficiency and renewable energy sources through financial means. Carbon markets and carbon taxes are two examples of these methods.

As in Naomi's volume mentioned earlier, the economic aspects of energy consumption can benefit both from the holistic market move and idea shifting from the existing fossil era to the new superconductor era. Where needed, return can be maintained from power corporations by developing the culture of green energy.

Global rethinking

Post-COP and UNFCCC operating under the optimal level of thinking relates to a low emission of carbon by superpowers, under the agreement and negotiations, does this phenomenon stand as a milestone now? Of course not. Then how will LDCs make efforts when their optimal level of carbon release is comparatively low? On this issue, the whole world needs to think again and again for a solid outcome. If not, the bearing and rearing capacity of the Earth will inevitably be lost.

The climatic crisis portrays thoughtful snags that are being likely caused by changes in the global weather generally, the global warming. They are impacting the flora and fauna very severely.  Harmful human activities that cause increased carbon dumping in the atmosphere include unhealthy use of plastic-based materials, increased CO2 and CO emissions, deforestation and more. The carrying capacity of the Earth is also related to the overall population growth, global warming and climatic condition of the universe. Earth bears the capacity of absorbing the heat from the sun but carries no emission capacity, making it a greenhouse of sorts. 

Rethinking about the reformation of global climatic concerns carries a holistic and multi-faceted reality. Sustainable development envisioned by Brundtland Commission (1987) aimed for a common future must be directed toward these hotcakes i.e. global warming and climatic crisis. It is also notable that the theme of these two recent agendas are also part and parcel of sustainable development by which the entire world is bounded. It is also rational that sustainability achieved in climate change and global warming can be a great milestone if the world leaders make it actionable.

Where is the effect?

In recent years, global warming is leading to coastal erosion, flooding and rise in the sea level, causing the nations connected to the sea to shrink. Tuvalu, a country in the South Pacific, is a good example. Rise in temperatures affects the whole planet, including the marine ecosystem and the Himalayas, resulting in effects like glacial lake outburst floods, flooding and landslides, affecting fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas and the lower reaches. Nepal, Pakistan and north polar regional countries are grappling with severe impacts of climate disasters resulting from rising temperatures. It is assumed that by 2030, in summer there will be no sea ice left in the arctic region. Forests have been witnessing profound effects of global warming, including increase in instances of forest fire and disruption of forest ecosystems.

The melting of ice in the poles is behind rising sea levels and coastal erosion, which have been affecting beings such as seals, polar bears and penguins. Extreme temperatures have also affected the seasons. Human life is under increased threat due to an increase in cases of diseases such as malaria, skin ailments and acid rain.

Coping with adverse climate

Nepal is a landlocked country with mountains and a diversified natural environment that is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. These repercussions include melting glaciers, erratic rainfall, floods, landslides, droughts and the extinction of several animal and plant species. Nepal participated actively in the past editions of Conference of Parties (COPs) and presented its Nationally Determined Contributions, outlining its plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience and adaptation. Nepal has also come to an agreement over the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. The rights and interests of the mountainous and least developed countries (LDCs) get due attention at least during international climate negotiations.

Wrapping up, let’s hope that the host UAE’s announcement of " Accelerating the Transition", made during COP-28, will help make Planet Earth a more livable place by reducing soaring temperatures and curbing climate change, providing some relief to the most vulnerable countries like Nepal.