Reversing the climate catastrophe  

Mukhtar Kareem
Climate change, an intimidating phenomenon, is a cause for some  huge concerns amongst the global community. However, governments across the globe by and large  have been reluctant in taking required measures to slow and reverse the climate change afflicting our planet.

 Climate change  is now threatening our basic habitat and inevitably our survival. Hence, the questions are rightly being posed about our willingness and our ability to halt the change which if not mitigated could lead to our extinction over next few centuries. Unlike previous fatal events, the climate change has every potential destroying our planet as we now it if left uncontrolled.

When we talk about reserving climate change, there are three significant factors that require attention. Firstly,  controlling of the rising temperature; Secondly, stopping of glaciers  from melting; and finally the reduction of  carbon in the atmosphere. In order to effectively mitigate these challenges there  must prevail a larger political consensus across the international community.

An optimist view suggests that there are chances that climate change will be reversed. Countries have both technology and resources which could be mobilised and  adopted to reduce all of the three factors listed above. There also exist global institutions that can play an effective role.

Perhaps the most important prospect in term of reversing climate change is offered  by  the growing  awareness amongst the public. Public opinion can  push their governments towards adoption of climate related measures. Another potent catalyst  is climate itself. The catastrophes being currently experienced across different parts of the globe are certainly getting some of the most powerful nations, with ability to affect  change,  to concentrate their minds and  focus on this pressing issue. However, there is also  a pessimistic view which points to the international community being extremely reluctant to act appropriately to the scale required. They have not shown the level of keenness required.

The catastrophes being currently experienced across different parts of the globe are certainly getting some of the most powerful nations, with ability to affect  change,  to concentrate their minds and  focus on this pressing issue.

There is also the issue of growing gap between the rich and  the poor and rich. It goes with saying that the ability of those with wealth and means are much better placed to withstand the climate related disaster as opposed to those stuck in poverty as evidenced by the recent unprecedented flooding in Pakistan and this is also true across the world.

 We are also not seeing an emerging consensus across the international community regarding the most appropriate approach to circumventing climate change. Of course , national interests  often prevail to dilute policy and action, for example,  the unwillingness of developed countries to share a larger burden. In view of such considerations , there is every possibility that the issue of climate change  may receive a required attention in some foreseeable future.

 Therefore the world awaits with eagerness the outcome of the UNFCCC(COP 27) conference on 27^th November in Egypt, aimed at assessing the progress made thus far  regarding climate change and outlining what more needs to be done to  effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change.  

As climate change is impacting on both the richer and the poorer countries and more so the poorer countries with limited resources and inadequate infrastructures as is the case with Pakistan. Therefore, the  developed countries should be sharing the larger burden because they are the biggest contributory to climate change. Global institutions must also play an effective role in order to build cooperation among the states. Finally, international organisations should be given the mandate and the authority to sanction any country that falls short of  carrying out the expected climate related measures. Without this countries will continue to defy the internationally agreed  consensus.

In conclusion, climate change if not properly tackled would continue to have devastating impact, placing all the inhabitants of our beautiful planet at grave risk. Inaction is no longer an option as it would be to our own collective demise.