The world’s global temperatures are rapidly rising at an alarming rate caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, the industrial revolution, and other greenhouse gas emissions that trigger a cascade of temperature change leading us to the point of no return.
The Arctic sea ice declined by about 10% in the past 30 years. Today, 95% of the oldest and thickest ice in the Arctic is almost gone, and scientists believe that most of the central and eastern Himalayan glaciers could virtually disappear by 2035.
Let that sink in.
It is important to consider the possible harm these melting glaciers caused by global warming could do to our environment. It could impact the habitats of penguins, polar bears, seals, and Arctic foxes that rely on the ice leading to the decline of their population and potential extinction, not to mention that this change could also impact other marine life. Melting glaciers and polar ice caps add to the rise of sea levels, and not only does it affect the water resources but it also disrupts the natural habitats of the creatures thriving on ice caps. When the temperature rises and sea ice melts, the sea level rises, and as a result, could potentially cause a significant change in the world’s coastlines.
An increase in global temperatures elevates the possibility of storm surges and could intensify hurricanes and typhoons considering that ocean temperature creates a ripple effect on weather patterns. Additionally, it can severely affect life underwater as the increase in water temperature can cause coral bleaching in tropical oceans which can impact the health of underwater habitats.
And that, figuratively, is just the tip of the iceberg.
It’s like the tale of Moby Dick, the whale who killed numerous sailors because they wanted her oil. Can we seriously blame Mother Earth for lashing out through deadly storms when all the 1% do is try to kill her for her oil?
Take the Willow Project for example. It’s an oil expedition to Alaska which is downright climate sabotage especially since the project is done in a corner that is already suffering from coastal erosion as it is – extracting a huge amount of oil could only make matters worse.
If the Willow project is completed, it will release an additional 9.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution into the atmosphere which means that the project will add up to the already critical issue of climate change as it would further destabilize weather patterns and accelerate the melting of polar ice caps — meaning that the fragile balance of our planet will sink — literally, and for what? For another industry to profit from the earth’s natural resources at the expense of the most vulnerable?
This goes to say that the planet is literally having a meltdown and there’s nothing we can do to stop it unless we initiate a massive change in the way our economy is being managed for the sake of everything that thrives on this planet.
Those who are in power, driven by capitalism, are prioritising profit over environmental sustainability and are risking the lives of every living creature on this planet. As mere civilians who are dust at the helm of society, why do we have to bear the cross of the rich while they sit on their million-dollar couches while we are on the brink of a sinking ship with nothing but scraps to live on, voices rasping as we scream for help, not for ourselves but for the planet itself?
To stress that the rapid rise of the earth’s temperature is a problem that we should all be focusing on is a plea for help to address the continuous exploitation of our natural resources. This alarming fact results in environmental degradation, completely erasing the most negatively affected participants – the people, the animals, as well as the condition of the natural world. We live in a society where we are treated by the contributors of climate change as inanimate objects devoid of life and value.
Today, 10% of the earth's land area is covered in glacial ice, 90% of that is in Antarctica, and 10% is in Greenland. As the ocean and air temperatures continue to rise and these glaciers and sea ice continue to melt, they would expose a darker surface (Albedo Effect) that would take in more sunlight which then could increase their absorption of heat and thus, accelerate the melting process.
Therefore, we must do everything in our power to help the planet continue to give us a window of opportunity so we can secure an environmentally sustainable future not just for ourselves but for every creature living on this planet. In times like these, we need to find ways to stop these climate change contributors from exploiting our natural resources to satisfy their greed.
Join organizations that help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, advocate for clean energy solutions, and make choices that could help preserve our planet's diverse ecosystems– but most of all, demand for climate justice by holding fossil fuel companies and other contributors to climate change accountable.