By Yash Nanayakkara
Climate change is an issue that has caused slow but sure havoc around the world. Ever since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, countries have strived to find feasible, efficient solution to this widespread issue. This is why we have moved to our saviour, our shining knight in digital armour – modern day technology. How can it help prevent the degradation of our planet and lives from this impeding catastrophe?
Problems and causes of climate change
Earth’s population are being forced to suffer and witness the impacts of 1˚C of global warming – intolerable, sometimes even fatal, heat waves, massive droughts that severely impact people’s livelihoods in areas such as agriculture, and also the melting of the ice caps in the polar region, which has even larger ramifications, such as causing sea water levels to rise which threatens to engulf countries whole.
The root cause for climate change to occur and Intensify is the world’s enlarging carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases that trap heat inside the atmosphere of Earth, causing temperature to rise. The total amount of carbon emissions in 2022 was a shocking 40.2 billion metric tons, due to various reasons such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
Goals have been set to motivate countries to allocate more resources and time towards climate change prevention. One is the universal target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Now we must move to the main exacerbators of this issue, and how we can find solutions to mitigate climate change intensification due to these things.
Energy
The energy sector is currently the largest contributor to climate change. Preventing climate change has been proven to be extremely difficult with the rising demand for energy, power, and fuel.
One issue in the energy sector is the burning of fossil fuels, the main source of energy in the world right now. In 2022, the energy sector counted for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and nearly 90% of all carbon emissions.
Fossil fuel demands are still rising for its effectiveness and variety of uses. One of the uses is to power non-electric vehicles, using petrol and diesel. This is why cars and other automobiles are considered to be one of the main factors that worsen climate change and its effects.
Electricity and heat generation also occur mainly through the combustion of fossil fuels. This is done practically all over the world, and simply multiplies the demand for energy tenfold.
This is where technology comes to our aid. Now, the use of energy-efficient appliances, such as light bulbs and fans that require less energy and electricity, are being utilized worldwide. Already, many countries have implemented multiple policies to promote energy efficiency, including mandatory energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances, financial incentives for energy efficiency investments, etc.
The switch from non-renewable to renewable energy is necessary now more than ever. Usage of electricity sources such as solar power, hydropower, and other energy sources are now increasing in usage all over the world and must continue still. Further research and development of new technology can assist in harnessing new sources of energy.
In the International Energy Efficiency Forum 2023, Chinese Energy Minister Wang Yilin stated that China pledges to make milestone achievements in energy efficiency, and promises to invest further in renewable energy.
“China is committed to achieving a 40% reduction in energy intensity by 2025, and a 65% reduction by 2030. We pledge to invest further in the development and enhancement of harnessing renewable energy resources,” said Mr. Yilin.
Industry
Next on the list is the industrial sector – the second largest contributor to climate change and global warming. It produces approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Industry does not stand alone from the other sectors – industrial goods are in practically every field of work today, thus making “industry” a broader term for use. This is why the negative impacts of industries are naturally incorporated into energy, agriculture, transportation, etc, thus exacerbating the adverse ramification of climate change.
Once again, we see the involvement of the backbone cause of climate change – fossil fuel combustion. The manufacturing industry produces a significant amount of greenhouse gases, as many manufacturing processes require the use of energy-intensive equipment and materials. For example, the production of cement, steel, and plastics all produce large amounts of greenhouse gases.
Industries also produce a lot of waste, which contributes to climate change as well. For instance, incineration is the process of burning waste to reduce its volume. Some argue that by incinerating waste, landfill use decreases – on the contrary, it also releases dangerous greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur dioxide, that amplify carbon emissions rates and global warming rates. These gases contribute to smog and acid rain as well, which leads to bundles of health crises and eventually a further toll on the economy.
Several new technologies have the potential to help mitigate climate change intensification caused by the industrial sector. Carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) can be utilised to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from factories.
Furthermore, smart waste management systems can help to track waste production and identify areas where it can be reduced. This can help to prevent waste from overflowing and
ending up in landfills, thus devolving the risk of climate change intensification in this regard.
Agriculture
Last but not least, agriculture is the third-largest contributor to negative climate change effects.
The livestock sector is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily methane. Methane is proven to be 25 times stronger than CO2 at trapping heat. Ruminant animals (for example, cows) release methane post-digestion, making methane emissions skyrocket on cattle farms.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, livestock production in agriculture produced 7.1 gigatonnes of methane in 2022.
Farming equipment can also lead to greenhouse gas emissions, just like cars and other vehicles, due to their consumption of fuel.
Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. When trees are cut down, the carbon that they have stored (thus accounting for the name ‘carbon sinks’) is released into the atmosphere. It also reduces the amount of sunlight reflected back into space, thus intensifying heat waves, droughts, etc.
Modern technology comes in handy here. Precision agriculture is a new method of efficient, informed farming, where data can be collected regarding crop and farming conditions. Experts can then analyse the obtained information to help make better decisions in crop management, irrigation timing, planting of seeds, etc.
Another brand-new solution that tests the peak of our technological capabilities is AI farming. AI can be used to optimize irrigation practices, develop drought-resistant crops, and even suggest new technologies to assist in efficient farming.
Many countries are yet to implement this. Governments are investing heavily in this area, and there are now many start-ups and research institutions that are working on further AI-based solutions for the climate change issues caused by the agriculture sector.
Cooperation is key, and the world’s transition to a green economy is of utmost importance. We leave the rest to the marvels of technology and intuition, with the strong belief that the Earth will come out on top, safe and sound.
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