Climate emergency: immediate action required

The earth is currently in the middle of a climate emergency. It is not just the usual activists and protesters, indignant at inadequate government policies who are saying this; authoritative and competent scientists are saying the same thing. Eleven thousand of these scientists have come together to write one of the most important reports on the dire environmental situation our ecosystem is currently facing.

The drastic climatic changes underway, with the exceptional weather events that have hit every continent with unprecedented violence as well as many other warning signs, can no longer be ignored. This is the last window of time we have to intervene and change the course of events, before the planet’s delicate balances are irreparably damaged.

The causes of the climate emergency

The eleven thousand scientists who have signed the document entitled ‘The scientists’ warning of a climate emergency’, were clear about the causes that have led to the awful situation our planet is now in.

The report brings together detailed graphics showing how over the last 40 years, man has ravaged the ecosystem in the name of industrial progress. The main criticism is of man’s indiscriminate exploitation of resources, especially coal, leading to the emission of pollutants which are having devastating consequence on the biosphere.

This is exacerbated by an out-of-control demographic growth, resulting in further consumption of resources, which are often wasted due to over-production caused by modern consumer policies. People have known about these problems for over twenty years, but nobody has given them the attention they deserved, dismissing them as unfounded alarmism.

Now, the crisis is a real one and, if we do not intervene immediately with drastic measures, the earth might not be able to recover. The eleven thousand scientists have offered to act as consultants for governments and institutions, if their message is listened to and the necessary emergency plans are prepared.

The scientists’ 6 pieces of advice to save our climate

In addition to presenting the climate emergency clearly, supported by genuine scientific data, the report also suggests six crucial interventions needed in order to mitigate the crisis.

Action must be taken as soon as possible however, if we are to successfully overcome the crisis, as follows:

1. Revolutionary changes to be made in the energy sector, with the use of renewable and ecological energy sources. This would drastically reduce levels of harmful CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere and would allow the scarce resources of fossil fuels still underground to remain intact (thereby also avoiding the risk of hydro-geological instability).
2. Fight global warming by reducing emissions of methane gas, micro-particles, hydrofluorocarbons and other chemical pollutants responsible for the greenhouse effect. By implementing this solution, the scientists estimate that the phenomenon would be reduced by 50 percent within a short space of time.
3. Help nature to thrive once more, by cultivating thicker forests and green zones, so as to guarantee an efficient reabsorption of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
4. Re-think the modern consumer model relating to food. In particular, the mass production of meat should be eliminated, so as to incentivise the world population to adopt a more balanced and healthier diet.  Reducing the production of animal feed for intensive farming would contribute towards lowering pollution levels.
5. Promote a carbon-free economy, characterised by greater sustainability, would avoid the financial default (now certain to happen if the climate emergency is not tackled).
6. Control the demographic growth of the world population, through efficient and fair socio-economic policies.

Only by putting these guidelines into action immediately can humanity have a hope of rebuilding the damage caused to the planet’s delicate balance, for the good of both current and future generations.

Translated by Joanne Beckwith