Climate change is a complex phenomenon that represents one of the great challenges of the 21st century due to its characteristics, causes and global consequences, which are inescapably linked to the style of development. It is one of the greatest challenges of our era; however, the need to ensure access to energy to improve quality of life and for economic development is just as important. The immediate consequences are harmful repercussions for the environment and production systems.
The potential impact is enormous, mainly due to the lack of drinking water, changes in the conditions for food production and the increase in natural phenomena such as floods, storms, droughts and heat waves. It is an environmental phenomenon with profound economic and social consequences, however, the poorest countries are not prepared to face the changes, they will undoubtedly suffer the worst consequences.
The growing “ecological crisis”, together with poverty and inequality, are the main environmental, social and economic challenges of our time. To confront it, we have to put an end to the current paradigm of growth and development based on unequal economic, social and political systems in access to and distribution of natural resources that contemplate human rights violations, environmental degradation and social conflicts.
Climate change and the growing “ecological crisis”, together with poverty and inequality, are the main environmental, social and economic challenges of our time. Greenhouse gases produced by human activity cause the deterioration of the ozone layer and climate change. It is the alteration of the Earth’s climate and temperatures that affects ecosystems and causes changes that are directly or indirectly produced by human activity. The excessive increase in greenhouse gases contributes to temperature variation and the deterioration of the ozone layer, which are made up of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The excess of gases is generated by the various activities of man, such as the use of electrical energy, the dependence on fossil fuel industries or the pollution of urban areas by transport, the misuse of waste, industrial processes, etc.
In this context, climate change is an environmental phenomenon with important economic and social consequences that mainly affects the countries of the South, located in areas less structurally prepared to withstand such natural phenomena. In the last 150 years, the average temperature has increased by almost 0.8ºC worldwide, and by around 1ºC in Europe. The past eleven years are among the warmest documented in instrumental records of Earth’s surface temperature since 1850. Therefore, it is necessary to take action on a global scale to limit emissions, since it is expected that there will be a new increase in global temperatures up to 4 ºC by 2100. If we reach that temperature, the changes will already be irreversible. Challenge of sustainable development.
Currently, climate change is a challenge for sustainable development and we are facing social and economic inequalities and environmental degradation. All of them are challenges for the sustainable development that each country seeks. The biggest problem at the international level is climate change, which has a negative impact on the economy and development of all countries. The consequences of this situation, which include changing climates, threats to production, rising sea levels, catastrophic floods, droughts, etc. Among other effects, they put at risk the growth of countries, their economy and the well-being of people.
Without a doubt, we have within our reach viable solutions so that countries can have a more sustainable economic activity. Also, respectful with the environment since it must be considered that it is a global challenge that does not respect social and economic inequalities. It is a problem that requires international cooperation for developed countries to reduce pollution and developing countries to establish a low-carbon economy.
In addition, the challenge of climate change is evident and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its fifth report establishes that human influence has been detected in the warming of the atmosphere and the ocean, in alterations in the global cycle of water, in reductions in the amount of snow and ice, in global mean sea level rise, and in changes in some extreme weather events climate is real.
Finally, continued greenhouse gas emissions will cause further warming and further changes to all components of the climate system. Containing climate change will require substantial and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
References: Own source
About the Author.
Rita Silva. Environmental Engineer, with more than 10 years of experience in the area of Safety and Environment in the Oil and Gas Industry.
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