If you really think the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money: Guy McPherson

Climate change is a long-lasting change in the weather patterns across the tropics to the poles. It is a global threat that has embarked on putting stress on various sectors. Specifically, the agricultural sector’s vulnerability is a globally concerning scenario, as sufficient production and food supplies are threatened due to irreversible weather fluctuations. In turn, it is challenging the global feeding patterns, particularly in countries with agriculture as an integral part of their economy and total productivity.
Climate change has also put the integrity and survival of many species at stake due to shifts in optimum temperature ranges, thereby accelerating biodiversity loss by progressively changing ecosystem structures. Climate variations increase the likelihood of particular food and waterborne and vector-borne diseases, and a recent example is the coronavirus pandemic. Climate change also accelerates the enigma of antimicrobial resistance, another threat to human health due to the increasing incidence of resistant pathogenic infections. Besides, the global tourism industry is devastated as climate change impacts unfavourable tourism spots.
According to the findings, government involvement is necessary for the country’s long-term development through strict accountability of resources and regulations implemented in the past to generate cutting-edge climate policy. Therefore, mitigating the impacts of climate change must be of the utmost importance, and hence, this global threat requires global commitment to address its dreadful implications to ensure global sustenance.
All developing countries, which are dependent on agriculture for their economy, are at more risk of climate change compared to the developed countries. Climate change is disturbing agriculture, which is affecting the economy of the country to a larger extent. The increase in temperature, melting of glaciers, irregular behaviour of rains, locust outbreaks, severe heatwaves, and flooding are outcomes of this climate change. As a result of climate change, flooding, rise in temperature, rise in sea level, droughts, and cyclones are hitting back-to-back.
Climate change is a great threat to the globe and its life. It has far-reaching inevitable results for the whole world. It is simply a phenomenon in which the climate of the world is changing and results in the alteration of eco and biosphere through a slow natural process. The causes of climate change are natural as well as man-made. 100 years ago, savants discovered that Earth is warming, and its atmosphere and oceans are heating up due to the emissions of different gases by human beings. These gases don’t allow heat to go back into space, hence the temperature of the atmosphere is increasing day by day and causing global warming. This increase in temperature is creating many issues for planet Earth, including the melting of glaciers, irregular patterns of rain, cyclones, droughts, and many health issues.
One of the most direct impacts of climate change globally is increased variability in temperature distribution, with extreme temperature events occurring more frequently at either end of the temperature distribution. The frequency of heat waves has increased in recent years, consistent with anthropogenic climate change. Evidence suggests that temperature extremes are a leading cause of weather-related mortality worldwide.
A national assessment of climate change conducted by the Indian government predicts increasing temperatures in India throughout the 21st century with an increase in extreme heat events. Exposure to extreme heat may cause illness and mortality through a variety of biological mechanisms; importantly, there are physiological mechanisms triggered by heat exposure (i.e., ischemia, heat cytotoxicity, inflammatory response, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and rhabdomyolysis) as well as vital organs that can be critically impacted (i.e., brain, heart, intestines, kidneys, liver, lungs, and pancreas). India came face to face with that reality over the last few weeks.
A change for the worse:
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are pollutants, which are produced by human activities. They cause an increase in surface temperatures and have a serious impact on the climate. Climate change impacts production factors, causing a decrease in the marginal productivity of capital and total aggregate output. This strongly affects long-run growth. We are currently adding CO2 at the level of 3 ppm (parts per million), which is likely to build up to 750 ppm by the end of the century causing a rise in global temperature by 4°C. According to climate change experts, a rise in temperature by 3°C will have far-reaching socio-economic repercussions. It would result in the loss of five per cent of the global GDP annually. Experts concluded that most market sector impacts of climate change have a hill-shaped relationship with temperature. The colder countries of the world will in fact initially benefit from warming due to reduced heating costs and cold-related health problems.
Temperate countries will see a moderate impact and the worst hit will be the warm, tropical countries of the global south. Extreme weather events, desertification, gradual global warming, the collapse of forests and biodiversity, storm surges from oceans, and the rise in sea level are some of the physical risks to humanity and the macroeconomy. They can affect the macro-economy through various supply and demand transmission channels. On the demand side, extreme weather catastrophes not only reduce household wealth but also make people more risk-averse and increase their propensity to save so that they can safeguard themselves against anticipatory losses caused by climate change.
Perceptions of uncertainty in the international business community also reduce foreign investments. To avoid these effects, we need to transition to more environment-friendly modes of production, enhance the efficiency of existing products, and reduce carbon-intensive production and consumption. These, however, have their own macroeconomic and financial burdens called transition risks. Transition impacts are more severe for economies that have a greater dependency on fossil fuels. Almost all of the countries where fossil fuels account for more than 90 percent of their total exports are in the global south, including Azerbaijan, Iraq, Libya, and Venezuela.
The developed countries, despite having the capacity for transition, are barely taking steps to reduce emissions.
What have we done so far?
We have planted a billion trees and we are planting more and more. That’s good news. However, is that enough? No, it isn’t. For one, the project hasn’t reached completion yet. Secondly, trees will take time to grow and show their positive effect on the environment. Thirdly, there is speculation that not all the trees being planted are fast growers and helpful for the underground water table. Is that enough to compensate for and balance out the deforestation that is taking place in hilly areas to accommodate the rising population? In fact, it isn’t enough. Recently, the authorities announced the Plastic Bag Se Azadi campaign. That surely gives hope, but from what we have witnessed in the past, such schemes are never implemented properly. Unless there is strict implementation of the law, we cannot be too optimistic.
The government’s next step should be to ban one-time-use plastics, which include disposable cups, straws, and food boxes. That has a direct relation to global heating as a lot of energy is consumed in their production. All plastics are bad, but some alternatives are better than one-time-use (polyethylene terephthalate) plastics which can be replaced with high-density polyethylene. An example is that of tumblers which are easily available in the market. Styrofoam is yet another culprit, and we see its rampant use in local food markets as well as high-end restaurants.
The writer is a teacher and can be reached at [email protected]

Muhsin Ameen Malik