Climate change reality

 

                                                        Photo credit: green queen

It’s a sad reality that climate change crises just got started. It keeps expanding its boundaries every day neither is the crisis going on a break anytime soon.

 

Climate reality has just begun

Since a decade ago, yearly climate change crisis has always been record breaking. Last weekend, the monitoring station at Death Valley in California registered 54.4 degrees Celsius which could prove to be the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth. Likewise, the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea; at a record high of 26.6^oC on 14 July, the warmest recorded water temperature since its beginning about 20 years ago from the World Meteorological Organization report (WMO). It might be difficult to predict weather patterns with the changes in climate change becoming unprecedented. The report from WMO stated that countries including Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands had received up to two months’ rain in two days from 14 to 15 July. The Spokesperson of the agency also noted that the disaster had overwhelmed some of the prevention measures put in place by the affected developed countries. According to Nina Birkeland from Norwegian Refugee Council, every year 25 million people flee their home. While 40 million to flee Indonesia alone. Currently in Southern part of Iran there has been protest over shortage of water. Some countries in Polar Regions are now faced with heatwave with heavy down pour in winter period. This is not normal. 

The report from World Food Programme (WFP) stated that Madagascar is the only place in the world where climate change and not conflict is driving severe hunger. While Madagascar is dealing with drought that never occurred since 40 years ago, our lakes are shrinking. If Lake Chad which is a lifeline for many of its population could disappear, it will lead to total emergence in the region. Sub-Sahara region is the only region where climate change is leading to armed conflict. Several extreme weather events have exacted pressure for people to desert their homes and flee for their lives. Climate migration and trafficking of persons might be the next phase of the climate crisis. This I agree with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that stated that the single greatest impact of climate change will be on human migration. At this point, we cannot sugar coat climate change else it will consume us all. It is never a choice to be a refugee. Lagos in Nigeria is predicted to be covered with flood by 2100; while the northern state will be covered with desert. This will lead to other state of the federation bearing the burden of climate change. How can the center stand? Or will the center be able to hold everyone together? I’m afraid that there might not be Africa in the nearest century because everyone might be force to flee from their countries.

According to International Migration Organization, it stated that by 2050, one in every 45 people in the world will have been displaced by climate change. As the climate change intensifies, large number of children will drop out of school involuntary due to school closure; there will be increase in the spread of diseases. Likewise economic activities will be restricted.

According to Nina Birkeland from Norwegian Refugee Council, every year 25 million people flee their home. The Ipswich River that supplies drinking water for 350,000 people and businesses in 14 communities is considered one of the most endangered in the country due to several devastating droughts in the past few years is now abnormally high. The highest it been since 1938. We need to act on climate change like a pandemic. It was reported that a doctor in a Seattle hospital told the Seattle Times the number of patients streaming in with heat stroke was comparable to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some countries in Polar Regions are now faced with heat-wave with heavy down pour in winter period. This is not normal. This is no longer climate change but climate emergency. If we don't act on those emergencies now, it will act on us. This is a decade of action, let the action begin!

Adenike Oladosu (oladosuadenike32@gmail.com) is an ecofeminist and peace advocate.