Md. Mekail Ahmed
The world is heading for a catastrophe where there is no rain during the rainy season, severe drought and crop loss in the dry season and the recurrence of catastrophic floods, cyclones and tidal surges. Summer and monsoon are prolonging. On the other hand, winter is shrinking. Environmentalists say the effects of climate change are liable to these. Some say that climate change is also having a negative impact on the nature of human beings and biodiversity. Frequent floods, low pressure in the oceans, tidal surges, cyclones, waterlogging, droughts, unseasonal rains, heavy rains and climate change have caused these natural disasters to become a source of concern for us. Climate change is a major threat to sustainable development and the survival of mankind.
Although climate change is the cause of natural disasters, it can be greatly affected by human activities. Climate change is currently a global issue. Human civilization fears its future, considering the negative aspects of climate change. These problems can be divided into natural and social. The natural problems we may encounter are changes in normal rainfall patterns, increased drought persistence and intensity, flood propensity, frequency of tornadoes and marine storms on land, changes in water quality and quantity, increased heat flux, sea levels, rising in surface height, melting of glaciers etc. And socio-economically there may be a shortage of water resources. Now it is appearing in different ways at a moderate rate. Deterioration of general quality of water use, food security, loss of human health, agricultural and forest resource-based damage, infrastructural damage, industrial-energy, settlement-population displacement and livelihood loss, coastal management, disaster response and rescue planning etc. Its superiority over any developing country is easily recognizable.
The average climate of the world is changing as a result of the activities of the developed world. The developed world is responsible for “climate change”, especially the “global warming” process. According to environmentalists, the main sources of carbon dioxide are the use of fuels like coal, diesel, petroleum, deforestation, massive industrialization and so on. More carbon dioxide is emitted than usual due to inefficient and depleted fuel used in expired vehicles. The greenhouse effect is due to man-made pollution. Changes in land reflectivity due to deforestation and desertification have a profound effect on the amount of solar energy absorbed by the surface. The aerosol of sulphur emitted from power plants alters the clouds and changes in the ozone layer in the stratosphere due to chlorofluorocarbons affect the climate.
One of the risks associated with climate change is excessive rainfall, thunderstorms and flooding in coastal areas, which have already become apparent. In most parts of Asia, Europe and Australia, the pressure is on the rise. Heavy rainfall has also intensified in North America and Europe. After a few days, the same example is being created in different parts of the world.
Climate change is having an impact on the economy and population. It is clear from the various researches and observations of the scientists that the loss of one billion US dollars of rich countries like USA or Japan may not be too much for them but it is unthinkable in the case of poor and developing countries. This money is a big part of their annual GDP for poor countries. So, it’s clear now what effect it will have on their economy.
People all over the world are facing the harmful effects of climate change, not just any particular country or population Especially in the last 20 years, this effect has spread to all continents. More than 5 lakh 26 thousand people have died in the last 20 years due to global climate change. The financial loss was 3.6 trillion US dollars (in PPPs) and the direct result was 11,000 disasters.
A 2013 report by the UNEP Adaptation Gap warned that the effects of climate change would increase global spending by two to three times by 2030. Global spending is projected to increase four to five times by 2050. The report emphasizes that the global warming limit should be kept below two degrees Celsius. In this way, on the one hand, the rate of expenditure will continue to go down and on the other hand, human suffering will be reduced.
Bangladesh is constantly facing disasters due to the massive impact of climate change in the south-west region. This crisis is exacerbated by rising sea levels in the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal. Increasing water salinity appears to be a major problem in many coastal areas, as well as other effects of excessively hot climate change. This is destroying the crop land. People’s livelihood is in danger. Once every five years, people in the northwest are the hardest hit by the drought.
Global warming is on the rise. Extreme levels of flood danger were announced in many parts of the country, with extreme weather conditions, extreme heat, heavy rains and storm surges threatening lives and livelihoods. Poor countries are more likely to be hit by extreme weather because of their low capacity to deal with these hazards. As the temperature rises, the frozen barrier ice of the North Pole melts faster. As a result, sea levels are rising and low-lying coastal areas are at risk of sinking. Due to the adverse effects of climate change, many animals will move or try to move to new places due to climate change.
This climate change is happening so fast that many species are in danger of extinction. For example, the melting of ice is endangering the existence of polar bears or white polar bears. In addition, salmon fish in the Atlantic Ocean may be endangered because the waters of the rivers in which they lay their eggs and give birth are warming up. Excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is added to the sea water, increasing the acidity of the water so coral reefs in the tropical region may disappear.
Human activity is largely responsible for the suddenness, rapidity and uncertainty of climate change in recent times. Therefore, what needs to be done in this regard is that we need to look at formulating strategies now to address the adverse effects of climate change that may occur in the future.
Author is a Researcher of Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Email: mekailahmed117@gmail.com
envreview.com 