[Antonio M. Claparols, April 4] OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

[아름드리 나무]

OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(By: Antonio M. Claparols - President ESP) Peoples Journal Tonight - Wednesday, April 3, 2013

TO my surprise, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, Commander of the United States fleet in the Pacific, mentioned in a recent Boston Globe interview, that “the biggest threat is not North Korea, but climate change.”

Coming from a seasoned Naval Commander, this brings to the fore the seriousness of global warming and climate change.
We ourselves are witnesses to unpredictable global weather patterns. Consider the extreme and severe winter storms in Europe and in the United States, along with the droughts and extreme heat in Africa and the Middle East and the unusual rains all over Asia. These all occur too fast, too soon!

What is disheartening is that when these natural calamities happen news headlines focus more on current events and the economy rather than major disturbing weather patterns. Much like the truth being taken for granted. 

Let’s face it: The planet is dying and we are virtually mindless about it.

Sure, some concession came – the killing of sharks, was banned during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) recently held in Bangkok, Thailand.

However, they want to mine the deep seas. Their careless decision, or perhaps their lack of foresight, are killing people in mining-affected communities. 

Admiral Locklear’s statement only confirmed what many fear about the life threatening dangers of climate change.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) seems to be a complete failure in tis mandate to curb and mitigate greenhouse gases. It also failed to limit atmospheric carbon dioxide to 350ppm which is the level needed to sustain life.

As of this writing, we have reached over 395ppm and we are experiencing the horrible consequences.

To make it worse, global poverty as well as over-population are both on the rise. Food shortages are occurring in many areas while clean water resources are starting to dry up.

Recently, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) mentioned that Asia will be running short of water by 2030. It may be sooner than that, as we continue to build on the same development model we were brought up with.

This model is a failure and the root cause of stagflation in the global economy. This is the so-called “development model” that destroys our natural resources. Isn’t that a misnomer?

I cannot understand the callousness and lack of action from our world leaders. Where is their political will?

What worst scenario must arise to compel them to act rationally and fast? 

We need an urgent and radical change from this complacent attitude! We need a quantum leap of change, specifically in life style, education, production and consumption.

We have to upgrade our value systems and the footprints we make as our legacy.

Our biodiversity is dying. This is no joke, as others may think it is. The deserts are expanding from the Sahara in Africa to the Gobi desert in China. Even the city of Beijing is being engulfed by toxic, dark air. 

How can people be so blind?

The planet cannot sustain this present development model. The sooner we accept that as a grim reality, the better for all of us.
We cannot afford to wait. Nowadays, the awareness is running high that more and more people are starting to take matters into their own hands.

Volunteerism is on the rise as youth and adults alike get deeply involved in mangrove and terrestrial reforestation. Coastal clean-up activities are becoming visible as well as setting up sanctuaries for endangered species such as turtles.

We need to do much more than these to help in speeding up the planet’s healing process. We need to step on the brakes regarding manmade pollutions.

We can opt to use renewables instead. We can reforest our mountains and protect our forest. We can stop ocean-acidification and marine pollution. We can slow down our carbon footprint.

WE CAN WIN this battle against climate change.

It is a war we cannot afford to lose.