With everything happening in the world right now, it seems like the people have lost their focus on the climate. Global warming is on the rise and has been clicking down the time till irreparable damage.
Gan Golan, the creator of the ‘New York Climate clock’ is possibly one of the few that points out how serious the climate crisis is.
The Climate Clock, which was created and is displayed in New York, is a scream out to the world that everything needs to change. In New York union square a clock which was put up in 2015, with seven years and 102 days displayed across a building. The clock points out how the world only has a limited amount of time left till it could possibly be irreversible from climate-related damages.
The official website of the Climate clock states that “the science is clear: we are in a Climate Emergency. Decades of increasing carbon emissions are harming the natural and societal systems upon which humanity depends, threatening untold ecological and human devastation if we do not #ActInTime. The good news: there is still time.“
“The clock will continue to run down until it hits zero, at which time our carbon budget would be depleted and the likelihood of devastating global climate impacts would be very high.”
With this information people would think that, maybe it’s time to take things seriously. But as of 2024, the clock has hit below 5 years which is the first time ever in history.
The reality is that the climate can not become higher than the 1.5C limit. Why is that so concerning? An article by BBC News states “It means that by the year 2100, the world’s average surface temperature will have risen to no more than 1.5C (2.7F) warmer than pre-industrial levels.”
The threshold temperature that is 1.5C cannot be over-passed or it may cause irreversible changes to the planet’s climate. But where did the maximum for the world’s climate come from? BBC News states that “The 1.5C threshold was the stretch target established in the Paris Agreement in 2015, a treaty in which 195 nations pledged to tackle climate change.”
“The agreement aims to limit global warming to “well below” 2C by the end of the century, and “pursue efforts” to keep warming within the safer limit of 1.5C.” Which put in line to protect the planet.
What can the people do to solve this climate crisis? In an interview with The Verge points in an article that “the best day to have taken action was yesterday. But we’re using [climate] data to create a timeline that is empowering for governments and activists to demand change.” Which Becca Richie, a global community manager of the climate clock organization stated.
“If people keep pumping out roughly the same amount of CO2 pollution over the next five years or so, we’ll no longer be able to limit climate change to just 1.5 degrees of warming.” Says Becca Richie.
A difference can be made, but people must come together and collectively agree that the world cannot be abused by mistakes and wrong doings. The climate movement and government officials who decide what we can do to make a difference are the only ones who can fix the issue, so its up to the people whether they stand with the movement, or aside from it. But either way those who do not care are the reason for the world’s doom, and it’s time to take a stand for the planet.
