Climate Change: Individual Steps You Can Take to Avert the Worst Climate Disaster

Climate change does not need too much explanation as to why people should start taking action to avert the looming unprecedented catastrophe. Right now, you are a witness, the world is going through a shift in climate that has never been recorded in recent history. Regardless, I want you reading this now to pause and reflect on how your surroundings are rapidly changing and how natural and man-made disasters are unfolding all around the world. Climate change, as defined by the United Nations, is a "long-term" shift in "temperature and weather patterns." These changes might be natural; however, climate experts think that the current shift in climate is a consequence of human actions such as the use of fossil fuels, coal, and reckless exploitation of natural resources since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Besides, did you know that the food leftovers you toss away in the trash have a significant impact on the rapid rate at which the ozone layer traps greenhouse gases, causing a climatic change in lower atmospheric conditions? This means that several insignificant factors impact huge swings in global climate.

This brings us to the most important aspect of it, the climate disaster. Unfortunately, very few people know about the looming dangers of climate catastrophes. Admittedly, the recent floods all around the world are some of the consequences posed by disgruntled climate change. Perhaps you might have seen how millions of people in Pakistan lost their lives, jobs, and houses, while others were plagued by waterborne diseases. Presently, in Nigeria, many parts of the country are going through the worst ever flood recorded in the history of Nigeria. All thanks to our lackadaisical interest in the climate discussion. Undoubtedly, climate disaster is like a pimple on the ass of progress, you can't sit well or feel comfortable with yourself no matter how you try to sugarcoat it. This is why it's fundamental to get rid of the pimple before unearthing one of the ugliest tragedies in human history. 

According to World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts, around 250, 000 people would die as a consequence of climate effects (diarrhea, malaria, starvation) between 2030 and 2050, with poor nations bearing the brunt of the burden. As it stands, over 400, 000 people are dying annually due to afflictions attributed to climate change. This indicates that if climate change is not addressed promptly, over 700,000 people will die each year between 2030 and 2050. Most significantly, the numbers would fluctuate depending on the severity of the tragedy. As a result, the losses are significant, and we must do it whether we like it or not. When I bring up climate change conversations with individuals, some of them argue that "the effects of climate change can only be managed by the government." I strongly believe that it is wrong to imagine that only the government can avert this impending calamity. Although I must concede that the government has a significant role to play in adopting and signing measures into law to mitigate the escalating climate change. However, as a citizen, you have a critical role to play in shifting the narratives around climate change. This is why we cannot win this battle if both the government and its population have opposing views on climate change – we must work together to achieve the same goal. This is the only way we can ensure a clean, sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.

In my small knowledge of climate change, there are so many ways you can play a fundamental role in this debate. Citizens are meant to be the driving force behind climate change discussions in their society and public offices. It's pertinent to know that citizens are the key drivers in how their leaders should serve them. Because we are the majority; therefore, our voices matter in this debate. If we don't do that now, it'd be very difficult to envision a future where you and I, our kids, and grandkids can have a bearable condition to live in.

As a citizen, you have the following responsibilities:

As a citizen, you can play your part by engaging with your leaders by persistently reminding them that as long as they are thinking big (if they are) on how to provide jobs, tackle health care problems, or education, or build infrastructures that bring investors into the country, it's pertinent to know that climate change, too, deserves a lot of their attention. You can write to them, attend community gatherings, ask questions and suggest the best feasible ways we can tackle climate disasters.

As a citizen, you can engage with people and try to make climate change discussion more fact-based by breaking the chains that strangled the discussion progress in our society. Make the people understand the repercussions of not playing a part in this process. Portray the ugly picture that their inaction may result in. Prove to them that without bearable climate conditions we are more likely to not have what we wanted in the near or long-term future.

As a citizen, you can plant trees to show that you care about this unprecedented crisis. You can also get involved in the political processes, you can start it locally from your neighborhood. This is how change happens.

As a citizen, you have the voices through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to make your leaders understand that short-term solutions or not taking vigorous action when dealing with climate change will result in a similar fiasco to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you can remember when the scientific community told the world that there was a pandemic coming, we had to take action before it contained us.  However, no one heeded their warning until the tsunami jolted every part of the globe. Let us not make the same misconception again.

As a citizen, I encourage you to play a big role in this debate, and we can do that by calling people into the struggle. As Bill Gates wrote in his book, "How to Avoid Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breathoughs We Need" we should always make the climate debate "more thoughtful and constructive," and most of all center it on a way that societies can see the bigger picture.

What are you doing now to prevent the worst climate disaster? If not, a 3°C increase in temperature will make the 1.5°C targets difficult to meet.

Act now.