Focus: Global Warming

Kicker: Impact

Headline: We’re changing the climate in unimaginable ways

As a scientist, I look at data and models and the International Climate Change Partnership (ICCP) effort has been going on for almost two decades and produced massive amounts of observations and models for the future. The data that I have seen clearly shows that we are in the phase of global warming – overall there is a warming signal and it may be exaggerated further in areas of extreme climate such as the Arabian Gulf. Of course there is natural variability in climate but the data that has been collected since at least the 1960s - when climate change became an issue - claims that the anthropogenic element – in other words man’s impact on the climate through fossil fuel burning – is indisputable.

For citizens across the world, the most important weapon is a vote at the polls in electing government officials that are making decisions. Also, personal responsibility by turning off the air-conditioning or using less water is important. A lot of people do not pay attention to these issues and it is unfortunate.

It’s going to be warmer – that part is obvious – but there are also going to be more events of extreme weather.

A few days ago we had temperature here in Sharjah that was almost 51 degrees Celsius. That is not normal, it is 10 degrees above the long-term June average. We have a cyclone in Oman this week – cyclones are unbelievably rare events. The last time we had a cyclone in Oman was in 2007 when Cyclone Gonu hit the region. We are going to see many more cyclones, according to the ICCP they may not be stronger but more frequent. Also, they may be observed a lot more at high latittudes.

Then there are things we don’t know will happen and we have to recognise that as well. For example, because of the increasing temperature there will be more evaporation and we will be affecting the hydrological cycle. There will be more places with rainfall. We don’t necessarily know what exactly is going to happen.

Throughout geological history there have been phases that the Earth went through that were warmer than the present, also colder. The Earth is very resilient, it goes through huge cycles. However, human beings have only been around for a very short time relative to geological history and we are now impacting global climate in a major way, and we have to be very careful about that. It is the individual responsibility to participate. What will matter is individual action as well as cumulative action through the political system.

From Dr Björn Kjerfve

Oceanographer and professor of environmental sciences at the American University of Sharjah.

Kicker: Politics

Headline: The environment debate is also a political one

Sometimes it is good to have an alternative view but it has to be backed by scientific evidence, data and facts.

With climate change deniers, many seem to just be following their gut instinct, and it comes across as a knee-jerk reaction. But in the Western countries like the US, politics is deeply involved in environmental debates.

Take the Kyoto Protocol, for example, where the US signed it and then unsigned it under George W. Bush, which is quite unprecedented. The protocol then went into limbo.

All these naysayers at the ground level find some support in political circles, which means that some superpowers are not too keen on signing protocols and taking measures that’ll stem the deterioration in the environment.

However, on the positive side I have noticed that the United Nations is taking a major role in this regard. 2015 was the end of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The discussion has now started on Sustainable Development Goals and they have come up with a document called ‘The future we want’, where the main focus is on sustainability along with other problems of the human condition like poverty and gender equality.

The broader sociological and socio-economic implication is the sea level rise that we’ve been told we’ll face. Countries like Maldives and Bangladesh will go under water. People will migrate to safer places and higher grounds so it is not just the problem of these countries but neigbouring countries, too. Just look at the recent crises we are facing, this is a telltale sign that world is deeply interconnected. So, the Libyan problem becomes an Italian problem and the Rohingya problem becomes the Thai or Malaysian problem.

These are the signs that the individual country is not in a position to do anything about dealing with problems of climate change and the positive signs are that there are a number of global institutions that are discussing and deliberating ways to fight climate change. The environment has come to occupy a central space in this discourse.

We now have international agencies for non-renewable energy. We are lucky to have that in the UAE, and we hope it will only grow in stature.

But we really need to look at these debates at the highest level of politics because some countries advance weak arguments that Western countries have polluted the world for so long. Why are we being asked to stop right now? It is like a young man telling his father: “Well, you used to smoke, so why can’t I?” Two wrongs don’t make a right.

From Dr Habibul Haque Khondker

Professor at sustainability sciences and humanities college at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi.

Kicker: Activism

Headline: You can influence the bigger decisions

I’m no scientist, but surface temperature analysis by Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) clearly shows that humans are changing the climate and that the changes will have huge and unpleasant effects, and that we should really get our act together and fix the problem.

Climate change deniers argue that ‘climate has changed before’ but the problem is their lack of knowledge regarding the fact that climate reacts to whatever forces it to change at that time; at the moment, humans are the dominating force. People keep saying that it’s cooling down now and its getting better. But, between 2005-2010 the Earth was at its hottest according to Nasa scientists and this is going to happen again if people do not take the step that’s required starting right away.

As citizens, apart from basic recycling, conserving techniqques that are suggested, we have a part in influencing our governments in changing environmental regulations.

An example can be taking coordinated steps to enable the production of a new generation of clean vehicles — from the smallest cars to the largest trucks. Through reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved fuel use, the enacted and proposed standards are expected to save more than six billion barrels of oil through 2025 and reduce more than 3,100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

From Mr Sterlin Sebastian

Student based in Dubai

Kicker: Awareness

Headline: People are aware but don’t care

Over the last weekend, I visited Oman and we were told a hailstorm had hit the Northern part of the country. Just a few days before that, I had read that the UAE had recorded the highest temperature globally. Imagine the Gulf region having the highest degree temperature in Sweihan, and a couple of days later you hear of rain and hailstorm in Oman. They are not different climatic zones, these are extreme weather conditions within the same region. Global warming isn’t just about the world getting hotter but also these extreme weather changes.

I remember studying about the phenomenon back in school. We learnt about ozone layer depletion and the human factor that contributes to the problem like burning of fossil fuels and the impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

However, after school I never really came across any campaign or movement that would highlight this issue at a large scale. We have the Earth Day, where we switch off lights for an hour to conserve energy. We have campaigns asking people to use less water. Why don’t we have something as big as that for Global Warming? I realise that there are people raising awareness about it, but it is not just at a scale that is big enough to create behavioural change.

Another reason people don’t act is because of the influence of climate change deniers. They probably take a stand against climate change because they have their own business or self interest.

The only solution is by creating a mass movement for awareness and change. The way the human mind works, even when we know we are doing something wrong, we don’t necessarily change it unless the idea is constantly reinforced.

From Ms Rabab Hussain

Public relations consultant based in Dubai

Facebook:

Companies must be encouraged around the world to plant more trees for shade and to take a step towards a greener world. To reduce the carbon footprint carpooling must be encouraged.

Sheena Thomas

Dubai

Human contribution is way behind the war against Nature, unleashed by the multinational corporations whose sole aim is amassing wealth, showing scant regard for Nature

George Thomas

UAE