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It has been three decades since an international response towards climate change was formulated at the Earth Summit held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Over the years, various other international treaties have also been signed such as the Kyoto Protocol in accordance with the Earth Summit. Now, thirty years after the summit, it appears that there exists a huge gap between the intent and action as global warming has become a dangerous reality being faced now. While a part of Europe is struggling to cope with the scorching Sun, the other is facing natural calamities like landslides and floods. Europe has never witnessed such a summer, marked with bushfires and even melting of railway tracks. The heat has become so unbearable that many Indians who have long-settled in various European countries, especially in England, have made India their summer destination this year, anticipating their motherland to be a little cooler. The effect of climate change has also been felt in India. Assam, along with a couple of other states have received huge rainfall in a very short span of time. Whereas states like Maharashtra, West Bengal and few southern provinces, the places that usually receive sufficient amount of rainfall has not received similar generosity this monsoon. It may sound strange but the fact remains that during the peak of monsoon this year, Mumbai didn’t receive a single drop of rain for a fortnight. The economic capital of the country was completely devoid of rain from mid-July to the beginning of August. Surely, the entire world will have to undergo a sea change in every aspect if the environment becomes this erratic due to climate change.
The impending danger was spotted more than fifty years ago and experts repeatedly urged the nations to face the challenge collectively as no country can win the battle against climate single-handedly. It’s a pity that developed nations have continued to blame third world countries for the climate crisis instead of ensuring joint collective action using the financial resources in their control. In fact, America, considered to be one of the most developed nations of the world, once walked out of an international treaty on the environment on the pretext that it would have to spend more than any other country towards that effort. Such excuses have weakened the world’s endeavour to combat the climate threat effectively. Even now, when every nation has been affected by global warming, so far no concrete effort has been made by the nations to provide some respite to the populace by initiating some short-term measures like banning the use of fossil fuels barring emergencies, shifting to alternative energy at the earliest, etc. It is no gainsaying that until and unless all nations take necessary steps together, the suffering of the people will increase manifold. Our lifestyles and food habits all have to become more sustainable. So for the sake of the world’s citizens present and future, all countries must join hands to avert and reverse the destruction we have caused to our planet.