Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nafees
In scientific circles, there has long been discussion about climate change. In the early 1970s, new research on the greenhouse effect kept coming to the public. Which claimed that the atmosphere is warming as a result of human emissions of greenhouse gases. It was dominated by carbon dioxide. Discussions concerning global warming started in the 1980s as ozone layer depletion disclosures gained momentum. The discussion of climate change started to pick up pace when there were noticeable changes on the surface of the earth. This brief background was provided to figure out history of the subject. People didn’t believe it at the beginning. However, as heat waves and floods became more intensified and frequent during the past ten years, they began to believe in climate change.
Mitigating or controlling the harmful effects of climate change is the next step after accepting it. We are still running behind time because we have created some false beliefs about climate change that prevent us from avoiding its detrimental consequences. To shed light on such myths and begin working on it, it is essential to bring up a few of them.
First, climate change is a cyclical phenomenon that lasts for a specific season and comes to an end eventually. It only shows up occasionally and disappears for many years. This is a false perception. Regarding Pakistan, we have been consistently impacted by climate change since about 2000. Climate change affects every day and night of every season. This shift is not consistent across the nation. Winter and summer conditions in the mountains differ from those in the plains. Although there has been no apparent decline in climate change, it is still getting worse. It has an impact on each location based on its climate and geography.
The second fallacy is that planting trees will mitigate the harmful consequences of climate change, which is solely caused by carbon dioxide. This is a completely incorrect notion. Carbon dioxide is one of the six greenhouse gases, namely methane, nitrous oxide, halogenated gases, and water vapor. Among these, only carbon dioxide can be reduced by trees. The other greenhouse gasses are irrelevant to the tree. Second, ozone layer depletion accounts for 25% of climate change. Even with the chemicals that cause ozone depletion, plants are powerless to remove it from the atmosphere and help in restoring ozone. Therefore, we must consider plantation in addition to other methods and strategies.
The third misconception is that climate change will fix itself or heal itself. This impression is completely incorrect. It is necessary to adapt to or reduce the effects of climate change. It will never get healed on its own. Rain can remove some carbon dioxide, but it cannot completely purify the atmosphere. In the same manner, plants take roughly 30% of the total carbon dioxide, while the ocean only absorbs 25%. We don’t have a system like that in nature to remove the remaining 45% of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. For this reason, we must consider these gasses.
Fourth, specific regions will only be impacted by climate change during specific seasons. That isn’t true at all. It can be stated, although, that its impact will vary depending on the location. Sea level rise, flooding, heat waves, and severe and frequent natural disasters are among the various impacts of climate change. It affects human health, economics, and society, which appear in different geographic locations with different intensity.
Fifth, we are not accountable for the development of climate change or its effects and not responsible for its mitigation. The explanation is partly correct, as industrialized nations are responsible for climate change. However, we must safeguard ourselves as we become increasingly under the influence.
Sixth, the fertility of the soil will not be impacted and will continue to be productive. Vegetables, fruits, and crops from hotter regions will begin to grow in cooler regions due to shifts in temperature. However, that isn’t the case. In reality, the soil’s fertility will decline or even vanish. There will be a decrease in soil insects and a reduction in or disappearance of bacteria and other microbes that contribute to the soil’s fertility. How will the crop grow if the land itself is no longer fertile?
The seventh myth is that climate change only raises summer temperatures. This is a misleading perception. The assumption that climate change will make the seasons more intense is true. Winter will be cold, and summer will be sweltering. The length of hot weather might vary in some places. However, because of the irregular conditions, this change will have a significant impact on agricultural production and human health. Therefore, climate change implies more than just rising temperatures; it additionally encompasses declining soil productivity.
The eighth misconception is that smog is unrelated to climate change. It is completely incorrect. Smog is brought into cities from riverbanks and remains there for a long period due to climate change. Wind stagnation is unquestionably a meteorological impact. However, numerous greenhouse gases, including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and tiny dust particles, are associated with climate change. Furthermore, climate change causes rain to be delayed, which causes fog to transform into smog and lasts for a long time, which negatively impacts health.
Therefore, we must understand the fact that climate change is a reality. That is why we have to do whatever we can. What is the duty of the farmer, he should know and implement it, what can a housewife do while staying at home, she should do it. A shopkeeper should know what role he can play in climate change. In this way, each person should identify their role according to his/ her profession and play their role.
The Author is Department of environmental science, University of Peshawar.
