The summit at Copenhagen on Climate change would have a host of nations converging on taking stock of the crisis brewing from greenhouse gases causing global warming. Countries participating in the same include the U.S, China, India, and others.
The impact of global warming can be devastating and a curtain-raiser to the same is being already seen in erratic climate or weather changes, disturbance in monsoon cycles, unprecedented cyclones, imbalance in agricultural cultivation patterns, and other alike trends.
Developed nations like the U.S, the second major carbon dioxide emitting nation behind China have declared a cut of carbon emissions by 17 percent by 2020 while India ranked fourth has also committed to the cause of reducing the carbon footprint by close to 20 percent by 2020.
The noteworthy point here is to look at the U.S and its emission rate over the years as a developed nation against nations like India and China which have joined the development curve in the last 6-7 years.
So, even though India and China have jumped on the development bandwagon off late as compared, the onus lies on the larger contributors or ‘culprits’ like the U.S and European Union which under the garb of growth and development have been polluting the environment for a long time now.
What is it that causes global warming and greenhouse emissions across all the nations? It is the burning of fossil fuels and the production of energy from the same which causes the environment to suffer.
But then why does one need to burn fossil fuels? In plain terms, it is used to run automobiles, industries, light up homes, provide energy for 24*7 network connectivity for mobile and telephony devices, energy for servers to keep the likes of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Amazon running, and others.
A look at the instances and we get to understand how each of the above instances has seamlessly become a part of our lives.
But a beginning is needed and it has to begin with us. Just like every drop of water makes an ocean, concrete steps are needed to save the future. The implication of cutting carbon footprint may not directly impact our country but would be felt in some parts of the world.
It is all about exercising prudence and consuming what is required bare minimum. Switching off fans, air-conditioners, lights could be the starting point to reducing energy consumption. Using solar energy for heating water and cooking could also be considered a viable option in tropical countries. Industries and Government need to strike a balance between profits and preservation of the eco-system.
Several programs have been initiated but have failed to see the light of the day due to the overarching and vested monetary interests of politicians and individuals. World Wide Web has come across as a boon but over the years its usage has gone beyond the realm of necessity.
An example of judicious usage of the web could be mailing and chatting as a means of connecting with others or for official purposes. Such measures could free the servers Google, MSN, Yahoo, and others of excessive loads and in turn, would mean decreased energy consumption.
It is all about striking a balance between development, growth, and sustainability. And the time has come for each one of us to contribute.
We would keep a tab on the developments at Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen, so watch this space.
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