Time to Retreat from Precipice

We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children – a Native American Proverb

Hello friends, the COP26 meetims are going on in Glasgow, England. Where world leaders have congregated to chalk out plans to reverse global warming by aceiving net zero emissions. I found my earlier article quite relevant to share it again with you. Please do have a read.

The sixth assessment report was released by UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The stark reality of disastrous effect of global warming and climate change is there for everyone to ponder upon. According to the report, humans have heated the planet roughly by 1.1°C since 19th century largely by burning coal, oil and gas for energy. And the consequences can be felt across the globe. This summer alone, blistering heat waves have killed hundreds of people in the US and Canada, unprecedented floods have devastated Germany and China and wildfires have raged out of human control in Siberia,Turkey, Greece and California, America.

Even if nations started sharply cutting emissions today, total global warming to rise around 1.5°C within the next two decades, making a hotter future more than inevitable. But if nations fail, the global average temperatures will keep rising – potentially passing 2, 3 or 4°C compared with pre industrial era. That eventuality might prove devastating for the life to survive on earth.

The ten biggest emitters of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming are China, US, EU, India, Russia, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, Iran and Canada. Though all is not lost and humanity can bounce back by the coordinated and sincere effort among themselves to stop adding more and reducing the existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The prescription is a rapid shift away from fossil fuel as well as removing vast amount of carbon dioxide from the air. Some feasible options which can be adopted by the countries in varied degee are:

1. Switching to green hydrogen ( production of hydrogen gas by electrolysis of water with no carbon dioxide as bi product)as analternative fuel for coal based industries : Indian government has asked the refineries and fertilizer industries to gradually switch over to green hydrogen as fuel.

1. Developing green hydrogen as the fuel to run automobiles. The production of green hydrogen must be made cost-effective and more prevalent.

1. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage(CCUS): This a very viable method of achieving net zero emissions. In this method the carbon dioxide produced by cement, steel, fertilizer industries and refineries must be captured, stored and utilized.
3. For example Alkali Chemical and Fertilizers Limited, functioning in Tuticorin since 2016, has been operating world’s first industrial scale carbon capture and utilization plant near Chennai. Which is able to convert the captured and stored carbon dioxide into soda ash, an ingredient found in commercial household products. This technology must be adopted by all countries on emergency basis.

1. Waste to Energy (WtE ) or Energy from Waste (EfW) : This is the process of generating energy in the form of electricity or heat, from the primary treatment of wastes. WtE is the form of energy recovery by generating electricity by combustion or produce combustible fuels, such as methane, methanol, ethanol or synthetic fuel which are non polluting fuels too!

1. Emphasis on producing more renewable energy like solar, wind, tidal or geothermal etc. The governments must make the solar panels and other necessary equipment more widely and cheaply available to increase their use by more and more people and companies.

Friends, a revolution of awareness towards sustainable living is taking place across the world. The message must be spread far and wide, so that majority of the industry, responsible for producing carbon footprints, mend their erring ways. Implementing the corrective measures is the need of the hour and the humanity owe it to the generations to come.

Stay happy and safe. Adieu for now.