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How Catastrophic is 1 Degree Celsius?

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Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face today, and the stakes could not be higher. The world has become keenly aware of the problem, and around the world, people are setting goals to solve it. To avoid the worst effects of a warming world- which will be catastrophic-humans need to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. 

Since 1850 global average temperature has risen by 1 degree Celsius. That may not sound like a significant number, but it is. 


Why? Let's find out.


One degree is average. Many places on earth have gotten much warmer than that. Some areas in the Arctic have already warmed by 4 degrees. If the global average temperature increases by one more degree (total increase of 2 degrees), the coldest nights in the Arctic might get ten degrees warmer, and the warmest days in Mumbai might get 5 degrees hotter. 

Wonder how do we get here? Everything we do is related to fossil fuels: Coal, Oil, and Gas, which are full of carbon that releases carbon dioxide, which builds up in the atmosphere. It can remain there for thousands of years, letting heat in but preventing it from going out. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, which are emitted by burning Coal, Oil, and Gas doesn't allow heat to escape and, in turn, warms up the planet. 


It is believed that global warming temperatures breaking the 1.5-degree target will see significant climate change catastrophes and effects taking place in several different countries


"There is no going back- no matter what we do now, it's too late to avoid climate change and the poorest, the most vulnerable, those with the least security, are now certain to suffer."
- David Attenborough

If we keep emitting greenhouse gases at the current pace, scientists predict that the average global temperature will rise 4 degrees by 2100. To avoid the adverse effects of climate change from becoming increasingly severe, there is an urgent need to get our greenhouse gases emissions down to zero as early as possible. 


Otherwise, we need to get emissions down to net zero, which essentially means removing greenhouses gases from the atmosphere as much as we are putting in! 


But this is not as easy as it may sound. We cannot solely rely on natural sources to minimize, for instance, CO2 from the atmosphere. And technological solutions like carbon sequestration would be pretty expensive and require substantial permanent storage.


Switching from Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas to Clean energy and Fuels will take time. Still, we can mitigate the damage at the individual level by adopting sustainable living and lifestyle. 

Avoiding the effects of climate disasters won't be easy, but it is possible.

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