Global Environment--Global Warming

Global warming is bound to be the thorniest environmental problem facing the world in this century. The worldwide weather reports for the last few months of 2005 and the first month of this year have already detected an alarming trace of weather abnormality. For instance, the frequency of rainfall in early this month was exceptionally high in Singapore. The most severe flooding in the recent 50 years also occurred in India. Snowfall in Japan was unusually heavy as well. There were reports on houses being overwhelmed by the huge amount of snow accumulated on the roofs. If this evidence were not enough, then the series of hurricanes and tornados that struck the USA last year would definitely convince you that we are under great threat.

However, much to our disappointment, the world’s greatest carbon dioxide dischargers—the USA, China, Australia and India—are not committed to reducing the emission of this heat trapping gas. Though global meetings are held year by year and various promises have been made, participants, for most of the time, seem to adopt a nonchalant attitude towards these opportunities created to dissolve tough environmental problems. Apparently, they take meetings for granted. The cooperation between countries is also not desirably close. According to the Straits Times article, “Six nations to meet over global warming”, Australia and Canberra have refused to sign the 1997 Kyoto treaty, saying the caps on greenhouse gas emissions it demands would damage their economies. Obviously, national interest is dominating in their minds. On the other hand, there are some flaws in this Kyoto treaty, which states that developing nations like China and India are exempted from complying with this cap on greenhouse gas emission. China and India are the two major carbon dioxide gas producers, discharging 20 per cent of global pollutants. Even if developed countries are willing to follow the terms of the treaty, this problem may not be alleviated since the rate of production by developing countries may even outweigh the rate of reduction by developed nations. Every country should shoulder some responsibilities in the combat against global warming. The richer nations should not take the full responsibility, or it may lead to an over dependence of poorer nations on richer countries.

On 10th January 2006, a conference, engaging business leaders and government ministers from six countries, will be held in Sydney to derive ways to tackle global warming problem. However, critics and environmentalists doubt the effectiveness of the conference since such meetings have never yielded much promising results. In addition, Conferences of this type are usually not fully respected, as countries involved tend to exploit this opportunity to forge economic ties with each other instead, rather than negotiate on the genuine topic. National interests again overpower global interests.

Global warming is a problem that has to be solved immediately as we have witnessed too many natural disasters related to it during recent years. According to a BBC news article, global warming will alter the weather pattern across the globe. Warmer regions may experience heavier rainfall, resulting in frequent flooding and cold region may have to face less rainfall, which may lead to much more severe drought and hence famine problem. The consequences of these changes are far reaching. By the summer of 2050 temperatures will have risen by around 2 degrees or more in western countries like England. Global warming will also cause sea level to rise as the ice caps in the South and North Poles melt. Low-lying lands such Singapore may eventually be submerged, displacing thousands of millions of people from home. Obviously, the list of consequences due to global warming is not exhaustive.

I believe that countries have to cooperate more closely. They have to consolidate and share their technologies, experience and resources to lower the greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the threat of global climate change.


Relevant article: 1) “ six nations to meet over global warming”
2) Global warming—what can we do” by Helen Willetts
3) Global warming—an overview by Helen Willetts.