As every state governs through government and rule of law and constitution, the earth of humans is governed through the natural laws of basic nature, which aim to simply keep track of the basic balance or cycle of nature so that living beings can live, as no other planet offers life. This is why there’s an ozone layer right beside the earth, filtering out the harmful radiation and absorbing approximately 98% of UV, which ultimately prevents harm to the plants, animals and humans. Similarly, there’s a greenhouse effect; it protects the space from all the harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. This balance equation is necessary to prevent collapse.
Carbon emissions are the major cause of imbalance in nature’s equation of balance, generated through coal, gas and oil, as these are necessary utilities of human beings. Global climate change is caused by 90% of carbon emissions. The creator has specifically designed every place on earth. Some places have only one season, while others have four seasons. Some stay in darkness, such as Norway; some enjoy both daylight and the darkness of night. As a result, some islands are directly becoming prey to carbon emissions and are living examples of rising sea levels that are engulfing the entire island. The Tuvalu and Kiribati islands are highly impacted by rising sea levels. In a matter of decades, Tuvalu will be underwater. Pacific islands, on the other hand, and many villages of Kiribati are already underwater, and many people are fleeing on ‘dignity migration’ under skilled visas to New Zealand and Australia. The Solomon Islands are the first islands in the world to be fully submerged due to carbon emissions and sea-level increases.
Industrial countries such as China, the United States, India and Russia are the top four countries, respectively, for carbon emissions. The US has released over 509 GtCO₂ since 1850 and is responsible for the largest share of historical emissions, according to Carbon Brief. In the global index of 2022, Pakistan ranked first in global climate risk, not to mention every year’s floods and their devastation in the country. In 2018, Pakistan planted 10 billion trees to combat climate change, but its efforts are insufficient in the face of nature. If no proper steps are taken to stop the rapid increase of carbon emissions, in no time, there will be water colonies instead of the Earth. Carbon emissions are not only causing an increase in sea level but also affecting the air quality, which is not only making life injurious but also full of diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular issues, cancer, neurological damage, diarrhoeal issues, reduced IQ, especially in children, and much more.
There’s always a substitute for things and people; to combat the harmful effects of carbon emissions, there can be various solutions, as seeking a solution is the ultimate remedy, and teamwork is the key to the best outcome. Every part of the world is running engines, be they car engines, trains or electricity generators; all run on fossil fuel. We must reduce this practice and replace such engines with electric cars. Instead of producing electricity through carbon emission products, it should also be replaced by solar power plants; it will not only save the expense but also save the environment. Instead of burning the waste, people should develop alternative strategies such as recycling.
Some countries are already installing recycling machines on every corner of the city with a cash payback outcome. This strategy not only increases the recycling process but also makes the only breadwinner happy. Forests are major anti-carbon-emission sources; they work as sinks for carbon, but certainly planting trees alone will not be enough because carbon footprints are hard to track in this developing era. International treaties may trigger the impact faster than laymen struggle to lessen carbon emissions. Except for death, there’s a solution to every mishap.