Aunty Rosy

Scientists have reached a consensus that it is the human beings that were causing deleterious environmental change by controlling or modifying the offending activities. The human activities especially the combustion of fossils fuels, are influencing the climate in ways that threatens the well being and continued development of human society. If humanity is to learn from history and to limit these threats, the time has come for stronger control of the human activities that are changing the fundamental conditions for life on earth

Climatic Trends. Observations shows that green house gas emission and many aspects of the climate are changing near the upper boundary of the IPPC range of protections. Many key climate indicators are already moving beyond the patterns of natural variability within which contemporary society and economy have developed and thrived. These indicators include global mean surface emperature, sea level rise, global ocean temperature, Arctic sea ice extant, ocean acidification, and extensive climate events. With unabated emissions, many trends in climate will likely accelerate leading to an increasing risk of abrupt or irreversible climate shifts

Social and Environmental Disruptions Recent observation shows that societies and ecosystem are highly vulnerable to even modest levels of climate change, with poor nations and communities, ecosystem services and biodiversity particularly at risk. Temperature rises above 2 degree will be difficult for contemporary societies to cope with, and are likely to cause major societal and environmental disruptions through the rest of the century and beyond.

Equity Dimensions Climate change is having, and will have, strongly differential effect on people within and between countries and regions, on this generation and future generations, and on human societies and the natural world. An effective, well funded adaption safety net is required for these people least capable of coping with climate change impacts, and  equitable mitigation strategies are needed to protect the poor and the vulnerable. Tackling climate change should be seen as integral to the broader goals of enhancing socio economic, development and equity throughout the world.

Inaction is Inexcusable Society already has many tools and approaches- economic, technological, behavioural, and managerial- to deal effectively with the climate change challenge. If these tools are not vigorously and widely implemented, adaptation to the unavoidable climate change and the soetal transformation requited to decarbonise economies will not be achieved. A wide range of benefits will flow from a concerted efforts to achieve effective and rapid adaptation and mitigation. This include job growth to the sustainable energy sector, reductions in the health, social, economic and environmental costs of climate change, and the repair of ecosystems and revitalization of ecosystems service.

Meeting the Challenge If the societal transformation required to meet the climate change challenge is to be achieved, then a number of significant constraints must be overcome and critical opportunities seized. These include reducing inertia in social and economic systems; building on a growing public desire for government to act on climate change, reducing activities that increase greenhouse gas emissions and reduce resilience e.g. subsidies and enabling the shifts from ineffective governments and week institutions to innovative leadership in government, the private sector and civil society. Linking climate change with broader sustainable consumption and production concerns, human rights issues and democratic values is crucial for shifting societies towards more sustainable development pathways.

Dr Daw Tin Yee writing from Copenhagen, Denmark