Over a decade the Paris Agreement was signed, the world has not stopped to emit greenhouse gasses at a scary pace.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), “these releases – which mostly come from the burning of fossil fuels – are superheating the planet and changing the Earth’s climate in often-disastrous ways.”
However, experts have said, humanity still has time to control the emission of greenhouse gases and prevent the worst of climate change.
Chief of Climate Change Mitigation at UNEP, Hongpeng Lei, says: “Governments and businesses, because of their size and influence, must bear most of the burden for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
Lei also said, humans have their own role to play to reduce the pumping out of greenhouse gasses.
He said: “But you and I also have an important role to play. Every fraction of a degree of warming we can avoid will make the planet a healthier, more liveable place.”
According to UNEP, here are a few things one can do to live a life that is more climate-friendly:
- Consider walking, cycling or using public transport: Transport is one of the biggest sources of personal greenhouse gas emissions, a large chunk of which come from driving. So, for short trips, experts recommend walking or cycling.
Going car-free can save up to 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. - Be conscious about your energy use: Using less electricity — which still predominantly comes from the burning of fossil fuels — is one of the quickest, cheapest ways to cut emissions. As an added benefit, it will also lower your utility bills.
Since the production of things like phones and computers is also an energy-intensive process, consider keeping your devices longer and repairing them when they break, instead of tossing them away. - Tweak your diet: Food choices matter in the campaign against climate change. Animal-based fare, especially red meat, dairy, and farmed shrimp, is associated with the highest greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and lentils, are generally easier on the climate. - Do not waste food: Households across the world waste more than 1 billion meals every day. Throwing away food means squandering the energy, land and fertilizer that went into producing it.
If you do need to dispose of food, consider composting your leftovers. This can significantly reduce the amount of methane and carbon dioxide – two common greenhouse gases – released by organic waste. - Protect the forests around you: Forests are vital in the battle against climate change. They store massive amounts of planet-warming carbon, which, if released into the atmosphere, could supercharge the climate crisis.
Photo: Forest. The global authority for the environment says, Forests must be protected
