Posts in category: Blog

Politicians, economists and some natural scientists tend to assume that the climate tipping points in the Earth system, like the loss of the Amazon rainforest or the West Antarctic ice sheet and many such points, are of low probability and are little understood. However, evidence is mounting that these events could be more likely, have high impacts on the planet’s ecosystem and are interconnected across different biophysical systems, potentially committing long-term irreversible changes worldwide.

The analysis of the tipping points helps to identify that we are in a state of “climate emergency” and further strengthens the chorus of calls for urgent climate action worldwide. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) introduced the idea of tipping points nearly two decades ago. Such ‘large-scale discontinuities’ in the climate system were possible only if global warming exceeded five degrees Celcius above pre-industrial levels.

Furthermore, the information summarized in the recent IPCC Special Reports (published in 2018 and September 2019) suggested that tipping points could be exceeded even when the temperature rise is between 1 and 2 °C of warming.

The term “climate tipping points” has become a core concept of discussions about climate change science and is used as a metaphor for abrupt, irreversible, and dangerous climate change by climate scientists and the news media. The IPCC described the concept as “once a given climate threshold is reached, it can cause life on Earth to face prolonged, irreversible changes“.

A tipping point in the climate system is a critical threshold which, if crossed, results in a major, and often irreversible, change in the states of the system.

The IPCC has identified several tipping points in climate change that are critical thresholds in a system that, if crossed, could result in irreversible consequences. Climate tipping points are critical thresholds that, when crossed, push a natural system into an entirely different state, and result in possibly irreversible, catastrophic consequences — including even greater warming — for Earth.

A tipping point is where the threshold for temperatures is crossed, leading to an irreversible shift in the climate system, even though global warming is ending. Tipping points also require self-reinforcing feedback and result in changes to a climate system that are not irreversible over the human timescale. However, crossing the tipping points risks irreversibly perturbing the natural systems which have kept Earth’s climate relatively stable over thousands of years.

From melting the Greenland Ice Sheet to the Labrador Sea’s convection melt and the Amazon rainforest’s disappearance, climate thresholds throw Earth’s systems into catastrophic tailspins. In climatology: “a tipping point is a point where more minor changes become large enough to produce a larger, critical shift, one that may be sudden, irreversible, and result in cascading effects“.

Scientists explain that such change happens on longer timescales, and the limits of computational power make it impossible to accurately depict every climate system’s tipping points or how they interact. The tipping points were considered probable only when global warming exceeded five degrees Celcius above pre-industrial levels.

Assessments have been done in the past, like those of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; the sixth assessment report was released in three parts in 2021 and 2022, suggested most of the main tipping points would be reached if the planet warmed beyond 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, giving humanity more time to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Abrupt changes in the tipping points are essential because they could dominate climate change impacts far beyond their effect on the way global warming changes relative to emissions.

Since the impacts are inevitable, we must prioritize and ramp up climate mitigation and adaptation. On the mitigation front, it means working in all, and one can limit global warming and not exceed the 1.5-degree celsius tipping point. The same requires transformative global shifts by the developed countries. On the adaptation front, efforts will mean actively preparing for climate impacts coming down the pike and prioritizing resources for already-vulnerable communities.

Concluding, continued GHG emissions will worsen climate change, and future changes will include a warm and more acidic ocean, a warm atmosphere, sea level rise, and drastic changes in precipitation patterns. The Earth is likely no longer in a safe climate since temperatures exceed the warming limit by approximately one-degree celsius. Therefore, even the UN Paris Agreement’s target of keeping global warming well below two-degree celsius and preferably 1.5 degrees celsius might fall short of mitigating severe climate change.

However, to even have a 50% chance to limit global warming by 1.5 °C and to avoid crossing any climate tipping points, GHG emissions must be cut in half by 2030 and eliminated by 2050.

Ecosystem services are the myriad benefits humans derive from their natural surroundings and healthy ecosystems. Ecosystem services are the benefits of ecosystems, which help make human life possible and worthwhile. Regulated services are the benefits provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural phenomena. Despite an estimated value of $125 trillion, these assets are not adequately accounted for in the political and economic policy. The same explains that there is insufficient investment in the protection and management of such services.

A regulating service is classified as any benefit obtained through natural processes and the functioning of an ecosystem. Regulating services are the benefits that ecosystems provide to the regulation of our environment: protection of coastlines, prevent erosion, purification of water, and storage of carbon. Provisioning services are characterized by humans’ ability to extract products from ecosystems, like food, water, and resources, including timber, petroleum, genetic resources, and medicines.

Cultural services comprise the non-material benefits humans can derive from ecosystems. Such services are non-material benefits derived from nature–recreation, beauty, and mental, intellectual, and cultural benefits. A cultural service is a non-material benefit which promotes human development and cultural progress, including how ecosystems are instrumental to local, national, and global cultures; building knowledge and disseminating ideas; creations that arise through interactions with nature (music, art, architecture); and recreation.

Some primary examples of ecosystem services include products like food and water, regulation of flooding, soil erosion, disease outbreaks, and non-material benefits like recreation and mental benefits from natural areas. Although nature’s value to humans has been recognized for some time, the concept of ecosystem services has been developed over recent years to describe these different benefits. Ecosystems–living elements that interact with one another and with their nonliving surroundings–provide benefits, or services, to the world.

Ecosystems are sources of food, water, medicines, timber, and biofuels, along with conditions that allow those resources to grow. Wetlands provide many valuable ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, water cleaning, plant and animal habitat, and reducing storm damage and flooding to neighbouring areas. In anticipation of widespread ecosystem changes and potential losses or changes to ecosystem service provision or distribution, landowners and managers may want to focus on strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacities of forests and prairies so that these landscapes continue providing vital benefits in the future.

There is an increase in forest loss worldwide, and there have been significant challenges facing efforts to safeguard forests and the ecosystem services they provide for sustainable development. The global community appears to be arriving at a critical turning point, with several recent developments pointing to a positive trajectory of progress. These developments include:

· New Policy Signals

Global policy drivers such as Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement—must play a role in achieving global development and climate change mitigation goals, sending a powerful political signal that the global community is committed to forest conservation, along with offering pathways for the provision of finance to facilitate the objective.

Furthermore, Global and national commitments for Forest Restoration are increasing yearly to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020 and nearly 350 million hectares by 2030. Presently, 160.2 million hectares have been pledged for restoration. However, achieving the 350 million hectare goal will generate about US$170 billion per year in net forest ecosystem service benefits in watershed protection, improved crop yields, and enhanced provision of forest products.

· Growing Investments

The Green Climate Fund is poised to be a significant new source of public REDD+ finance, having pledged $500M in October 2017 to pay for REDD+ offsets. Additionally, The World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is one of the most extensive public-sector REDD+ financing programs globally that aims at moving closer to formally contracting offsets from its member countries.

Nearly US$1 billion in voluntary “forest carbon market” offset transactions have been reported since Forest Trends’ Ecosystem Marketplace first started collecting this data in 2009.

· Corporate Commitments

Corporate commitments to reduce emissions and deforestation are proliferating. They would help create new demands for forest carbon offsets and concerted action aimed at reducing deforestation associated with commodity production, which could lead to positive outcomes for securing forest ecosystem services.

· Advances in Technology

Rapid technological improvement enables frequent, accurate, cost-effective monitoring of forest cover change worldwide. The above will allow an unprecedented level of awareness concerning real-time threats to forests and provides governments with the tools needed to enforce laws and policies to conserve forests and ecosystem services.

CATEGORIES OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, published in 2005, divided ecosystem services into four categories:

a. Provisioning services (the supply of goods) of direct benefit to people: These are often with a clear monetary value, like timber from forests, medicinal plants, and fish from oceans, rivers and lakes.

b. Regulating services (the range of functions carried out) by ecosystems: are often of great value but not monetary value in conventional markets. They include regulating climate by storing carbon and controlling local rainfall, removing pollutants by filtering air and water and protecting from disasters such as landslides and coastal storms.

c. Cultural services: These are the services that are not providing direct material benefits but contribute to the broad needs and desires of society. These include the spiritual value attached to particular ecosystems and are not directly beneficial to people but essential to the functioning of ecosystems.

Concluding, ecosystem services are complex in nature of any ecosystem; humans are generally assumed to derive benefits from the combinations of such services. Multiple services can usually be combined, and where benefits of targeted goals are assured, ancillary benefits can be provided too: a single forest can provide habitats for other organisms and recreation to humans, all of which are ecosystem services.

Every year, at the end of November, there is one day when brands and retailers make a killing – “Black Friday. Mass sales, which start from “Thanksgiving“, end up till Christmas, and the tradition, though American, has been exported globally over the past decade.

To what avail…???

A massive increase in online sales, ramped-up transport of merchandise, and a boom in air pollution… therefore, costing the planet big time.

Although Black Friday started as a one-day sales event, it has since snowballed into a month-long rush of fast fashion excess, ultimately doing more harm to our environment in a quest to save money, even though 80 per cent of items go to landfill. Like fast fashion, the Black Friday sales encourage mass consumerism and push people to purchase products solely because they are on sale, without considering how much they will be used.

According to a study conducted by Adobe Digital Insights, during Black Friday, US consumers spent around 9 billion dollars online (7.95 billion euros), 21.6% more than in 2019. The study further points out that Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2020 were the days that generated the most online commerce in U.S. history – and they are looking to build on those figures in subsequent years as well.

Black Friday provides influence-focused promotions and deals for stock already in place instead of producing items blindly with the intent of them being bought during the sales period.

Green Friday – a concept that emphasizes responsible shopping, buying from smaller, local stores or used items. Waste is a huge problem, particularly on the day after Thanksgiving, because significant discounts and low-priced products lead people to buy things they do not need, simply for the sake of doing so.

Another aspect of enormous environmental impact is the transportation of the orders both locally and globally. Shipping and delivering online orders account for as much as 4 per cent of global emissions over a year, with most of that coming during The Day After Thanksgiving and the Christmas Shopping Period. During 2021, it was estimated that the U.K.’s Black Friday sales deliveries released more than 429,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, i.e., about 0.12% of the total annual emissions in the U.K.

According to the U.K.-based comparison shopping site Money.co.uk, the year of 2020 Black Friday‘s home deliveries in the U.K. are estimated to emit 429,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions — equivalent to 435 round-trip flights from London to New York City (or seemingly, about as much weight as 61,308 elephants).

According to the Spains Trade Organization, UNO, there will be approximately 50 million deliveries to match Black Friday purchases in the years to come. Shipping the ordered items is expected to cause the most impact on the environment, with Amazon expected to generate over 15,000 tons of carbon emissions just from Black Friday. From a production perspective, from packing and delivering the items, the planet will be affected by increased carbon emissions twice during Black Friday and Cyber Monday through product waste.

A report by Green Alliance, a think-tank, found that 80% of all items purchased at Black Friday sales end up either in a landfill, being burned, or being recycled — usually at low quality — after a short lifespan. Wastemanaged.co.uk added that 80 per cent of purchases made from Black Friday sales would either be placed in landfill sites or burned or recycled incorrectly.

So, if Black Friday has an environmental impact, what possible ways to make it eco-friendly?

Tips for Green Black Friday

There are several ways to make “Black Friday and Cyber Monday eco-friendly and reduce the environmental impact. Some of such methods are:

a. Consolidating Purchases and Shipments

The above is one of the most effective ways to reduce the environmental impact of “Black Friday”. Consolidating purchases and shipments into one large packet minimizes the burden on transportation and, thus, the environment.

b. Sustainable Shipping

Sustainable shipping is another option for creating a healthy planet. Many environmentally conscious retailers and consumers choose one another so that they can do their part—an example of the same use of fleets of electric delivery vehicles choosing local vendors to avoid transportation.

c. Shop Locally

Many organizations offer huge discounts and large variety during the holiday season; shopping locally is another sustainable option that can make Black Friday “GREEN“—boosting local businesses and supporting the local economic system. Additionally, gifts bought from local companies have a particular ethnic charm, making them more memorable.

d. Use Alternative Wrapping Papers

Wrapping papers are one of the essential elements of gifting and might seem harmless, but they are one of the most plentiful forms of physical waste due to holidays. Most of the wrapping papers are non-recyclable and cannot be reused and adding damage to the landfills. Using alternatives like newspapers is one of the options. Newspapers are cheap, widely available and recyclable. Additionally, using the newspaper’s comics section keeps the wrapping paper fun instead of black and white. Using box packing of another product and wrapping in a quirky sustainable way is another option to reduce wrapping paper wastage. Another alternative to wrapping paper is the box of another product. Fabrics, old maps, tissue paper, grocery store bags and more can all be used to wrap the gifts making them more rustic and authentic.

e. Fight the Urge to Impulse Buy Gifts

One of the downsides to sales is the amount of physical waste impulse gifts produce. Impulse gifting happens due to encouraging sales the shoppers to purchase more products than is needed. Sometimes completely unused products are even thrown out. Avoiding impulse purchases will reduce the amount of packaging in landfills.

In conclusion the discussion, the only solution is to reduce our consumption levels and adopt sustainable shopping practices. One of the ways could be taking a break from shopping on Black Friday and participating in a global “Buy Nothing Day” campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness about less or no shopping and invites people to stop shopping for a day. Lastly, we are not close to the fight against climate change, and robust actions and direct actions are needed to prevent habitat destruction, biodiversity loss and other concerns not within the net of carbon offsetting.

However, climate scientists worldwide are calling to limit human-caused emissions that can impact climate change. Humankind is on a deadline, so waiting for companies that produce the products and services we buy to do the right thing is not viable. The silver lining is that each of us is a consumer; we can demand the power to start curbing our purchases’ effect on the environment through carbon offsetting.

The wind carries a chilly, spooky breeze reminding us that Halloween is around the corner. A thrilling holiday for many of us; each year, we look forward to stuffing our bags with goodies while spooking our families and friends away with our terrifying Halloween costumes and decorations.

Everything from paper bag dresses to realistic zombies and homes with spooky stickers to monsters… Halloween witnesses it all! Besides the spooky decorations, the costumes and the goodies, there is a spooky impact on the environment that we tend to ignore.

As the day’s inch closer to Halloween, we all invest money, time and effort into creating our best Halloween, looking forward to each year’s new decorations and spooky costumes; without considering the impacts of being afraid of more than just the costumes. However, the spookiest thing about Halloween is not Halloween itself but what we purchase during Halloween and what we do with the same after all the fun. Some of the most significant and worrying issues regarding Halloween are the plastic waste and environmental pollution the holiday contributes to the ecosystem.

The amount of garbage and waste produced after those spooky decorations have severe and scary consequences for our natural environment. For instance, plastic waste is Halloween’s most significant pollution issue. Plastics are found in Halloween wigs, cosmetics applied, toys, candy wrappers, bins and many other products and items used to decorate and celebrate the holiday.

An investigation in 2016 by “The Hubbub Foundation“,- a charity campaigning for the environment, discovered that polluting oil-based plastic accounts for nearly 83% of the material used by nineteen supermarkets and retailers, namely: Aldi, Argos, Asos, Amazon, Boden, John Lewis, M&S, Next, and Tesco, which ultimately ends in landfills. The foundation discovered that approximately seven million costumes, equivalent to 83 million bottles, were thrown away. Hence, going homemade for the costume might be a better option, but if one plans to buy an outfit, one must ask for “PVC-free” or “phthalate-free” materials as these chemicals are toxic and can be hidden in the costumes.

Similar to plastics, makeup consumption skyrockets during Halloween, becoming the second most harmful ingredient to the horror story of unsustainable Halloween. A 2009 report from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that face paints for children contain a small amount of lead, ranging from 0.05 to 0.65 parts per million. Some colours might also include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, or mercury, which can cause skin issues such as sensitization and contact dermatitis. Sierra Club, an environmental organization, created a list of eco-friendly cosmetics that do not damage the skin or the environment. Further, fake skin and face paint recipes are made with natural food colouring and fruit or vegetable-based dyes, contributing towards sustainability.

Apart from the toxic costumes and the makeup, decorations also contribute to the unsustainable effects of Halloween. Decorations bought from stores are usually made from cheap and non-recyclable materials, such as plastics. Plastic plates, utensils, and cups are an intrinsic part of Halloween parties; however, the harsh fact is that these plastic plates and utensils will not decompose and will take thousands of years before they wear off from the planet. Moreover, decorative candles and tea lights contain petroleum-based paraffin that releases harmful environmental chemicals.

Millions of pounds are spent on pumpkins every night and will be dumped after the party. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States yields about 1.4 billion pounds of pumpkins yearly, ending in trash bins after Halloween. Once a pumpkin is put onto a porch, it uses multiple resources and fertilizers to grow it. In addition, pumpkins are a food type and disposing of them after Halloween night contributes to food waste. To reduce pumpkin waste, it is essential that we compost them, slice up the flesh for soup or muffins, bake the seeds, or blend them into a facial exfoliant instead of throwing them away. The pumpkins on the porch are edible, and it is essential to reuse them creatively.

Candies are an essential element of Halloween parties, but are these candies a sustainable form of treats?… think twice! The goodies and the candies are made from Palm oil, which essentially is not a sustainable source. According to NationSwell, which aims to address the world’s challenges, palm oil is “cheap to ship and produce” and emits greenhouse gases which can cause deforestation by burning forests for palm oil plantations. Such candies that are wrapped individually end up being in water polluting the water bodies and adding up to the already alarming pollution levels. These wrappers contribute highly to the floating debris in the water bodies, making them hazardous to the ecosystem.

Halloween is spooky and must stay the same for everyone enjoying the fall festival; it must be safe for those participating in the holiday but also for the environment and the planet. To ensure that we all act as responsible consumers, we must aim to purchase products that contribute towards a sustainable festival, not one that spreads pollution and waste. So, how can we make Halloween a green Halloween this year and contribute to waste or the landfills? Here are some ideas:

1. Conscious Wardrobe

Dress up conscious; we must look for inspiration within the wardrobe and create a costume from old clothes. Additionally, we can use environmentally sustainable materials. To remain sustainable and a conscious nature lover, donating old clothes to someone that can use the same in an alternative solution that can be adopted.

2. Sustainable Decorations

DIY decorations from old clothes or spooky stuff at home are a great way to deviate from plastic decorations and are muchly sustainable. Buying second-hand decoration materials or decorating from sustainable materials are some options that we can all choose and move away from the use of plastics.

3. Sustainable Party

Throwing a Halloween party can be considered highly hazardous due to the use of plastics and non-recyclable materials. However, serving in non-plastic cutlery is one way to avoid plastic usage. Furthermore, donating old stuff that can be used by someone else is an excellent means to put a curb on plastic pollution. Lastly, dump the containers at a recycling plant that can recycle the same and reduce the burden on landfills and marine bodies.

4. Sustainable Food

Often we see a considerable amount of food wasted yearly during parties. The problem can be solved by cooking at home, thus, reducing packing material wastage. Additionally, sharing the food with those who cannot cook it themselves is a great way to reduce food waste and dump it.

5. Sustainable Pumpkins

Halloween and Pumpkins go hand in hand; however, the same gets wasted and dumped after the party gets over. Using pumpkins judiciously is necessary to curb landfills and stop pollution from food wastage. Sharing the seeds with birds and wildlife, cutting the pumpkin in half and scooping the innards to fill the seeds, donating the pumpkin, composting or replanting the same for the future are some ways to reduce pumpkin wastage and addition to the landfills.

There can be several creative ways that we all can think off and make our Halloween sustainable, Eco-friendly and innovative. How much we want to make it sustainable remains to be seen.

EFFECTS OF RADIATION ON HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Radiation is an example of energy moving through the air as rays or particles. Dust, powder, and liquid are some materials to which radiation can cling. These substances can potentially develop radioactivity, which means that they emit radiation.

Nearly every day, one comes into contact with or is exposed to small radiation doses. This radiation is produced by manufactured and natural sources, such as the sun’s rays (like microwave ovens and medical X-rays); however, these radiations do not impact negatively.

Nevertheless, radiation events, like a nuclear power plant catastrophe, could expose anyone to higher, riskier doses. Precautions must be taken depending on the radiation type to safeguard human health and the environment from the effects of radiation while enabling us to reap the benefits of many applications.

What is Radiation?

Energy, known as radiation, travels from one location to another through waves or particles. However, the energy that emanates from a source and moves through space at lightning speed is radiation. The above said energy has wave-like qualities and is accompanied by an electric field and a magnetic field. Radiation may also be referred to as electromagnetic waves.

Radiation can take the form of light or heat. Because it has sufficient energy to knock an electron out of an atom, the type of radiation covered on this website is known as ionizing radiation. These atoms release extra energy or mass from radiation to achieve stability. The two types of radiation are particulate and electromagnetic (like light) (i.e., group given off with the energy of motion).

Some examples of electromagnetic radiation include X-rays and gamma radiation; some examples of particle radiation include beta and alpha radiation. However, another source of ionizing radiation is equipment like X-ray machines.

Radiation exposure is referred to as irradiation. When the whole or a portion of the body is exposed to radiation from the source, irradiation occurs. Humans are not radioactive after radiation exposure.

Effects of Radiation

Exposure to very high radiation levels, such as being close to an atomic blast, can cause acute health effects such as skin burns and acute radiation syndrome (“radiation sickness”). It can also result in long-term health effects such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to low levels of radiation in the environment does not cause immediate health effects but is a minor contributor to our overall cancer risk. Let us understand the impact of radiation on the following:

· The Environment

· The Human Body

· A Pregnant Woman

The Environment

The environment comes in second to people regarding the likelihood of harm being experienced. This is primarily because a nuclear power plant requires a high concentration of radiation to operate, and it is well-recognized that these facilities release much radiation that is hazardous to human health. These power plants have the potential to malfunction or even have accidents, which would be extremely harmful to both people and the environment.

Having to understand the fact environment is secondary to a human, I chose to talk about it first since it is the environment in which we all live and survive.

Other radiation types, such as those released after an atomic or hydrogen bomb explosion, are highly hazardous to the environment. Because of such radiation, the immediate area is destroyed, resulting in everything in its path being burned by the intense heat of thermal radiation, including people, trees, and buildings.

Animals, both domestic and wild, and agricultural plants, can become contaminated by dust made of dangerously broken atoms that are highly radioactive. Scientists can estimate the environmental impact of minor nuclear conflicts due to various areas’ development. An actual example of the above is the radiation produced at Chornobyl, which is equal to nearly a dozen atomic bombs being detonated at a height that would result in the most significant degree of blast damage.

At Chornobyl, a fire that burned for ten days emitted significant quantities of the radioactive particles iodine-131 and caesium 137 into the atmosphere. Living things are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of these isotopes. Atomic bomb blast sites can release radioactive particles that can travel to nearby waterbodies contaminating marine life. Additionally, berries and other plant life in the vicinity and woodlands would become contaminated due to the explosion of several atomic bombs.

The generations of animals and people that followed pollution would likewise experience genetic alterations and sickness. For instance, according to scientists, Chornobyl’s forests have high concentrations of radioactive caesium in their wildlife, which will remain the same for many years.

The Human Body

Exposure to various radiation sources specifically affects particular body parts. The potential adverse effects of radiation exposure on health depend on several variables, such as:

• The quantity of the dose (amount of energy deposited in the body)
• The radiation’s capacity to damage human tissue.
• Affected organ systems.

Numerous exposure mechanisms might lead to internal or exterior radiation exposure, i.e., a radionuclide enters the bloodstream when inhaled, consumed, or comes into contact with the body (for example, by injection or through wounds). Thus, the internal exposure ends radionuclide is expelled from the body, either naturally (via faeces, for example) or as a result of medical intervention.

When airborne radioactive material (such as dust, liquid, or aerosols) is deposited on skin or clothing, external exposure may result. This kind of radioactive substance is frequently washable off the body. Irradiation from an external source, such as medical radiation exposure via X-rays, can also lead to ionizing radiation exposure. External irradiation ceases when the radiation source is protected, or the subject passes outside the radiation field.

The effects of radiation on the human body include effects on:

· Hair

Radiation exposure of 200 rems or more results in rapid and clump-like hair loss, thus damaging the hair.

· Brain

Brain cells do not divide; unless the exposure is 5,000 or higher, they will not be directly harmed. Radiation damages small blood vessels and nerve cells, like the heart, and can result in seizures and immediate death.

· Thyroid

Exposure to various radiation sources impacts some body areas more than others. Radioactive iodine can potentially harm the thyroid gland, and radioactive iodine can entirely or partially damage the thyroid when used in high doses. The effects of exposure can be lessened by taking potassium iodide.

· Blood System

The blood’s lymphocyte cell count will decrease after exposure to about 100 rems, making the subject more vulnerable to infection. This condition is frequently called mild radiation sickness. If a blood test is not done, the early signs of radiation sickness may go unrecognized since they resemble flu symptoms.

· Heart

Small blood arteries would suffer instantaneous damage from intense radiation exposure between 1,000 and 5,000 rems, resulting in heart failure and death.

· Gastrointestinal Tract

Nausea, bloody vomiting, and diarrhoea are symptoms of digestive tract lining damage by radiation. When the victim is exposed for 200 rems or longer, this happens. The radiation destroys the body’s quickly dividing cells, which damages the DNA and RNA of the remaining cells, including blood, GI tract, reproductive, and hair cells.

· Reproductive Tract

Rem levels as low as 200 can cause harm to the reproductive tract since its cells divide quickly. Some radiation illness patients will eventually become sterile.

Effects on Pregnant Woman

Most radiation exposures that a pregnant woman can experience, like diagnostic medical exams or work exposures within legal limits, are unlikely to impact the fetus negatively. However, unintentional or deliberate disclosure that exceeds legal limits may be of concern. The risk of radiation exposure to the unborn child will depend on the following factors:

• The radiation dose: smaller doses (amounts) are safe
• The fetus’s age: the further along in pregnancy a woman is, the better
• The location of the radiation exposure: tests on the abdomen or pelvis or where the radiation is carried in one’s blood pose a higher risk than other tests.

The effects of radiation on pregnancy include:

· Malformations

During the organogenesis stage of early pregnancy, the chance of abnormalities increases (2 to 8 weeks). The threshold for potential prenatal radiation damage in a fetus under 16 weeks of gestation is roughly 0.10 to 0.20 Gy (100 to 200 mg, 10 to 20 rads). After 16 weeks of pregnancy, the threshold is substantially higher, at least 0.50 to 0.70 Gy (500 to 700 mg, 50 to 70 rads). The fetus is resistant to the teratogenic effects of ionizing radiation beyond 20 to 25 weeks of gestation or late in the second trimester.

· Growth Restriction

A lasting physical development restriction was seen in follow-up data from atomic bomb survivors as radiation exposure increased, particularly over 1 Gy. The same was especially clear when the exposure occurred in the first trimester. At age 18, the height decreased by 3% to 4% anytime the cumulative dose exceeded 1 Gy.

· Mental Retardation

According to studies, the risk of mental retardation and microcephaly was highest between 8 and 15 weeks after conception, when the exposure took place. The anomalies were linked to improper neuronal development, most likely due to altered cellular differentiation, poor neuronal migration, and radiation-induced permanent cell injury. No cases of severe intellectual impairment were observed in newborns of survivors exposed before eight weeks or after 25 weeks post-conception. With a threshold of 0.12 Gy (120 mGy, 12 rads) at 8 to 15 weeks and 0.21 Gy (210 mGy, 21 rads) from 16 to 25 weeks, the risk became apparent as a linear function of the dose exposed.

· Miscarriage

A miscarriage can also result from radiation exposure while pregnant, and a baby in the womb dying before 20 weeks of pregnancy can be the same. Furthermore, the embryo may fail to implant. In addition, there are cataracts, congenital malformations, and central nervous system disorders.

Understanding the harmful effects of radiation on humans and the environment, thoughts to reduce time and effort must be emphasized, and focus must be laid on simple portable equipment.

The festive season of 2022 has kicked in, and so has all the fun, laughter and frolic – be it the recently concluded Ganesh Chaturthi across Maharashtra, Durga Puja in Kolkata, or Dussehra across India and Diwali, which is just around the corner.

Festivals represent culture, and sustainability is the need of the hour and part of popular culture, “It is high time sustainability is integrated into the core design of our festivals. Religion acts as the essence in engaging masses, and festivals are important milestones to drive home the message and action of sustainability.” So far, idols are prepared using synthetic paint to achieve glaze and glitter on the idol. Still, the artists are encouraged and motivated to use plant-based colours to ensure less impact on the environment. The idol artist community feels pleased with the change and being a part of the sustainable movement as they feel this is their way of giving back to the planet.

Contributing their part, artists now prepare Maa Dugga’s wig With jute instead of nylon (which is highly unsustainable). Changing times come in changing ways, especially in the post-pandemic world. Artists who prepare the Idols are now ditching traditional materials to prepare the idols (like gypsum plaster). They have replaced the same with mud, fruit peels, leaves, husk, rice, and more sustainable materials that do not adversely impact the environment.

Besides incorporating sustainability as their core theme, many significant festivals include greener initiatives. Music festivals and their organizers and fans are building resilience into events, including circular-economy strategies throughout the supply chain and the performing space, from planning to execution. To ensure a more sustainable supply chain, organizers review how events are managed for the environmental, social, and financial impacts to reach net-zero emissions and waste. In addition to encouraging festivalgoers to clean up their trash before leaving, festival organizers can tackle many other aspects of sustainability to lower their carbon footprint.

Strategic efforts at sustainability not only need to ensure the festival grounds are maintained well enough for years to come but should aim to cut down on the food, materials, and carbon footprint from what is, in essence, the biggest, most exciting festival in the world. In addition, venues and artists are hosting specifically designated spaces for promoting educational activities, as well as more resources for promoting sustainability efforts, as well as other ways that people can help beyond a music festivals grounds. As the festivals emphasize environmental issues, more venues and festivals are on board. Many artists and venue operators are already leading the charge to try and mitigate adverse environmental impacts associated with music festivals and other live music events.

With a lot of the efforts in the future focused on Zero Waste Music Festivals and even more of an emphasis on Sustainable Concerts, this gives people a form of entertainment they have loved for years without compromising their ecological values.

Positive voices within the sustainability events community see a world where music festivals can become shining examples for others to emulate. Only when entertainment and music festivals are seen as extensions of our being will questions about waste management and sustainability be addressed without a single-size-fits-all solution. Having to essentially build mini-cities for the inflow of people looking to dance, drink, eat, shop, and leave behind waste, festivals around the world began viewing their events as opportunities not just to give music fans a memorable weekend but also to provide innovative ways of solving the problems of waste and pollution. The same includes attending festivals that are walking the walk when it comes to being the best sustainable festivals.

Festivals that opt for an eco-friendly path, implementing green practices all over their experience, are creating truly great experiences for fans to return to year after year – turning environmental sustainability into financial sustainability. Artists and promoters looking for additional ways to aid in their efforts towards sustainability could partner with organizations such as REVERB, which helps to create tours and festivals with environmental awareness, all the while connecting with fans. Some festivals are leading the way in eco-friendly efforts, and this movement is not going unnoticed. For instance, last year, the Mad HattersaA affair festival became a new sustainability festival. Held in September in Polegate, East Sussex, the festival is designed to inspire visitors to make the world a better place.

Sustainability is both misleading and self-explanatory. It is misleading since the media often limits sustainability to environmental factors; it is self-explanatory, as it can continue for a relatively extended period. Prolonging our health, clean and healthy environments, quality food and water, good governance, and proper social order is paramount for a planet to be sustainable and livable. Suppose we regard festivals as the basis of our civilization that encompasses aspects of transportation, energy, education, innovation, food/water and waste, to name a few. In that case, there is no better test case to prove what is possible. Festivals can plant seeds of awareness and, hopefully, one day will blossom into the sustainable world we all aspire to live in.

References

· https://www.politico.eu/article/sex-drugs-sustainability-music-festival-green-environment/

· https://www.fastcompany.com/90421665/can-music-festivals-go-from-generators-of-garbage-to-sustainable-innovators

· https://blueandgreentomorrow.com/sustainability/celebrating-impressive-shift-towards-sustainable-festivals/

· https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2022/07/28/how-music-festival-organizers-can-clean-up-their-act-for-sustainable-fun/

· https://www.aworldtotravel.com/sustainable-music-festival-guide/

· https://drinkflowater.com/blog/sustainable-concerts-music-festivals-take-steps-to-go-green/

· https://wysidio.com/event-strive-sustainability/

· https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/environmental-music-festivals-1227689/

“You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, inform them, and help them understand that these resources are their own and must protect them.”

WANGARI MAATHAI

The word “Environment” is derived from the French word “Environ”, which means “surroundings“. Thus, the environment literally constitutes everything around us, essential for survival. Protecting our mother nature is the most daunting task for humankind. With the complex nature of the activities linked at every level of human existence, safeguarding our natural resources and preserving them for future generations is a challenge we fight for every day.

Environmental awareness is a strategic communication process that aims to promote knowledge of the environment and keep people updated on the catastrophic impacts of climate change and how humans can deal with its adverse effects. To raise awareness is to bring forward the environment’s fragility and highlight the importance of protecting nature and its biodiversity. Environmental awareness is an integral part of the environmental movement (i.e., the responsibility of humans to respect, protect and preserve the environment from anthropogenic involvement.)

Countless resources are available to spread awareness like media (print and electronic), group learnings, seminars, books, public debates (about the potential environmental hazards and how we can overcome them), short films, and advertisements that can play a crucial role in bringing about the desired awareness about the environment and bring a curb on global GHG emissions and the plastic usage.

This paper discusses the role media has played in bringing awareness levels amongst the citizens of India. It discusses what has been discussed and what can be achieved in the future.

THE ROLE OF MEDIA

Media plays a defining role in raising environmental awareness about global climate change and the steps required to curb the adverse impacts at all possible levels. The role of media is broadly focused on three core areas: inform, educate and entertain its audience and provide the relevant information without making it preachy.

Traditional media such as radio, newspapers, and television have long been important sources of information, and they continue to be so despite the new digital medium’s rise in disseminating awareness and effecting change. Environmental education and understanding have been changed thanks to the internet medium. Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, and other social media platforms have made knowledge more accessible and creative. Google (the search engine) allows audiences to learn new definitions and meanings in microseconds, making it easier to understand new procedures and processes. YouTube provides several video links that teach ideas such as environmental education, greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability adaptation and mitigation processes, and other topics that help people adapt to sustainability in their daily lives.

With so much information and data available to learn and understand, youth today are exposed to many opportunities that enable them to shape their careers and care for society and the environment at large. Media, in various forms, establish a link between the experts and the audience to create an atmosphere of mutual collaboration and cooperation in achieving sustainability. The mass appeal of the media ensures establishing a positive thought process in describing and contributing toward environmental protection.

After understanding the vital role media plays in shaping the thought process of a society, let us shift our focus to how Indian media has played its part in educating and bringing awareness to the community about the environmental issues that concern Indian culture and contributing toward global ecological conservation campaigns.

ROLE OF INDIAN MEDIA

India is the world’s second-most populated country, and changing people’s thinking and having the desired influence on environmental issues will necessitate a massive amount of planning and strategizing to educate residents about the effective and efficient use of natural resources and attain net zero.

Transforming India is about transforming a significant part of the globe into a clean and green environment. Indian media has come a long way in spreading awareness and bringing about change. With time, it has significantly matured in accommodating climate news and highlighting steps taken at various levels by agencies across nations.

The “Chipko Movement” in the Himalayan area of India started the environmental movement in India in 1970. The campaign drew much attention, but Indian media did little about environmental issues, unlike in other countries.

However, the situation changed considerably during the 1980s when much was spoken and written about climate, the changes, the devastation it can bring, and the impacts. During the 1980s, only when several noted columnists like those Anil Agarwal, Darryl D’ Monte, Usha Rani and many more gave their valuable inputs in several columns across various print formats about the environment.

The 1990s saw colossal momentum in print and electronic media, which extensively covered environmental issues and brought them to the public domain. ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ is one such movement covered extensively by the media. The 1990s further saw the onset of liberalization that enabled the Indian media to explore and present the global environmental concerns and steps taken to curb the same. During this time, concepts like sustainability, climate change, climate change impacts and adaptation and mitigation strategies were given space in print and on the front page of the newspapers.

The onset of the new millennium gave rise to a whole new dimension to the environment and the concerns, and the present-day media talks explore and debate the climate and the harsh impacts on our survival.

Let us now understand how the media has evolved in India and what role it has played in bringing awareness:

THE PRINT MEDIA

Due to its reach and low cost, print media is unquestionably the most critical media medium for creating awareness. Environmental reporting has evolved into an essential journalism component, with specific columns highlighting crucial developments in ecological consciousness. Environmental content writing is quickly becoming a research topic. According to figures from the Indian Readership Survey (IRS), for the first quarter of 2019, overall readership increased to 425 million from 407 million in 2017. This readership spans 93 languages and dialects across India.

Among many magazines, “Terra Green“ is a monthly magazine of TERI (The Energy & Resource Institute of India) that discusses sustainable development and environmental issues. TERI also published a range of books, “Terrapin“, which deals with ecological issues and are meant for kids between the ages of five and fifteen.

“Down to Earth“ is ASIA’s fortnightly on politics of the environment, which was started in 1992 by the environmentalist “Late Anil Agarwal” and the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. The magazine highlights the threats from climate change in India and globally.

“The National Geographic“ is another magazine published by the National Geographical Society that aims to highlight climate change and related issues and opinions of various experts. “Geography and You“, a semi-research magazine from New Delhi, talks about the environment, science, and technology. Additionally, major leading publications (both newspapers and magazines) publish much news about climate impacts, e.g., The Hindu has been carrying an annual publication, “Survey of the Environment“, for many years.

Dainik Bhaskar, a leading Hindi-language newspaper in India, started “Jal Bachao Abhiyaan” and significantly impacted its readers. Another top daily initiative, “Jal Satyagrah“, a movement that began as a particular drive every summer during April and May that aimed to encourage people to save 15% of their daily water usage. The above initiatives gained momentum in the 1980s-1990s and brought environmental awareness to the forefront.

The Electronic Media

The radio and television are examples of electronic media with extensive geographic reach. Audio-visual communication that significantly impacts people’s thoughts is one of the critical advantages of electronic media over its print counterpart.

RADIO, an electronic medium considered the “cheapest” media, had become instrumental in raising awareness with its flagship projects on the environment. Since their inception, radio shows like “Kinare-Kinare” and “Aao Dilli Savaren,” inspired by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, have been a huge hit. Although the extent of information at the local level was limited, it has always been vast at the national level.

All India Radio (AIR) has been a front runner in developing projects on environment and climate change initiated by various ministries from time to time to bring about the desired level of awareness amongst its listeners. “Paryavaran” was a programme jointly produced by AIR and Vigyan Prasar and broadcasted from January 1988 to December 1988.

Another vital medium is television, which has immense reach due to its ability to use storytelling and engaging narratives to capture the attention of its audience and, thus, create an impact on people’s minds and attain sustainability. Satellite television has revolutionized, bringing global environmental news through various channels. National Geographic Channel and Discovery have focused on ecological issues, informing about the climate crisis and how it worsens yearly.

” During 2011-2012, “Paryavaran Darshan” was a scheme that executed the Central Pollution Control Board’s “Mass Media Support to Environmental Awareness” initiative in DD-National and 18 Regional Kendras. “Terraview-Stories from the Earth,” sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of New and Renewable Resources, TERI, and UNEP, was another effort that Doordarshan broadcast. A 52-part series of five-minute short capsules was carried in Hindi and English on DD news. Every Sunday at 10.30 a.m., DD National broadcasted “Earth Matters.”

A leading Indian TV channel launched NDTV-Toyota Green Campaign in April 2008 to save the environment. It later organized “The Greenathon- a 24-hour live fund“, raising event aimed to provide support to TERI’s “Light a Billion Lives” initiative in 2009. The program focused on bringing solar power to villages without electricity.

In addition to the above initiatives, there has been another one by a famous TV Channel, Zee Media Corporation Ltd., Which launched the “My Earth My Duty” campaign in 2010 to sensitize people against environmental degradation from 2001 to 2002.

The New-Age Media/ Digital Media

The 21st century saw the rise of new-age digital media, where everything is available online, and the world is available with the click of a button. This new-age digital media is a blend of web-based technology available on desktops and mobile phones. The technology is so easily manageable and available that smartphones and smart televisions sync with the technology, making lives more straightforward, accessible, and informed.

With the advent of digital technology, “social media” emerged as one of the most powerful communication tools of our time, altering how communication channels function and process information, making it instantly accessible to everyone. The internet, podcasts, videos, and blogging have become indispensable resources for new generations in schools, offices, entertainment, medicine, and other aspects of life.

Dedicated web spaces in the environment ensure that the audience can communicate with experts and can adapt to the path of sustainability. Indian Water Portal is a website that shares knowledge and builds communities around water and related issues in India. The Arab Uprising 2011 is another networking website that has garnered massive worldwide support.

Social media has become one of the most potent tools preferred by experts, academicians, scholars, governments and NGOs to spread awareness and suggest measures to achieve environmental sustainability. Additionally, social media influenced the concept of Circular Economy and familiarized the world with the 5Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle). The above concepts are being talked about extensively on social media platforms ensuring that the audiences understand what the concepts are about and how the two can be adopted in everyday life to achieve a sustainable lifestyle.

Furthermore, campaigns like “World CleanUp Day“, “Do not print, send emails“, and many such are being hugely promoted and initiated on social media platforms to engage the audiences and familiarise them with environmental sustainability and ecological balance concepts. #TeamTrees is an organization that encourages the world to donate and plant more and more trees through its social media handles.

Other Media Sources

Other initiatives have garnered massive media attention, apart from the above media options. Amongst many is the PAANI Foundation, initiated by Indian Celebrity- Mr Aamir Khan and the Star India Pvt Ltd. The initiative has garnered enormous awareness amongst the people facing a massive water crisis—the initiative aimed at channelizing water resources to people with actual water shortages.

There have been many short films and plays emphasizing environmental conservation and preservation. Amongst many, “The Man who speaks Nature (2018)”, a short documentary shot with a minimum budget, won the “Best Film” title in the Fifth International Nature Film Festival Awards in Godollo, Hungry in 2020. However, despite substantial critical acclaim, the documentary could not attract media attention in India; thus, not unable to make a mark on the minds of the audiences. There have been many such documentaries; however, the media could not spread awareness, and the environmentalists’ efforts to enlighten their audience went futile.

Conclusion

With all of the preceding examples, it is clear that the media plays a critical role in raising awareness about environmental issues, and Indian media has come a long way from being a backseat entertainer on environmental issues to taking the lead and discussing climate change issues and how to achieve a balance. However, the media must overcome numerous obstacles to launch an awareness campaign covering all aspects of climate change and its consequences. Every stakeholder (businesses, financial institutions, politicians, NGOs, social influencers, environmental agencies, legal experts, and public representatives) must be brought together on a common platform to discuss climate emergencies and create an atmosphere of balance and sustainability equilibrium, according to the media. It may be argued that Indian media has made significant contributions to building a survival-friendly environment; nevertheless, it still has a long way to go in terms of raising awareness and educating its consumers to create a sustainable world… For future generations, a planet that is livable and breathable.

References

1. file:///C:/Users/Prachi/Downloads/The_role_of_the_media_in_the_enhancement.pdf

2. https://eudl.eu/pdf/10.4108/eai.18-7-2019.2290193

3. ttps://www.academia.edu/35295066/Role_of_mass_media_in_creating_environmental_awareness

4. file:///C:/Users/Prachi/Downloads/The%20Role%20of%20Media%20in%20Safeguarding%20the%20Environment%20in%20India.pdf

5. file:///C:/Users/Prachi/Downloads/ROLE%20OF%20MEDIA%20IN%20CONSERVING.pdf

6. https://medium.com/@percevalroger_16306/how-social-media-helps-increasing-environmental-awareness-22daa21cbf8d

7. http://ijamtes.org/gallery/35-feb2019.pdf

“When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you cannot eat money.”

Alanis Obomsawim

The world in modern times is grappling with how human activities affect Earth’s global climate. Tangible impacts and climate change caused by global warmings, such as melting glaciers and ice sheets, rising sea levels and changes in seasonal temperatures and precipitation patterns, among many such devastating impacts. With burning fossil fuels and poisonous gases for many decades, humankind has amplified the greenhouse effect at an alarming level, raising the planet’s sustainability.

With the changes in the climate becoming obvious and harmful, scientists warn about the long-term impact of the climate crisis and how such changes will impact the species.

Often the terms “Global Warming” and “Climate Change” are used interchangeably by the media and various other public platforms discussing the role of fossil fuels is damaging the environment. While the two terms are and can be used interchangeably, the two are distinct phenomena that need to be discussed and the result of cause and effect relationships. So, understanding the fundamental difference between the two would mean understanding the two concepts, their evolution and the real difference between them?

What is Global Warming?

Global warming describes the increase in the global average temperatures. The global average temperature is projected to increase by 3 – 7 degrees F by 2100, causing irreversible damage to the worldwide ecosystem and biodiversity.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), global warming results from a build-up of greenhouse gases that trap heat in the Earth’s lower atmosphere. The phenomenon results in a gradual increase in average temperatures across the globe, leading to severe damaging impacts on the planet. In the words of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “every 0.5 ° C additional temperature of global warming causes a “clearly discernible increase in the intensity and frequency of hot extremes including heatwaves, as well as agricultural and ecological droughts”.

The impact of global warming could be so harsh that according to a report released by the UN (in May 2019), most of the destruction and extinction of various species (animals and plants) have been due to human activities and have occurred since 1900. The report indicated that roughly a million species are further at the brink of extinction and that the native species in land-based bio-systems have fallen by approx.. 20%.

Some of the examples of various global events that are the aftermath of global warming are:

• According to the National Resources Defense Council, increased temperature causes heatwaves in areas unused due to extreme summer heat, making them unfit for usage for agricultural purposes or any other such purpose.
• According to data issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (as of January 2021), more than 600 deaths occur yearly due to extreme heat in the USA alone. The data for the rest of the world would be much higher and much scarier to comprehend.
• US Environmental Protection Agency observed that global warming increases air pollution by increasing the ozone layer and that nitrogen oxide NO2 and volatile organic compounds react to sunlight creating ground-level ozone. Furthermore, Frontiers in Immunology published a journal that predicts that by 2050, global warming could increase the number of ozone-warming by 68% in the United States alone. The rise would hugely impact the breathability of outdoor air for people at large and specifically for people with respiratory issues.
• Melting ice caps caused due to global warming would lead to the sea-level rise at unprecedented levels. Some reports suggest that the sea-level rise will be around 4ft by 2100 due to the rising temperatures.
• Global warming impacts the rise in temperatures which will harm the wildlife in a much more negative way than anticipated. Extreme temperatures may lead to many species extinction from the ecosystem entirely.

Although average global temperatures were cooled by the 2020-2022 La Niña effect, 2021 was still one of the seven warmest years on record, according to the data compiled by the World Meteorological Organization. Global warming is expected to continue due to record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

“The average global temperature in 2021 was about 1.11 (± 0.13) °C above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) levels. 2021 is the seventh consecutive year (2015-2021) where the global temperature has been over one-degree Celcius above pre-industrial levels“, according to all the data compiled by the WMO.

What is Climate Change?

“Climate” describes the weather conditions expected in a region at a particular time of the year. Thus, climate change describes the regional/ global changes in climate patterns due to the “greenhouse effect“. It covers a wide range of weather, climate and surface temperature changes on the Earth. Climate Change includes changes in global weather patterns, which might impact the precipitation averages and extremes.

Some of the examples of climate change are:

• Warming of Northern part of the Northern Hemisphere, thereby warming a major part of the globe.
• Increase in rainfall in some parts of the world, while the part of the world suffers from severe droughts—two extremes at a time.
• Unexpected hail storms, dust storms and snowfall, disrupt lives and livelihoods and throw them completely out of gear.

The changes that occur due to climate change would include:

• Ecological Imbalance
• Rising sea-levels
• Changes in ocean humidity and circulation
• Social impacts

The above are some of the impacts which can be further devastated since the increased concentrations of carbon dioxide will stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years, so the Earth will continue to warm in the decades to come. Furthermore, the warmer the planet becomes, the higher the risk for severe changes to the climate and the Earth’s system.

Although it is challenging to predict the exact impacts of climate change, it is clear that the climate we are accustomed to is not a precursor to what the future holds for the planet.

Origin of the phrases “Climate Change” and “Global Warming.”

While the two terms can be used interchangeably, they originated at different times and under different scenarios:

The term “Global Warming” was first mentioned by a journalist in Indiana’s “The Hammond Times” under the phrase “a large scale of global warming“, which in turn came from the research conducted by the Oceanographer Roger Revelle in the year 1957 discussion on how much does the ocean absorbs heat?

However, until 1975, the term “Global Warming” was used in the influential scientific paper “Climate Change: Are we on the brink of a Pronounced Global Warming” by prof. Wallace Broecker at the Columbia University.

Hereafter, climate scientists frequently used global warming and climatic change. However, the exact term “Climate Change” originated much later and first gained its proper understanding in the year 1979 when a scientific paper was published under the title “Carbon Di Oxide (CO2) and climate change: A scientific Assessment”.

Henceforth, climate change got its mention and earned its actual value when in 1988, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed. It was formed to advance knowledge on human-induced climate change and is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations. With the formation of the IPCC, climate change, its impacts and reporting structure and procedure became more streamlined and gave the researchers a dedicated field of study to innovate and invent technologies to curb the climate crisis.

The terms climate change and global warming have been used in everyday conversations and almost in all fields, and there is not much difference between the two, yet the two possess some underlined differences. It is essential to understand such differences:

Differences between Global Warming and Climate Change

In summary, global warming and climate change are interchangeable and are used more frequently than ever, but there is a distinct difference between the two. Despite being distinctive, human interference is the common factor that has led to both phenomena. It is, therefore, essential to note that both are threats to every living being on the planet.

The bottom line is that today’s global warming is an unprecedented type of climate change and is having a catastrophic impact on the climate system, and it is these impacts, and it is these impacts that are having a more significant impact on the ecosystem biodiversity and society. The changes are grave enough to impact every life and livelihood than the rising temperatures alone, Through collective and collaborative action, we can curb the imminent threat and bring about the change.

Changes in government policies, regulatory mechanisms, implementation and monitoring of the policies and regulations framed, the global participation and above all, the individual participation and consensus that the climate is changing and we collectively have to act to curb the crisis is essential to bring the change.

After all, there is no Planet B!

References

1. https://www.unrevealedfiles.com/important-differences-between-global-warming-and-climate-change/

2. https://weather.com/science/environment/news/climate-change-global-warming-difference

3. https://drupal-www.climate.woc.noaa.gov/news-features/climate-qa/whats-difference-between-global-warming-and-climate-change

4. https://pediaa.com/difference-between-global-warming-and-climate-change/

5. https://skepticalscience.com/climate-change-global-warming.htm

6. https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/difference-between-global-warming-and-climate-change

7. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560

8. https://globalwarming.com/articles/global-warming-vs-climate-change/

9. https://www.carbn.com/blog/global-warming-vs-climate-change

SHADOW PANDEMIC

“Gender Equality is critical to the development and peace of every Nation.”

Kofi Annan

Widespread stay-at-home restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 locked women down with their abusers (mostly intimate partners), creating dangerous conditions for violence against women and girls, leading to tragic consequences such as abuse, assault, and pain.

COVID-19 has led to notable domestic violence worldwide, and Statistics indicate a considerable jump in the cases reported of domestic violence. Between June 2019 and April 2020, more than 243 million reports of sexual abuse or physical violence against women or girls (aged between 15-49) have been reported globally. UN Women around November 2021 released a new report highlighting the impacts of the pandemic on women’s safety at home and in public areas. The report further expresses concern about the erosion of feeling safe in and around the home and public spaces leading to a negative impact on the mental and emotional well-being.

The report (by the name “Measuring the shadow pandemic: Violence against women during COVID-19”) reported that 1 out of every two women feel unsafe and have faced violence during the pandemic. Additionally, the women who reported such violence are 1:3 times more likely to report increased mental and emotional stress than those who did not report any violence. Furthermore, there has been an approximately 30% increase in domestic violence cases in countries like Singapore, Cyprus, Argentina, and France (as of April 2020, five months to the lockdown). In INDIA, the National Commission for Women (NCW) received 5,297 domestic violence complaints in 2020 compared to 2,960 in 2019.

Data collected from the National websites of many Nations indicate that women feel unsafe during the night while walking alone, or the pandemic has added their anxiety levels leading to breakdowns and emotional trauma. There have been instances where women have expressed their concerns over increasing sexual abuse in public and private spaces.

All the data and facts have been staggering, hinting at a society full of inequality and violence against women. The stark socio-economic inequalities worsened by the pandemic have placed the women at a higher risk of violence, as a loss of income for women in abusive situations makes it even harder for them to escape. These risks are evident when looking at differences in experiences, feelings or perceptions amongst women across age groups, employment status, and those living with or without children. As the result of the global crisis, violence against women and girls will continue to escalate as long as unemployment, financial strains and insecurity persist.

It becomes necessary to investigate why such a situation persists and grows with each passing year and with every new calamity. Is it the patriarchal system of the society, or is it the social distress, or does it emerge as an aftermath of the economic slowdown, or there is something else?

Experts believe it is a mix of almost all the factors that have been mentioned in the above section, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, issues like such became more highlighted and came into everyone’s notice. Violence against women is not an inevitable part of anyone’s culture, and it needs to be prevented; despite plenty of efforts made in the past decades, we still have a long way to go to reach the ambitious goal of equality.

The pandemic has led to unemployment, economic instability, and loss of power globally, leading to alcoholism and stress resulting in abuse. However, none of those mentioned above factors is powerful enough to give rise to domestic violence and abuse of any kind.

So, is there anything we can do to eradicate inequality and social injustice against women from our society? Organizations like the World Bank, the United Nations, and the UN Women mention some initiatives to collectively solve the problem and eradicate the issue of domestic violence. One way is to prioritize reporting and police response against domestic violence to take action against complaints; countries like Belgium, France, Spain have made massive progress in this regard. Emergency shelters for women well equipped with medical care must be established so that women can instantly take some action against their partners and be safe. Governments also need to step in and be the policymakers; there must be initiatives to enforce strong laws against the complaints made by women.

In addition to the above, providing easy psychological assistance for those in distress is another aspect that needs attention. Domestic violence or the “Shadow Pandemic” is an evil that can be eradicated but a collective effort by the government, NGOs, Non-Profitable Organizations, private players, social influencers to spread awareness about the menace and the ways to get over it is something that is required.

Movements like #metoo, #blacklivesmatter, #Revolution Now, and many such others must be initiated so that more and more women can join and talk about their sufferings giving courage to others to speak against violence. Celebrities using their social power would be another way to highlight the cause and stop abuse entirely. Nations can adopt gender-neutrality as a part of the overall system, eradicating bias and making women-centric laws to promote equality.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most unprecedented times in recent history, with a massive loss of human lives across the globe. With the adverse impacts of the deadly virus, the pandemic has been a catalyst for the rise in domestic violence against women. On the one hand, the lockdown emphasized work from home; the post lockdown scenario gave rise to depression, anxiety, fear and loneliness, which is challenging to overcome to date. However, it remains to be seen how the post-pandemic world shapes up and how the agencies (both government and non-profitable) can solve another crisis –”The Slow Poison- Shadow pandemic“.

References

1. World Bank blog: https://blogs.worldbank.org/developmenttalk/shadow-pandemic-violence-against-women-during-covid-19

2. World Health Organization, South-East ASIA: https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/25-11-2020-act-now-to-address-the-shadow-pandemic-of-violence-against-women

3. https://www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/EssentialServices-Infographic-COVID-FIN_WEB_VERSION.pdf

4. UN WOMEN: https://data.unwomen.org/publications/vaw-rga

5. United Nations, Africa Renewal: https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/december-2021/violence-against-women-has-worsened-due-covid-19-pandemic

6. IDEAS FOR INDIA: https://www.ideasforindia.in/topics/social-identity/covid-19-shadow-pandemic-and-violence-against-women.html

Image: Pariplab Chakraborty

Devastating bush fires, floods, wildfires, intense heatwaves are some of the tangible impacts of climate change that the world is witnessing over time. The IPCC sixth Assessment Report, 2021, has confirmed that the climate is changing primarily due to human-induced activities such as burning fossil fuels, dumping wastes, the inability to achieve sustainability, and many such activities harming the planet’s ecological balance.

Climate Change is a reality and threatens the future of the planet. The constant changing of the climate causes psychological impacts on the mental health of a human being triggering emotional distress, grief, loss, frustration. According to a survey conducted in 2018 in the United States, almost 70% of the people are worried about climate change, and nearly 51% feel ‘helpless’ about it. This feeling of helplessness and distress is termed as “ANXIETY”.

ANXIETY arising from the awareness of the rising risk of extreme weather events, fear for the generations to come, and feeling helpless for not doing anything about it is called “ECO-ANXIETY“. Coined by the philosopher Glenn Albrecht in 2005, eco-anxiety refers to the existential pain experienced when one resides in an area subject to environmental degradation.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the year 2017 described eco-anxiety as “a chronic fear of environmental doom”. Eco-fear is a commonly used term in literature and research to describe increased emotional, mental and Somatic Distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate system. Psychologists and psychiatrists are observing a growing number of people who feel stressed by the environment. Hopelessness and fatalism are on the rise, and reports suggest that climate change, natural disasters and environmental catastrophes contribute to mental illness such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, aggression, violence, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and more. Mental health studies in Greenland and Australia have revealed a surge in people reporting climate-related stress and depression.

Understanding the current state, many physicians still believe that eco-anxiety is not similar to clinical anxiety, though the fear that worsening of climate may trigger mental health issues. Even though eco-anxiety is not considered to be a clinical anxiety disorder, some interesting facts emerge:

In the year 2019, the Australian Medical Association, the American Medical Association, the British Medical Association and the Doctors for Environment Australia officially recognized climate change as a medical health emergency and confirmed that climate change is real and is happening. These medical associations further added that the impact of climate change would be felt tangibly across the world, leaving a lasting impact on the mental of the people globally.

Additionally, the fact that harsh impacts of climate change are being felt got verified by a report by Millenium Kids Inc and the University of Western Australia in 2019, which concluded that nearly 89% of the young people in the bracket of 7-25 years are concerned by the effects of climate change.

In addition to the above, it is not very comforting to know that 70% more adults between 18 and 24 years were worried about climate change in 2020 than in 2019. Also, 87% of the Australian tweens considered climate change as something to act upon in 2018. 57% of the American teenagers reported feeling afraid of climate change in 2020, with 52% feeling angry-both the rates being higher than the percentages in American Adults.

The above statistics about eco-anxiety prove to be a potential threat to the human mind and confirm that climate changes and their impacts influence human psychology. So, what are the symptoms of an eco-anxious human?

There is no one symptom to understand that a person suffers from eco-anxiety. Apart from common symptoms like hopelessness, sorrow, grief, other potential symptoms are:

1. Fatalistic thinking

Being fatalistic means that whatever is going to happen cannot be changed. It involves many negative thoughts and leaves a person feeling pessimistic about climate change, leading to all sorts of negative thoughts in a person’s mind.

2. Existential Dread

A feeling of anxiety from those fears that are just living upon us, and we are not aware of them. For example: what would happen if we get wiped out by an asteroid, pandemic, life transition etc.

3. Guilt regarding the increase in carbon footprint and not being able to do anything about it.

4. Obsessive thoughts about climate and an urge to take action to do something about it

5. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

The disorder can happen to a person after experiencing a traumatic event that can make them feel shocked/ fearful/ helpless). For example, wars, earthquakes, tsunami, pandemic

There can be other symptoms as well, but they can vary from one individual to another. Such symptoms can lead to Sleep Disorders, Loss of Appetite and Loss of Concentration, further adding to the miseries of an already disturbed mindset. These symptoms can further vary based on the factors that drive eco-anxiety. Such driving factors are:

· Live Experience

Listeninabout an experience is one thing, and experiencing the same first-hand is another thing. When someone experiences a natural calamity, it affects that person’s psychology, thereby making him/her vulnerable towards life and developing a feeling of fear or grief.

· Extensive news coverage

Extensive media coverage on how the global GHG emissions are increasing and disturbing the overall ecological balance of the planet slowly affects the psychology of a human being. Additionally, volcanoes, tornados, cyclones, wildfires, and many such natural phenomena affect various parts of the world adds to the already existing feeling of grief and fear in a human being’s mind.

· Regretting one’s carbon footprint

We all are aware of the carbon footprint of human beings on the planet and the harsh impacts that the world is facing due to climate change. Another factor that drives anxiety is the guilt and the state of sorry that one experiences due to one’s contribution to the carbon footprint.

There could be many such factors that drive anxiety in a human being that may depend on the individual lifestyle, social factors and the geographical locations that one is exposed to and beyond its control.

The above facts and statistics and the frequent occurrence of natural disasters leave a lasting impact on the human mind and bring anxiety to one’s mind. Although it is difficult to control fear and grief, some measures can be adapted to control such feelings. Amongst many, the most important is to open up and talk about what one is feeling. Opening up to what one feels makes us comfortable and more relaxed, preparing ourselves better for the future. Furthermore, talking about one’s own experience validates distress, and we can connect ourselves with many like-minded people. The entire process can become a platform to discuss the problems, the potential solutions which ultimately can help many such people in distress.

Another measure that can be adopted is reducing one’s carbon footprint. Reducing carbon footprint by reducing wastage, conserving water, adapting to a sustainable lifestyle, consuming organic food, and many such initiatives can be adapted. These practices create a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that we are doing our bit. It further boosts confidence to discuss the practices adopted by an individual and guide to adapt to similar footsteps.

Being under challenging times lets us help a loved one; the same can be a practice towards embracing nature when it is in its most formidable hour of sustainability. Taking steps to conserve local nature and educating others to embrace nature and help nurture it.

Along with the steps mentioned above, measures like meditating and taking professional help may help reduce anxiety. Though it might prove beneficial, talking to an expert might reduce the distress significantly and improve the functioning of day-to-day life.

There could be medicines to reduce the stress, entertainment activities to indulge in, adapting a hobby or a sport and many such ideas to divert the mind and reduce anxiety. Having said all this, it is an individual’s personal choice as to how to deal with the anxiety and overcome it.

The above discussion concludes that there is anxiety about the environment, and changing climate is a significant issue. However, the fact remains that it is not something that has been formally researched yet though we know it is a vital issue for children and teenagers, and it is changing the way adults vote that eco-anxiety is a crucial issue that must be discussed and researched upon extensively. Despite the common belief that eco-anxiety is not a clinical issue, it is certainly part of human’s mental health in the present scenario and we need to keep abreast of the issues impacting peoples’ lives as a whole to support them best.