How to solve the Climate Crisis

When it comes to Climate Change there are many opinions surrounding this topic.
This, for me, is rather odd, because the climate crisis is an undeniable change explained
by science. I can understand skepticism regarding this issue as it is well known that
mass media is quick to manipulate information, even the one that is essential knowledge
to us, like the state of our planet. Another factor that is important to acknowledge is
that, even though the climate crisis is a trendy topic, not many people know what is
actually causing the situation or how to correctly act to fight back the crisis. Unless
someone feels really strongly about this cause, the source of their information about the
climate crisis will be limited to mass and social media. Even though these types of
media are able to spread a message worldwide and expose information about a subject
constantly, that doesn’t assure that everyone is really understanding what they are being
told. An article published by three German Communication and Media Sciences
researchers proves that even though we are constantly in “contact” with this trendy
topic, this doesn’t mean we understand what we are actually being informed. Hoppe,
Taddicken, Reif (2018) state that “Media messages carry the potential to enable
audiences to develop and enhance knowledge, and thus shift attitudes and behavioral
intentions. But, exposure to media about climate change and climate sciences does not
guarantee comprehension” (pg. 2).
I firmly believe that as an active member of society, each one of us should take the
time to research topics that impact us all, such as the climate crisis. I have, and I want to
share what my research has taught me in hopes that it will help spread more accurate
knowledge about this issue. Naturally, the first question that has to be answered in order
to answer how to solve the climate crisis is: What is climate change?
I dug deep into resources to really understand what climate change is, and after
looking through various environmental non-profit and profit organizations, think thanks
and articles written by experts I can now define what climate change is, what areas it’s
affecting, why the change is worrying and offer some small and big scale solutions.
First and foremost, climate change is a notable change in the pattern of weather.
This change in the climate pattern is directly related to the oceans, land surfaces, and ice
sheets and the adverse effects can be seen in the previously enlisted (Australian
Academy of Science, 2020). In my early findings, I discovered that climate change is
not a new thing that is happening to the planet, it’s been decades in the making and it’s
not something we, as the human race, could have prevented. Climate change is natural
and aggressive on its own natural terms, as we have seen throughout history with
natural disasters. Even though we call them disasters because they have devastating
effects on the human population, for nature these events aren’t meant to be disastrous;
they’re just meant to happen to provoke change. The Australian Academy of Science
explains:

“Global climate varies naturally over time scales from decades to thousands of years
and longer. These natural variations can originate in two ways: from internal
fluctuations that exchange energy, water, and carbon between the atmosphere,
oceans, land, and ice, and from external influences on the climate system, including
variations in the energy received from the sun and the effects of volcanic eruptions.”
(2020)

The unnatural acceleration of change in climate has been provoked by humans.

Human activities have a negative effect and aggravate the crisis because it causes a
change in temperature, concentrations of CO2, and other greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. Humans have caused risky fluctuations in the average temperature of the
Earth. Atlas Service Corps, an international network of social leaders that address what
they called 21st-century problems published in an article last year:

“Since the industrial revolution began in 1750, CO2 levels have risen by more than
30% and methane levels have risen more than 140%. The concentration of CO2 in
the atmosphere is now higher than at any time in at least 800,000 years” (2019).

Scientists say temperatures are rising faster than ever. This causes a very bad
greenhouse effect, which I’ll explain next. What’s important to keep in mind is that the
unnatural fluctuation in temperature is destroying our ozone layer which is permitting
more solar energy to hit the Earth’s surface. The University of California Berkley
(2020) made a graph where we can observe the constant climate change the planet has
experienced since the 1800s. The bars in red show that the world has in fact been
getting warmer at an unsettling pace.

Figure 1: The World has been getting warmer graph elaborated by the University
of California Berkley (2020).

We can’t afford to damage our ozone layer anymore because we cause the famous
greenhouse effect. I’ll break down what this effect consists of briefly. When solar
energy reaches the Earth, it passes through the atmosphere but because of the damage in
the ozone layer, some rays are not able to bounce back into space to have the cooling
effect the Earth’s climate needs. Some rays of solar energy are trapped by the CO2 in
the atmosphere, which has been elevated due to human activity and causes our planet to
become warmer. So, why should this be worrying to us? For two reasons: the first being
that if there isn’t enough solar energy being reflected back into space the Earth’s
cooling mechanism won’t be efficient. Without this effect, the Earth would not be able
to sustain life. The second reason is that the temperatures that are already becoming
warmer will also make life on Earth unsustainable. Rising temperatures tamper with the
well-being of our ecosystems and seasons. (Australian Academy of Science, 2020)
 Figure 2: The Greenhouse effect graph elaborated by BBC (2020).

This is what Climate Change is about, explained in the briefest way. Now it’s
important to understand what areas the climate crisis is affecting specifically. This crisis
has an impact on temperature, polar regions, oceans, forests, fresh water, and wildlife
(WWF, 2020). Basically, all things we, as the human species, need to survive.

The climate crisis is a very serious matter, I can’t emphasis that enough. We are talking
about the biggest environmental challenge the human race has ever seen. We can’t live
a long happy life if we don’t a healthy planet. Generations to come will pay the
consequences for the human activities that are destroying our home, our Earth. This
isn’t only me repeating the pro-environmental speech we have been given through mass
and social media recently, I’m talking about scientific facts.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is the United Nations
body for assessing the science related to climate change declared in 2018 that “Global
warming is likely to be the greatest cause of species extinctions this century. The
IPCC says a 1.5°C average rise may put 20-30% of species at risk of extinction. If
the planet warms by more than 2°C, most ecosystems will struggle. ”
Remember when we talk about species, this include the human one. This is why this
climate issue is very worrying.
Understanding the gravity of this global crisis is the first step. Now that we
know what climate change is, we can go on to answering how do we solve it. As we
have seen, this crisis affects many areas. I have focused my research in the areas
previously enlisted and will go into offering solutions I have found have been suggested
and some that are already in motion to save the planet.
Let’s begin talking about what can be done to reduce the greenhouse effect.
There are several ways to reduce this negative effect. For one, we have to reduce our
carbon footprint. Our carbon footprint determines how much carbon we are responsible
for releasing into the atmosphere based on daily habits. The more fossil fuels we burn,
the bigger our carbon footprint is, and the more we contribute to global warming,
making the world a hotter world to live in. Reducing our carbon print is one way of
reducing the greenhouse effect. It’s in each one of us to really make that change. You
can calculate your carbon footprint in a very easy way. The Carbon Footprint has a link
(https://www.carbonfootprint.com/) where you can know how much fossil fuels you are
consume on a daily. This way you can self-evaluate how to reduce your carbon
footprint. For example, using public transportation to get to school or work instead of
taking a private vehicle. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began we have been seeing
news about air pollution decreasing in different parts of the world, such as China and
India. Also, wild animals are taking the city because they feel safe to do so, almost as if
they are reclaiming what is theirs. Human confinement has permitted the Earth to
breathe and we are seeing nature blossom freely, which is good for us because if our
planet is healthy so are we. In the words of scientist and Professor of Law and Policy in
Water Resources and Environment, Joyeeta Gupta (2019): “Our key message is that a
healthy planet enables healthy human life - and that the planet is becoming increasingly
unhealthy and this is impacting our health”.
Another way of reducing excessive fossil fuels is by making conscious shopping
decisions. Let’s be honest, we don’t really need that much stuff. We should opt to buy
sustainable products, this meaning that we should try to choose brands that offer
products that can be recycled, that are produced in an eco-friendly way and a way that is
responsible for employees’ health and well-being. If we, as consumers change a way of
buying, companies will be obliged to change their way of producing and selling. There
have been many new companies emerging based on eco-friendly values. This new way
of “sustainable” consumption is very appealing to consumers. Dr. Matt Johnson,
professor at Hult International Business School says (2020), "There is accumulating
evidence that consumers are impacted by the perceived sustainability of [a] brand, and
further, that consumers are willing to pay a premium for products from a sustainable
brand over a non-sustainable competitor brand."
The previous be explained with a toothbrush. A couple of years ago bamboo
toothbrush became a very popular alternative to the average plastic toothbrush. The
reason it has become so appealing is because this product, which is a daily necessity,
does not cause a negative impact on the planet. It doesn’t add to pollution by ending up
in one in the Pacific trash vortex, which is a “collection of marine debris in the North
Pacific Ocean. Marine debris is litter that ends up in the ocean, seas, and other large
bodies of water” (National Geographic, 2020).
Let’s take as example the brand The Bam & Boo Toothbrush. This brand sells
bamboo toothbrushes that are “made of 95% renewable sources and 95%
biodegradable”. The handle is made of bamboo and the bristles from nylon 6 BPA free,
which is a better option than plastic but, in all disclosure, it’s not a biodegradable
material. The brand acknowledges this and promises consumers they are investing in
I+D to find a better material. Also, the brand promises to plant a tree every day. This
company has an interest in reducing the negative effects of global warming and
consumers that care about the environment can see this and are willing to change their
behaviour with their hygiene routine and their shopping habits. A big multinational like
Colgate has seen this change in consumers’ behaviour and begins to understand that if
they wish to continue being top of mind in the oral hygiene market they must implement
changes in their products. Last year Colgate released their first-ever bamboo toothbrush.
Although all their usual plastic toothbrushes are still selling it’s important to note that
multinationals are getting the message. The Earth needs eco-friendly products that don’t
cause a bigger greenhouse effect while being produced or make our pollution problem
worst when the product is going to be disposed of.
Habits are what shape the world. We must be the change we wish to see. At the
moment electric cars are more expensive than a normal car but these types of vehicles
are helping tackle the climate crisis. They don’t produce greenhouse emission, this is
their main benefit. There some confusing information and reports about these cars, some
experts say that these vehicles aren’t as green as they seem and other claim they are a
key solution to solve the climate crisis. The Carbon Brief, which specializes in covering
the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy with data-
driven articles and graphics to help improve the understanding of climate change
explains the situation with electric cars best (2019):
“While no greenhouse gas emissions directly come from EVs, they run on
electricity that is, in large part, still produced from fossil fuels in many parts of the
world. Energy is also used to manufacture the vehicle – and, in particular, the
battery.”
This means that there is still a far way to go. These eco-friendly cars do help to an
extent. The way to make them help in a bigger percentage is by investing in renewable
energy. Renewable energy is generated in a natural way, it can be powered by sunlight,
geothermal heat, wind, tides, water or biomass which is renewable organic matter such
as wood, waste, and alcohol fuels. Utilizing renewable energy is recommend by
scientist and is one of the points signed in the Paris agreement which is legal binding
global agreement that sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by
limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Another way to solve the climate crisis is by adopting other types of behaviours that
have become popular. Such as recycling. This way we can reuse materials and stop so
many fossil fuels being burned while fabricating materials such as plastic. Recycling
also helps stop deforestation. We might feel a little tired of hearing the “Reduce, reuse,
recycle” claim but it’s the small gestures that make a big difference. Another behaviour
that is important to change is our nutrition. I know that veganism might not be
considered a viable option by many and that’s okay, there is another way to reduce
negative impact. If we accommodate our diet so that we don’t consume meat on a daily,
we are already helping relieve the climate crisis. The WWF stated in 2019:
“Food is at the heart of many environmental issues – it’s a significant
contributor to climate change and responsible for almost 60% of global
biodiversity loss. Our food system relies on nature but the rise of our Western
diet - high in meat, dairy and ultra-processed food - is inefficient and resource
intensive.”

One issue that doesn’t spring to mind when thinking about the climate crisis is
the overpopulation we live in nowadays. More people mean more fossil fuels being
burned. Back in 2014 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warned,
“Globally, economic and population growth continued to be the most important drivers
of increases in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion”. Restricting people to have
fewer children seems like an aggressive approach but really this needs to be done.
Overpopulation is a serious issue, but I feel like sometimes we forget about it just
because it’s not a vivid part of the European or Western reality. Regardless, we must
always try and think on a global scale. Educating people by teaching them about sex
education is something governments of the world must invest in. The think thanks, Pew
Research Center, shows some interesting and startling numbers:
 “Africa is the only world region projected to have strong population growth for
the rest of this century. Between 2020 and 2100, Africa’s population is expected to
increase from 1.3 billion to 4.3 billion. Projections show these gains will come mostly
in sub-Saharan Africa, which is expected to more than triple in population by 2100. The
regions that include the United States and Canada (Northern America) and Australia and
New Zealand (Oceania) are projected to grow throughout the rest of the century, too,
but at slower rates than Africa” (2019).
These are some of the individual solutions we can do to fight the climate crisis. I
looked into what different countries are doing to fight this global problem. It’s
incredible what can be achieved when people come together. In 2019 the UN Climate
Change Summit released a report where we can see countries that are “top of the class”
and those that are “barely trying”. Marroco, India, and The Gambia are those countries
that are acting against the global climate crisis. On the other hand, the United States,
Russia, and Saudi Arabia are the countries that show no interest in stopping global
warming.

Figure 3 Top of the class graph elaborated by Climate Action (2019)

Figure 4 Barely trying graph elaborated by Climate Action (2019)

 The criteria for choosing these countries is based on The Paris Agreement. This
agreement signed back in 2016 has now 183 nations that have pledged to reduce their
carbon emission. Every country has a self-set realistic goal and some, as we have seen
don’t even bother to accomplish them. The Climate Action Tracker has the mission to
follow up with those countries to assess if they are on track to accomplishing their
goals.
Let’s get into what these countries are doing or aren’t doing to be the “best” and
the “worst”. Firstly, “top of the class” country Morocco has invested in the Noor
Ouarzazte complex which is a concentrated solar farm the size of 3,500 football fields.
This initiative generates enough electricity to power two cities the size of Marrakesh.
Their establish National Energy Strategy is set up to generate 42% of their energy from
renewables by 2020. India, is on the same track, they have invested in renewable energy
even more than they have invested in fossil fuels. India has the goal of generating 40%
of its electricity through renewable energy by 2030. The Gambia is also betting their
horses to renewable energy, but they have taken on the challenge of restoring 10,000
hectares of forests, mangroves, and savannas. (National Geographic, 2019).

There are many ways to solve the climate crisis, but the important thing is to act
in some way to fight back this global issue. This is our responsibility as the human race,
we cannot let our planet die slowly because of our selfish and consumptive behaviour.
Before acting out in any way we must take it upon ourselves to be informed. We need to
read and not be conformist with the information mass and social media bombard us
with. We need to feel the urge to question what we are being told and research about
this cause. Remember, knowledge is power. Once we become informed it is our duty as
an active member of society to keep up with what our government and power organisms
are doing in pro of containing the climate crisis. Our voices are powerful tools. We are
the citizens of the world, governments should work for our well-being not the other way
around. Last year, on September 20th, there was a global Climate strike where more
than 4,600 events were held in 150 countries (Independant, 2019).

The scientific data does not lie. The temperature getting warmer is no myth. The
climate crisis is real, and we should all be worried. Knowing what causes climate
change, the areas this issue affects, and what we can do to make things better should be
enough to make us act as individuals in order to fight for the world. In the words of
Greta Thunberg, the youngest environmental activist the world has ever seen: "You
must unite behind the science. You must take action. You must do the impossible.
Because giving up can never ever be an option." ( US Congress, Washington DC, 17
September 2019)
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Figure 2

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Figure 3

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Figure 4

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