Don’t you think the days feel a bit warmer than yesterday? And did you notice how every other day there is a news headline on different disasters occurring in other regions of the world? 

So why is this happening? The proof is in the pudding. It’s global warming! Nothing new, is it? It has been a threat to our planet since the beginning of the 21st century. And sadly, we humans are the instrument in causing global warming. 

Global warming, in general, refers to the increase in global temperature due to a rise in the emission of greenhouse gases – hampering the balance of nature. 

But do we know why it is a threat? Global warming affects certain geographical factors of Earth, for instance, climate and sea levels. And if we fail to control global warming, we can say goodbye to our trips to Hawaii and the Maldives. 

Why? Rising sea levels will engulf these destinations with ease. If we don’t act now, we also have to say goodbye to making snowmen in winter as climate change is unpredictable.

We create these problems, and we find it unbearable; now think about the animals. Can you imagine the next generation will not even believe that polar bears and koalas existed? 

And remember that cute panda you saw in the zoo eating bamboo? Well, he and his mates may be 1 of the 100 alive pandas. Thousands of such animals are becoming extinct, and millions are losing their habitat. 

Due to industrialisation, deforestation has occurred in several countries. According to a 2023 research paper, ‘The Lungs of Our Planet’ is at substantial risk of deforestation. As the name suggests, the Amazon rainforest helps stabilise the climate by regulating carbon levels in the atmosphere. 

It also inhabits thousands of different animal and bird species. So why are we cutting down all these trees? Why are we harming the climate of our planet? WHY ARE WE INVITING TROUBLE FOR OURSELVES?

Over the years, the global community, including the international assembly, has repeatedly addressed the issue of climate change. We can observe the worldwide effects during the upcoming five months of classes in 2024. 

From the early tsunamis in Japan to the recent flooding in Dubai, these raised alerts among environmentalists, voicing their concern about climate change again from the beginning of the year. 

But it went to deaf ears. Even though we are a part of the Commonwealth community, we as a third-world country make things more difficult. Most people are unaware of the global hazards the world is facing currently due to a lack of knowledge and education. 

Most rural people don’t know the term “global warming”, and it’s not surprising since they are more concerned with getting food than with climate change. 

Apart from that, rural people are not aware, but what is the excuse for the people who are living in the cities? You will notice on every road, there are crisp plastic packets and other plastic waste piled up. And who is responsible for that? 

Did any of you visit the sea beach recently? How much plastic did you see lying on the surface of the sand? I can even bet that there is more plastic than grains of sand. 

So how can we blame anyone other than us who is so unbothered about the fact we are destroying our nature? Do you know where this plastic ends up? IN THE MARINE LIFE. Increasing the risk of almost cleaning up the whole marine ecology. Still, NO ONE IS CONCERNED! How self-centred are we? 

No one is ready to sacrifice their sophisticated lifestyle. And unfortunately, it does not last long for whoever tries to raise their voice over climate change. 

For instance, the greatest protest over climate change took place in 2019 under the leadership of Greta Thunberg, and it took over the world for a whirlwind, but that storm also warmed up eventually and vanished afterward due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But that protest didn’t fail. The aftermath of the protest is that more young people are conscious of the negligence of the world leaders about our future. Since we are not completely defeated, we can still fight. “Where there is a will, there is a way!”

One of the Commonwealth’s basic values is to protect the environment, and the most effective way to achieve that is by empowering young people. WE ARE THE FUTURE! We should gain the ability to secure a peaceful and green world. Adults are already failing to achieve an environmentally friendly Earth, so it will be a matter of time before we will be the target of their created disaster. 

We have the right to protect the environment like adults. It will be hard for us to make a difference at once, like shutting down a company responsible for polluting the surroundings. 

TAKE SMALL STEPS! We can start making changes in our daily lifestyle, like planting trees, using less electricity in our everyday life, making sure to save water, and recycling plastic products. 

Plastic is a deadly and treacherous item for the environment. Plastic is non-biodegradable, so it does not decompose easily, and the worst part is that if incinerated, the toxic gases are the fuel to global warming since it generates harmful greenhouse gases. 

So, we must rely on the mantra of recycle, reuse, and reduce. Young people should host active campaigns to spread awareness. Also, students should have influence in schools by creating posters to spread awareness and giving speeches to children so that they can also contribute to the change.

All these may seem overwhelming, but always remember that change starts with you! We are now the generation, and it is we who must unite to save our Earth. 

Settlement on Mars is a long way to go, so it is us who must preserve our Earth. We cannot let marine life and other animal species pay for our sins. It’s time to take a stand! Don’t leave remarkable things for tomorrow. Earth needs us, and starting today we are its protectors!