The first step towards any healing process is acceptance. Once you accept your problem, only then will you be able to find a solution for it. Same goes for climate-change.
The thing with climate-change is that it is gradual and yet consistent. Slowly rising global temperature, melting of polar ice-caps, rising ocean levels, etc. are evidence enough that the world needs saving. We need to act fast, and in an effective way, if we are to save the planet from this ecological disaster which just might prove to be the end of the world.
There has been a long-standing debate on whether the climate-change is real or not and our leaders have their own stands and points of view on it. Paris Agreement of 2015 was drafted in order to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate-change. It urged nations to come together as one and combat this global threat together by taking necessary steps to control the rise in global temperature. The United States of America exited the agreement on July 1, 2017. It argued that it will affect the jobs of people, especially in manufacturing sector, and hence will affect the economy at large. How are we supposed to battle an enemy which we even refuse to accept is real?
I agree that some actions from our world leaders are required to bring widespread change in the world but we can contribute our bit by accepting the fact that we are a part of the problem. We are the ones who ultimately use plastic, waste electricity, and burn fossil fuels.
Rae André, a professor emeritus of leadership and sustainability at Northeastern University quoted that “People who want to help mitigate the effects of climate change need to focus on the problems they can solve in their lives and communities”, in an article by David Harbeck.
We, on an individual level, need to make some changes in our day to day lives in order to bring real change in the world. And, for that we need to first acknowledge and accept the fact that we are responsible and that climate-change is real.
Anushka Singh