Climate change is no joke.

Climate change is a term used to describe  long-term weather changes that is still happening over the globe and always been linked with global warming. Average Earth's temperature was increasing without any decline records since a few decades ago. Researchers realized this increasing pattern in 1850 and since then, they recorded the daily temperature without fail. The world today shows that Earth is 1°C warmer compared to years between 1850 to 1900. Each 1°C absorbs 7% of Earth's humidity and make surrounding even drier. Although the natural weather system like El Niño could help in balancing the Earth's surface temperature, but human hands will never stop to make global warming and climate change worsen.

Causes of climate change

The main causes of global warming is the greenhouse gases (GHG) emission. The key gases of GHG are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The gases cannot evaporate and become renewable sources like water do. They will forever trapped inside the ozone layer and keep raising the Earth's temperature through times. Carbon dioxide is known as natural gas produced naturally by human respiratory and decomposition process. However, the excess carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere is a worried some. Fossil fuel burning nowadays are inevitable since vehicles, transportation, and factories are part of human needs. Meanwhile massive deforestation have reduced the plants available that help turn the carbon dioxide to oxygen. This not to mention yet the contribution of methane and nitrous oxide gases from farming activities, fuel exploitation, open burning, email storage, usage of digital devices, as well as home appliances such as air conditioner and refrigerator. China is the first world carbon emission contributor, followed by America, India, Russia and Japan (as November 2019).

Effects of climate change worldwide

Climate change phenomena shifts the world temperature trends and eventually affects the sea surface temperature. High sea surface temperature increase the sea level and cause coral bleaching. Coral reef is a habitat of thousands of marine life and a breeding ground for many commercial fish species. The corals also used as wave breakers thus, they help protect the coastal areas from Tsunami or unpredictable wave crash. Ice blocks in Greenland, Antarctic, Arctic, and mountain glacier in the world have started melting as well. Current warmer and drier conditions have also reduced the forest's function to provide home to thousand species of  wildlife and protect them from wildfire or natural disasters.

Climate change is certainly affecting most on world economy and socio-political. African countries have been impacted with food security issue and starvation for years. Their homes are no longer suitable for farming and fishing as the extreme weather made the country dry. Arctic population were affected and turned them to be refugees. Climate change phenomena also increased the frequency of cyclone and typhoon events in the Philippines with average of 20 events per year, while 5 of them are destructive ones and caused many death. 

Effects of climate change in Malaysia

Malaysia is really fortunate to not become a cyclone path or volcanic line like other south east Asia countries. Nevertheless, the Malaysia researchers from Malaysia Climate Reality project found that, Selangor, a home for almost 6 millions people, will be facing more clean water shortage issues by 2030. Climate change has affected much on the rainfall records in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. High temperature not only influences the water supply, but the issue would also hit the number of patients coming to hospitals due to heat intolerance or dengue fever reasons. Aedes mosquitoes breed greatly in hot weather.

Researchers predicted that, about quarter of Malaysia population will displace and relocate to safer place due to massive floods. The worst flood cases were recorded in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2014, and 2017. The flood happened frequently in line with the increasing temperature. Malaysia is also seeing a reduction about 10% - 15% of annual yield from farming activities because of unpredictable weather. Farmers and economic industry players struggled to maintain their crops throughout the year. If this trend continues, it will affect the national economy, food security, and local livelihood.

Authorities initiatives

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change was signed and ratified by almost 190 countries including Malaysia. The agreement first in force in 2016 under United Nation initiatives. The focus is to ensure the increase number of world temperature must be below 2°C or limit of 1.5°C. Before the Paris Agreement, Malaysia also has framed a National Policy on climate change since 2009. Many action plans and master plans have been framed and improved. In 2019, Malaysia has launched a Green Technology Applications for the Development of Low Carbon Cities (GTALCC). This 5-year project promotes integrated solutions to reduce the greenhouse gases emissions specifically to reduce 346,422 ton of carbon dioxide by end of project. They focus the project in 5 cities, namely Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Iskandar City, Petaling Jaya, and Hang Tuah Jaya.

Public actions

The questions here, are all initiative plans will be adequate to tackle this climate change issue?  Will the initiatives meet success? How effective their implementation plans are? As a responsible society, we should play our own responsibilities to support government and non-government bodies that work really hard to reduce those climate change impacts. These are the examples we can do to respond to government's call on climate change issue׃ 

1. Use public transports or vehicle sharing often.
2. Save energy and water.
3. Keep the house clean in and out to avoid the aedes mosquitoes breeding.
4. Do not litter, that this may reduce impacts when flooding. Trash will trapped in the drainage system and obstruct flowing.
5. Learn and practicing recycle, reduce, and reuse.
6. Avoid plastic wherever we can.
7. Shrink our digital footprints - clean up our email inbox.
8. Support sustainable practice company.

Eventually, at the end of the day, climate change impacted much on human generations. In such a way, each of us MUST play the important roles to reduce the impacts of climate change. The responsibilities played are crucial for the sake of our generations, our futures, our environments, our planets, and ourselves.

Climate change impacts, from human hands they come, to human hands they punch!