Page 54 - COSMOS & H -Health - Science

H for
H for

Health
Health

CARBON LITERACY: A
CARBON LITERACY: A

TRANSFORMATIONAL NEED OF THE ERA
TRANSFORMATIONAL NEED OF THE ERA

The climate crisis is not everyone’s concern, and most often
The climate crisis is not everyone’s concern, and most often
people assume that climate change refers to warmer
people assume that climate change refers to warmer
temperatures only. But temperature rise is just the beginning
temperatures only. But temperature rise is just the beginning
of the story. The average temperature of the earth’s surface
of the story. The average temperature of the earth’s surface
is now 1.2℃ warmer than at any time in the last 100,000
is now 1.2℃ warmer than at any time in the last 100,000
years. The last decade (2010-2020) was the warmest in
years. The last decade (2010-2020) was the warmest in
records, and each of the last four decades has been warmer
records, and each of the last four decades has been warmer
than any previous decade since 1850.
than any previous decade since 1850.

When it's just hard to know where to start, that's
When it's just hard to know where to start, that's
where the carbon literacy project comes in. In an age
where the carbon literacy project comes in. In an age
where the impacts of climate changes are increasingly
where the impacts of climate changes are increasingly
evident, carbon literacy has emerged as a crucial and
evident, carbon literacy has emerged as a crucial and
transformative need of the present era.
transformative need of the present era.

As the world grapples with the carbon emission
As the world grapples with the carbon emission
consequences of rising temperatures, extreme weather
consequences of rising temperatures, extreme weather
events, and environmental degradation such as intense
events, and environmental degradation such as intense
droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels,
droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels,
flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and
flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and
declining biodiversity, understanding the role of carbon
declining biodiversity, understanding the role of carbon
emissions in these changes has become essential. Carbon
emissions in these changes has become essential. Carbon
literacy represents a powerful tool for driving the
literacy represents a powerful tool for driving the
systemic change necessary to address these global
systemic change necessary to address these global
challenges.
challenges.
While a growing number of countries is
While a growing number of countries is
committing to net zero emissions by 2050,
committing to net zero emissions by 2050,
emissions must be cut in half by 2030 to keep
emissions must be cut in half by 2030 to keep
global warming below 1.5°C.
global warming below 1.5°C.