When "Climate change" works as push factor for disaster preparedness...

    

The temperature recorded on 10.08.2021 is 48.8 degrees celsius in Sicily(Itali). For the last few weeks, countries (south & south-east part of Europe)- like Greece, Turaska, Algeria are facing an extreme forest fire. Already 65 nos of deaths had been reported in Algeria.

   According to meteorologists, temperature rise might be up to 50 degrees celsius in near future.

   (Src-Local newspaper ABP, wb, India.)

 Average long term changes in temperature are going to affect the entire world. British meteorologists had guessed of rising of temperature above 50°C in Europe & same is going to happen in other parts of the world.

     All those mentioned above reflected the burning issue of "Climate change".  In a recent climate change report of IPCC, it had been mentioned that in the forthcoming next 20 years-average temperature of the earth will cross 1.5°C(by 2040) & which will result in 

1.Increase in extreme heat

2.Loss of glacier storage in Asian High Mountains.

3.Increase of summer monsoon downpour with variability over southeast Asia.

4.Presence heat waves & increase of humid heat stress over south-east Asia.

5. Increase in sea level up to  (1.1 m).

IPCC strongly suggested 'Net Zero emissions" by 2050 through making a balance between greenhouse production & emission.

  Climate change will act as a push factor for disaster preparedness & very soon it is going to be an integral factor as must be done in our life.

   Dear friends, natural disasters use to happen on the earth & we fight have seen earlier also but the disasters that we are witnessing due to man-made climate change -had become a crucial factor. This made us bound to think over disaster preparedness to take seriously & in advance because-

a) Global warming, temperature change & energy imbalance in the earth have an impact on the life of us.

b) Flood, searing drought, wild forest fire, rising sea level would create climate change refugees in the world.

c) We would witness such disasters more frequently, every now and then & this is going to affect on life & livelihood of human beings.

      Disequilibrium of earth temperature will bring extreme monsoon somewhere, while other parts of the earth might be facing extreme heat, drought & forest fire.

    Our preparedness should be according to the needs of the place. & availability of resources. 

 NGO's can work better as they work with the grassroots & at local levels. 

   Let us try to point these out.

1. Partnering with civil society organizations for hazard studies, research & monitoring.

2.To Engage Ngo professionals in advocacy, mobilising & training of local people related to preparedness.

3. Training to the local people regarding making a team for regular discussion, suggestion & taking actions related to alert creation, the search of suitable & safety places during an emergency, food distribution, Keeping first aid ready.

4. Adolescents should also be prepared & included in the team. They can be very energetic in rendering services. Preparing children will impact as facing with less or 0 trauma while facing actual disaster.

5.Emphasize should be on regularly updating on training related to-- Risk assessment, emergency management, Finding of alternate places, Having disaster prevention plan, Mass awareness & communication system(for support network).

6. One of the very important factors is Livelihood which can be affected during & after the disaster. Finding suitable alternative livelihood skills, training on those skills &  to sharpen for future purposes

7. Training can also be provided on linking across various segments, leadership development in preparedness(like making a kit ready to use for actual disaster time), responses & recovery.

8.Proper plan & responsibilities to the team members(Reunification volunteers) regarding reunification with family members especially for older persons, disabled persons. This team will help to reunite the family members who had gone missing out during an emergency situation.

9. As told earlier points- the emphasis should be on Livelihood. Here it will be on the Livelihood baseline Assessment plan. It is actually gathering of information regarding no of persons, resources etc that can be affected by the disaster.

10.Formation of   Disaster Preparedness Committee(DPC), selection of members & distribution of responsibilities. Linkage establishment with local  Govt authorities.

   Scientists had been warning us  &  Several plans had been made so far & but till today there lacks human consciousness & seriousness. 

  We all know that the following factors should be considered seriously & at the earliest..

a) Gradually shifting to universal rules & binding instead of different ones (of course with a time frame) in "Paris agreement".

b) Emphasis on carbon capture technology that would block CO2 from entering into the atmosphere. But here one has to think over social & economic costs associated with it.

c)Much more Strong initiative from Govt. side to shift towards renewable energy sources--wind power, solar system, replacing fossil fuels.

 d) Gradually shifting towards the use of electric & hybrid model(electric + gas) car.

e) More efforts towards renewable energy investment & creating job opportunities, especially in developing countries as clean energy resources becoming a great preference worldwide.

 Alone none can tackle the problem of global warming.  It is a fact that  Parameters suggested in pairs agreement in lowering temperature can't assure safe level warming. Human consciousness, political willingness, resources available in countries play important factors in combating climate change challenges.

  But for the sake of our survival, we should change our behavioural & materialistic lifestyle modern approach.  Working on concepts like-"Agriculture & soil regeneration"(regenerative agriculture) would definitely be helpful for CO2 emissions & global cooling. 

I would suggest you go through -"KISS THE GROUND"(click on this) to have that excellent idea of regenerative agriculture. Nowadays organic farming is becoming popular not for the idea of earning but also to produce healthy & chemical-free foods. It helps in reducing global warming(by storing more carbon in the soil & thus less in the atmosphere) & health risks to the public.

Now global attention is going to be shifted to disaster preparedness to save our life & livelihood. If we can change our behaviour, increase consciousness, give up using materials that are non-biodegradable & keep the temperature at around 1.5°C(by 2040) then at least we would be able to lower the risk of loss of communities especially our coastal communities.

   No rules can ever be binding until & unless there is the internalisation of it by the mass. The future is in our hands. It is time for us to think to allow climate change to work as a push factor for disaster preparedness or to face the challenge to reduce it.