CLIMATE JUSTICE FOR CLIMATE SHOCKS

By: Jonathan Tetteh-Cole aka NORJGiX

A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material such as coal, oil, and natural gas, formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals that is extracted and burned as a fuel. Fossil fuels may be burned to provide heat for use directly, to power engines, or to generate electricity.

We call crude oil and petroleum fossil fuels because they are mixtures of hydrocarbons that formed from the remains of animals and plants (diatoms) that lived millions of years ago in a marine environment before dinosaurs existed. FOSSIL FUEL is synonymous with hydrocarbon deposit, nonrenewable energy, and nonrenewable fuel sources.

As a civilization emerges, we depend on fossil fuels (as we do today), because fossil fuels are so easily accessible, and they provide quite a lot of energy when compared to other sources of energy. Our current political and economic infrastructure etc. depends on it. Scientifically, we got it all wrong initially! Little did we know that it is going to impact our environment and ecosystem negatively.

Now that we know fossil fuel which contributes more than 80% of our GHG as well as land, air and water pollution while not ignoring other sources of pollutants, we see the need to embark on the transition to cleaner-and-greener energy sources.

Let’s consider these impacts due to climate change and global warming:

Unpredictable weather pattern

Draughts

Hunger strikes

Loss of arctic sea ice

Loss of species

Loss of inlands

Rising sea levels

Severe storms

Poverty and displacements

Vector-borne diseases

Wild fires

Why not consider and embark on these innovative and smart energy sources with minimal or zero negative impact?

Bioenergy

Biofuel

Biomass

Geothermal

Hydro

Wind

Solar

Nuclear

Tidal

As we absorb climate shocks now, it is right to make collective efforts to realize our climate ambitions now and future. Starting from individual, household, industries, and governments – embark on developing and implementing green innovations to Reduce–Carbon-Footprints:

Create mitigation plan to decarbonize

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reengineer, Repair, Refurbish

Nurture the climate self-discipline and it will become a norm

Buy only the needs to reduce wastage

Consume more fish but less meat

Consume local and seasonal organic products

Prolong products shelve life

Donate old clothes

Avoid products with excessive plastics

Buy only biodegradable plastics

Buy, borrow, rent, swap and share second-hand products

Don’t live your equipment to be overcharged

Turn off lights when unused

Take short showers

Buy only energy-efficient and RoHS ICTs

Buy from environmentally friendly companies that takes back to recycle

Bike-more-drive-less-fly-less and patronize public transportation system

Buy hybrid or electric vehicles

Develop green-road infrastructure

Embark on waste segregation and compost food waste if possible

Avoid cheap-eye-catchy and trendy fashion that rely on fossil fuels

Invest in green innovations and quality products

Embark on green-birth

Right or wrong, contextually, I believe there is the need to integrate Arts-Science-Technology-Innovation-SocioCultural-Political-Economic-Ecological-Legal norms. Henceforth, it is our civic responsibility; moral right; and legal obligation to selflessly protect our environment and ecological system (PlanetEarth) from warming.