Dire predictions as a result of global warming have been floating around for a long time now. Such a predicament, scientists say, is due to the increase in greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere through fossil fuel combustion. By reflecting back the space bound heat waves, the gases are responsible for raising the temperature of the earth’s surface. That alters the dynamics of various natural processes, which have now become a source of concern for the scientists. Experts at a conference on global warming say it will boost outbreak of infectious diseases, lead to food and water shortage, rise in floods and create an army of environmental refugees. The effect of such a warm earth is already visible in the polar ice caps now breaking up and melting at an unprecedented rate. Some of the earth’s coldest spots have now started registering higher temperatures. Glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate. The temperature rise is also responsible for driving several plant and animal species, both on and off the land, on the brink of extinction. The scene, for sure, resembles that of a sci-fi thriller with a bad ending.

A bad ending because the major contributor to this predicament, the industrialised nations, have underperformed on checking their own pollution levels. Most of them, including the United States and Australia, use fossil fuel in amounts that exceed the combined use of it by several least developed countries. Thus, they have contributed to global warming much more than the other countries. Reports of glaciers on the Himalayas in Nepal melting faster than the established rates had alarmed many environmentalists. That is as much third world countries could do at this stage, besides switching to fledgling unconventional energy sources. Ironically, some of the industrialised nations have deliberately weakened efforts aimed at curbing the greenhouse gas emissions. From Rio to Kyoto and even Johannesburg, the US has always found a point to disagree about the predictions or backed out at the last minute on certain contentious issues that would have required it to take a major decision on its energy policies. It must be noted that the scientific community is not cribbing about the effects of greenhouse gases for nothing. The economic impact of, say, 150 million environmental refugees predicted by 2050 will be much greater than the one arising out of adjusting policy changes after acknowledging that global warming is indeed occurring. No less vital is the health concern resulting from a shrinking ozone hole in the shi-eld that this gaseous compound covers the earth’s atmosphere. It should lie in everyone’s interest to reduce global warming.