Lastly, climate change multiplies the number of health issues that exist in poorer regions. A warmer climate means warmer freshwater sources, which in turn provide a more habitable place for harmful bacteria and microbes to grow. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 3.575 million people die from water-related diseases per year, and with increased temperatures drying out available water sources, people driven desperate by thirst are forced to choose between the risks of drinking contaminated water or dying of thirst. Additionally, the increased smog caused by warmer atmospheres, coupled with severe air pollution, has made it impossible to breathe in places such as Delhi, where the quality of air reached such high toxicity that experts deemed it equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day (Paddison, 2020). In fact, the WHO claims that over 90% of the world population breathe in some form of toxic air, leading to an abundance of diseases like stroke and lung cancer (Fleming, 2018). Even within the U.S., poorer communities in both rural and urban areas bear the greatest burden of climate change, as seen by lack of health insurance, dependence on agriculture-based economies, and no funds to recover from natural disasters. In urban areas, which produce 80% of greenhouse gas emissions in North America, the poor live in neighborhoods with the greatest exposure to climate and extreme weather events (Chappell, 2018). Poorer Americans, while to a much lesser extent, face some of the same disadvantages as those living in developing countries in terms of environmental inequality. So what exactly is being done to save our planet and its poorest inhabitants? One thing is for sure: not enough. The overall global response to climate change can be characterized as extremely uneven. Persistent skepticism from certain global leaders, many of whom are motivated by economic interests, is slowing cooperative efforts to address the issue of climate change. In particular, President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement will trigger both short-term and long-term damage—for one, it will be less likely for the U.S., the second-highest ranking country in production of greenhouse gases, to reduce carbon emissions without international obligations, and countries that were already hesitant about membership are more likely to back off as well (“The Uneven Global Response to Climate Change,” 2019). President Trump's decision in times like these is brutal, as the urgency of action is greater now than ever before, as indicated by the World Meteorological Organization’s 2019 report. The report showed a continued increase in greenhouse gases to new records during the period of 2015-2019, with CO2 growth rates nearly 20% higher than the previous five years (“Global Climate in 2015-2019,” 2019). Surrounded by a constant whirlwind of bad news, it can feel like all hope is lost for planet Earth. But hope is not lost. The global effort to address climate change is moving forward as a whole, even 8 | 2019-2020 | Broad Street Scientific
without the current support of the U.S. government. Plenty of countries are setting goals to reduce emissions and implement renewable energy. Morocco has invested heavily in solar power, and India has implemented a prohibition of new coal plants (“The Uneven Global Response to Climate Change,” 2019). China, the world’s number one CO2 contributor at a whopping 29% of global emissions, has made great strides in reducing air pollution (“Each Country's Share of CO2 Emissions,” 2019). The youth movement across multiple nations, led by activist Greta Thunberg, is on the rise, and hundreds of new green technologies are making their way towards the market. The most promising of these innovations include solar cells that incorporate the mineral perovskite, which convert UV and visible light with a stunning 28% efficiency (as compared to the average 15-20%), graphenebased batteries that power electric vehicles, and carbon capture and storage that traps CO2 at its source and isolates it underground (Purdue University, 2019). While these global pledges and new technologies hold great promise for future sustainability, it is up to us to actively implement more environmentally conscious decisions into our daily lives. Reduce, reuse, and recycle in that order. Eat a more plant-based diet. Conserve energy at every moment possible. Always be civically engaged. We owe it to not only the animals, our children, and our home; we owe it to those who contribute least to the climate change devastation but feel its effects most deeply. We must not let our privilege go wasted.
References Chappell, C. (2018, November 27). Climate change in the US will hurt poor people the most, according to a bombshell federal report. Retrieved January 7, 2020, from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/26/climate-changewill-hurt-poor-people-the-most-federal-report.html. Each Country's Share of CO2 Emissions. (2019, October 10). Retrieved January 8, 2020, from https://www.ucsusa. org/resources/each-countrys-share-co2-emissions. Fleming, S. (2018, October 29). More than 90% of the world's children are breathing toxic air. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/more-than-90-of-the-world-s-children-arebreathing-toxic-air/. Giovetti, O. (2019, September 25). How the effects of climate change keep people in poverty. Retrieved January 7, 2020, from https://www.concernusa.org/story/effectsof-climate-change-cycle-of-poverty/. Global Climate in 2015-2019: Climate change accelerates.
