In April 2011, the largest and most violent tornado outbreak in world history saw more than 330 tornadoes hitting 21 states in the United States over a three-day span. The worst drought in thirty years hit Namibia in July 2013, putting more than 100 000 at risk of malnutrition.  Shanghai heat waves in 2013 ranked among the hottest temperatures in 140 years. In 2014, heavy snowstorms in Tokyo reached a 20-year high. Closer to home, severe flooding in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis has become an annual occurrence.  Right now, many countries globally are beginning to experience another round of heat waves from the El Nino effect.

Daily, we hear of ‘natural’ disasters happening around the world.  These disasters are getting more and more frequent and are predicted to worsen in the decades ahead.  The Oxford Dictionary defines climate change as a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change from the mid to late 20th century onwards and is attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels. Climate change is a real problem happening in the world today with severe impacts to the environment and our health and will not cease to stop unless we act now. It is a global problem requiring a global solution from all nations.

The earth’s temperature has risen by 0.74⁰C in the past one hundred years and the rate is expected to increase.  One consequence of climate change is an increase in ocean evaporation into the atmosphere creating powerful storms.  Hurricanes and rainfalls become more intense and extreme.  Flooding becomes more common. As the Earth is getting hotter, disasters like droughts, heat waves and floods are getting more frequent. At the other extreme, the phenomenon known as El Nino is more frequent resulting in heat waves and intense droughts hitting other parts of the world. Water-related problems around the world will be amplified with reduced precipitation, increased evaporation and increased water loss from plants.

Heat waves, poor air quality and changes in disease pathways are affecting health and quality of life.  Nasty diseases like malaria are starting to spread.  Climate change has also resulted in melting glaciers and rising sea levels.  The Arctic sea ice gets increasingly thinner every year and the great frozen continent of Antarctica is losing ice at an alarming rate.  It becomes more prone to melting, creating a ‘death spiral’.  If these trends continue, scientists say we could expect to see ice-free summers in the Arctic Ocean in less than a decade.

Species extinctions may occur due to the shifting temperature and climate around the world.  The warmer air and water temperatures alter ocean chemistry and bring about ocean acidification.  For instance, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is rapidly dying because the corals are very sensitive and cannot survive in warmer waters with high concentrations of carbon dioxide.  In Malaysia, recent data indicated that reefs in Redang Island, Terengganu and Tioman Island Marine Park, Pahang, are under thermal stress.  Abnormal sea surface temperature reading of 30 ºC to 32 ºC was recorded, compared to the normal range of 28 ºC to 29 ºC.  If conditions do not return to normal within a few weeks, these internationally renowned dive sites may have to be closed to divers to protect the corals.

The science and politics of climate change is so complex that I may never grasp it completely.  However, this much I do understand.  Climate change is a phenomenon that transcends all political, business and ideological divides.  On an individual level, we can take up responsibility to undo the mess man has created.  Simple lifestyle changes in our daily lives can make a huge difference in the conservation and preservation of the environment.  We need to act now but we must be aware that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to climate change.  As the saying goes; 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.'  The ‘Go Green’ campaign to reduce the usage of plastic bags by supermarkets is a good start.  Using public transport instead of driving, cutting down on air conditioning, changing to hybrid cars and reducing, reusing and recycling are positive changes we can make.  It will take time to see results.  For the sake of our future generation, we need to change our lifestyle now.  The ball is in your hands; from governments to businesses, scientific communities to individuals and producers to consumers.  It is up to us to make it happen.

Picture Credits: Getty Images