Carbon emissions, unlike manmade regional conflicts, such as wars, civil unrest and terrorism, which are geographically restricted, has far-reaching implications on a global level. The blame game will not save anyone because the prospects of a climatic calamity looms larger over every continent triggered by unregulated consumption of fossil fuels followed by the industrial revolution, mass production and growing consumerism.
Our conscious attempt to limit carbon emissions through the introduction of innovative methods, development of renewable energy and hybrid technology, besides the numerous regulatory frameworks designed to control the usage of fossil fuel, seems to alarmingly be less proportionate against that gigantic industrial and commercial growth triggered by globalisation and trade agreements that had witnessed consumerism going through the roof since the past several decades. The situation is tantamount to taking one step forward while moving backwards two steps.
For instance, the growth in manufacturing of automobiles, aeroplanes, ships and metros have grown at unprecedented levels since infrastructural developments have been achieved at tremendous phases even in underdeveloped countries. A myriad of other industrial progresses that mass produces huge quantities of consumer products, which are made up of plastics that incidentally come from petrochemical based raw materials today, contribute a huge share towards the build-up of carbon emission.
Any efforts to cut down on environmental pollution cannot find results while consumerism gains momentum at a tremendous pace. Regulatory frameworks, innovation and low energy consumption technologies can only help to reduce carbon emission levels, the effort has to be combined with massive cultural change in the entire world that promotes an outlook leaning towards minimum consumption of resources.
It is a paradox that while coal has been accused of causing more damage to the environment for its polluting capabilities, it is the modern day fossil fuel that has replaced it with the promise of being less polluting. Now it has become a major concern with many a times larger implications, because of its wider usage than any other energy source available on Earth today. Fossil fuel per se is not the issue, it is the aggressive and uncontrolled consumerism that is to be addressed.
— The reader is an Indian business development coordinator based in Dubai.
