HORRID LEGACY

The West is under the siege of climate change effects. Floods in Germany and severe heat waves in Canada and the US. And also the forest fires in California (“Europe flood death toll tops 170 as hundreds remain missing in Germany,” July 17, Gulf Today).

The very practices that the Western world used to reach prosperity are the ones that have caused the disastrous happenings of the last few weeks.

And such erratic climatic behaviour is here to stay. This is the culmination of decades of bad practices and short-sighted behaviour for instant economic success.

It’s a viscous circle — buy more cars, thus contributing to economic growth in several sectors, use more fossil fuels, more generation of carbon dioxide, people geting accustomed to the comforts of a car. And there is no stop.

GDPS showed great growth, economic activities soared. There was so much money circulating, more plastic, more consumption. It’s a viscous circle.

Sadly, the lessons aren’t learnt. These extreme weather conditions were predicted. Yet instant economic growth trumped. The ones who lost their homes to the floods in Germany and the ones who died and are suffering in the heatwave aren’t the ones who made the dreadful policies.

Those who are responsible for policies or the lack of them are safe and comfortable and alive and kicking to continue making adverse polices that go against the health of the planet.

We all shall perish. The first to go will be the ones who are vulnerable, the animals and birds. Sadly the policy makers won’t live to see the day. The repercussions will be borne by the generation that was born during the last 30 years. And what a horrid legacy to leave behind.

It’s wishful thinking, I know. But I hope policymakers and heads of governments all over the world act switly on climate change measures. I pray they see reason before it is late. The signs are all over. The time is now.