Neither the world nor the country is in good state environmentally. In these couple of centuries, man has done enough damage to the environment to change weather patterns eco – balance and diversity.
Global warming has triggered melting of glaciers resulting in rising water levels. With land being gobbled up by the rising water mass migration of people is taking place. People are affected by land erosion, inundation of land, disappearing forest, and pestilences, fall in crop production, desertification and other environmental calamities. The planet is on precipice of disaster. Rising temperature has negatively impacted agriculture consequently people are compelled to change their life style and habitats. People are forced to give up cultivation due to conditions, which have made traditional agricultural practices impossible to pursue changing livelihoods engendering poverty and forcing population to leave their homes in search of places where conditions are not as hostile for their survival. They are constantly on the move searching for livelihoods to support themselves. Bangladesh is a country of deltaic plains dominated by three major rivers Padma, Jamuna and Meghna. It is a poor country with a huge population and high density and one of the countries most in the receiving end. It will face environmental disasters, which will be impossible to bear. People are already on the edge and the impending environmental changes will push them further onto the periphery. Prime minister of our country has been very forcefully pushing the Bangladesh case and highlighting the problems faced by Bangladesh, which will seriously hamper the development of the country today and even in the future. She has been haranguing rich countries to act and assist Bangladesh in confronting the problems.
She has aptly placed her fears and urged the rich countries to come forward to help the country and all those poor countries which are going to face the brunt of climate change most to prepare them to face the imminent dangers stemming from global warming.
Bangladesh is a densely populated country and the population continues to grow at a fast pace. Experts fear that the country’s population growing at this rate will definitely cross 250 million by the year 2078. The dangers are real and there are myriad frontiers on which the country has to work to face the future. Most of the people live in the rural Bangladesh and are poor and they are most vulnerable to the change in climate. These are the most to suffer and face the force of global warming. Lives will be seriously jeopardized and social conflicts will rise degrading social order. Now the issue that is most debated is how the rich countries will tackle the situation, for it is due to the development in these countries that climate has been mostly affected resulting in global warming hence they should shoulder the burden and come to the poor countries aid to help them face the dangers and fix the problems in order to minimize the effects. The corollary of climate change is horrifying, they are mass migration, social conflicts and food shortfall that can trigger violent reactions plunging countries into disorder and mayhem. These will have such far reaching and serious consequences that the world will find it difficult to recover and repair the damages if no substantial steps are taken now. The reason that we find ourselves on the precipice is man's greed and wastefulness. Lack of education, scarce knowledge and awareness about the issues on the part of the individuals as well as governments are the reasons behind the state of affairs. The fall out is starkly evident now and will continue to worsen if nothing is done fast. Prompt actions against environmental pollution have to be taken on all areas including industries pollution, river pollution and automobile pollution. Constant vigilance and strong measures have to be maintained to ensure healthy environment.
It is quite evident that global warming has started taking its toll in Bangladesh. The scant resources are under immense pressure. Apart from global warming poverty, over population and lack of awareness are also contributing to the degradation of the environment. Deforestation, destruction of wetlands, depletion of soil nutrients are common issues affecting the country. Natural calamities like floods, cyclones and tidal-bores are common calamities visiting the country at short intervals and aggravating socio-economic and environmental conditions.
Waterborne diseases are a serious threat to public health in Bangladesh. For this tube wells were made common source of drinking.
This later proved pernicious to health as about 25% of the wells were found contaminated by arsenic. Feeding the people of Bangladesh will be a major problem in the coming years with a rise in population and fall in crop production especially rice and wheat due to climate change and also rising population. Bangladesh is believed by experts and agronomists to be the country most vulnerable to global warming.
Serious degradation of livelihood will occur due to climate change.
Drought, floods, water-logging, salinity intrusion etc are signs of climate change that are affecting agriculture seriously.
Global warming is an issue not only troubling Bangladesh. It has shaken all the countries of the world to stand up together and work in unison to save the planet from destruction and eventual annihilation.
Earth day is being observed all over the world since 1970. It is a campaign to bring the people out of their indifference and make them realize that everyone has to individually and collectively do their bits to save the planet. It is to inspire awareness and educate people to respect and protect the environment. It is a drive to educate people and railroad the governments to be more responsible and conscious of their responsibilities; not be wasteful and not to continue the wanton destruction of the natural resources. It is high time we got down to serious endeavors to check and stop the destruction of natural resources, which are being treated in the most reckless, deplorable, and alarming manner.
We are not doing enough at the moment and need to be more involved in the process of healing the planet and helping in replenishing the fast exhausting resources. More policies have to be formulated and steps organized to become more environment friendly and to help in the campaign to save the planet from further degradation and to restore the eco balance. We have to be more energy efficient and put in more effort to this end. We are still wasting water, leaving the gas stoves on even when we are not using them. Lights are left turned on while there is no one in the house.
People are busy with their household chores forgetting to turn off the TV set even when no one is watching. There is lack of awareness about social and environmental issues. These may seem like trivial issues but are at the core of the problem and if practiced with conviction can go a long way in restoring. Forest plunderers and the corrupt officials and traders must be severely punished. Concrete steps to harvest rainwater, which can help immensely in dry seasons and also lessen pressures on aquifers, must be undertaken seriously. All these and many more must be done in the campaign to save planet earth.
I am convinced that we must reach out to the grass roots level and raise their awareness by educating them about all the issues concerning environment and what must be done to save the planet. The new generation must be brought into the fold so that they insist on a changed approach towards the whole crisis. Schools, colleges, universities and all institutions must incorporate different processes to inculcate in the young minds the importance of acting now and without procrastination.
They must be given the true picture so that they can comprehend what is at stake, this will help in mobilization of an educated and concious genaration to come out to face and grapple with the issues. We have to focus on wide range of environmental events to help the people to look at the whole thing from a correct and positive perspective and realize that society is rapidly going in the wrong direction that has to be stopped and we must get down to serious approach towards our environment. There is no doubt rising concern about the state of environmental and the angst is sweeping the world with an intensity that is good for a change in this area. We will prevail if we commit ourselves to change.
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