Top to Bottom: Dr. Kristie L. Ebi, Professor – Center of Health and the Global Environment, University of Washington, Dr. Daniel Swain, Climate Scientist, UCLA; National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Aradhna E. Tripati, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

TL; DR

Climate change is a menacing furnace, burning the Earth. The solution is not to dwell on climate change any longer, but to fight it and adapt to our constantly evolving environment. Ethnic Media Services (EMS) hosted a panel of experts giving us the bittersweet truth of our past, present, and foreseeable future writes Vansh Gupta.

Climate Change is Real and Impacts Everyone.­­

If you were to ask about climate change as early as five years ago, many would have been indifferent but with the recent climate events such as heatwaves, drought, flooding. wildfires, tropical storms, it’s as real as it gets. The sooner we get it, the better it is.

Experts, in general, have been sounding the alarm but that has not resonated with the mass or the political class. Let’s look at what’s been preached but not perceived.

At a virtual EMS briefing, June 18, panelists – Dr. Kristie L. Ebi, Professor for the Center of Health and the Global Environment, University of Washington, Dr. Daniel Swain, Climate Scientist, UCLA; National Center for Atmospheric Research; The Nature Conservancy; Author: Weather West Blog, and Aradhna E. Tripati, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability – decoded two key takeaways: we need to take initiative to tackle climate change and there is hope if we start now, the keyword being “now.”

‘Warming of the Earth is a result of greenhouse gas emissions,’ a generalized dialogue we are accustomed to, but here’s a more elaborate explanation according to Dr. Swain. Greenhouse gases are essentially gases that accumulate in our atmosphere like a blanket or a “greenhouse window” where Earth’s surface absorbs sunlight energy but doesn’t release enough energy. This is a result of sunlight energy being trapped due to the accumulation caused by carbon build-up in our atmosphere.

What can we do?

According to Tripati, history tells us that climate change has been a challenge for over 2,000 years, however, the cost of climate change could potentially be higher now. Tripati asserts we need to create a more equitable and localized approach to combating climate change. It starts with community leaders and citizens taking initiative.

Tripati points out that many wealthy communities have an abundance of shade and greenery in general resulting in cooler temperatures compared to non-wealthy communities. In a study with her students at UCLA, they find that green spaces and infrastructural changes when developing towns can help reduce temperatures by up to 15°F. This makes a lot of sense as we know that the ground and air are working in unison.

Dr. Ebi explains that climate change is going to affect everyone so from a public health perspective, we should focus on mitigating the risk of heat-related illnesses and make communities more aware of how climate change can affect us in the short and long term.

Dr. Swain explains that there is already a strong awareness of climate change which gives us some room for optimism. Steps are being taken to tackle climate change and if we start now, we will be able to see a normal winter again. He cautioned that even if we start today, on a global scale we will still see significant warming for decades and we will have to adapt to this heat. However, if we start now, we can start seeing a wetter and more normal winter in the future.

The Gen-Z Take

As Gen-Z, we quickly adapt to new situations and constantly innovate. According to the Pew Research Center, Gen-Z are more active online and offline in efforts to tackle climate change. Whether it is activism or lifestyle changes, Gen-Z in general, are ready for a shift towards renewable energy. After all, we have plenty of sunshine, heat, and wind to power our living.

Gen-Z consumers recognize the corporate misuse of our environment. Activism includes social media-driven movements, highlighting wasteful companies taking negligible steps to “reduce” its carbon footprint, and help combat climate change for our future.

What actually is ‘Climate Change’?

Both Dr. Ebi and Dr. Swain explain climate change with respect to Earth’s actions.

Dr. Ebi says Earth works very hard to keep a balance by circulating heat throughout the oceanic atmosphere. With more heat trapped in, Earth must work harder to circulate that heat. The result: heatwaves bringing record temperatures, rising sea levels, droughts, and more extreme weather as the Earth tries to bring itself back to equilibrium

Dr. Swain depicts the interaction between Earth’s surface and atmosphere by giving the analogy of a bathtub.

“If you’re filling the bathtub at exactly the same rate that you’re letting the water out through the drain, then the level of water in the bathtub is not going to change that would be the typical case.”

Explaining the current situation, Dr. Swain says the Sun is like a tap with a constant flow, however, the Earth is the tub with a partially clogged drain. The result: heat energy, water in this analogy, is no longer flowing out as quickly as it’s flowing in, getting trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere – the tub.

Commercial vs. Individual Responsibility

When asked about commercial consumption versus individual/community consumption, there was a consensus that commercial misuse is a key driver for our current climate.

Tripati believes that regulation and stronger community advocacy can help hold corporations accountable for their actions. The good news: many are using their voice and hopefully our administration is finally taking notice. The bi-partisan infrastructure bill is one example.

Dr. Ebi and Dr. Swain explain that there needs to be more engagement and conversation that would tackle misinformation. The resonating message: “Every action matters!”