2024 WILL mark the year when the world has changed in more ways than one. It is the year that marks the beginning of the time of climate change-when each day some part of the world is hit by extreme weather events; when a new record of heat or cold stress is made and then broken; when communities already living on the margins of survival are devastated to the point of being unable to recover from the frequent disasters. This is a different era. Scientists describe this as the Anthropocene Epoch, which in geological time is defined as the period when human activities have significant impacts on the Planet's climate and ecosystems. Everything that we have done for human progress-for increased well-being and wealth generation-has breached national as well as planetary boundaries.
It is also the period of momentous changes-in the way we behave with each other as human beings; in the global norms of what is right and what is wrong; and in the power of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that will drive virtually everything in the next few years.
This story is from the December 01, 2024 edition of Down To Earth.
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This story is from the December 01, 2024 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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A JOKE, INDEED
A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE
THINGS FALL APART
THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE
VAPOUR ACTION
MOISTURE IS A SILENT FORCE THAT AMPLIFIES GLOBAL WARMING. YET SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND LITTLE ABOUT THIS GREENHOUSE GAS AND HOW IT INFLUENCES WEATHER SYSTEMS
OPEN AND SHUT CASE
2024 WITNESSED A RECORD NUMBER OF ATTRIBUTION STUDIES THAT SHOW CLIMATE CHANGE AS THE KEY FACTOR BEHIND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
TEST OF SURVIVAL
GENERATION ALPHA INHERITS A WORLD IRREVOCABLY WARMER BY 1.5°C
THE YEAR PLANET CHANGED
WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF CLIMATE EXTREMES. WE ARE NOT IN DENIAL. BUT WE ARE NO LONGER THE SOCIETIES THAT WORK FOR COMMON CAUSES
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
