by Miranda Flores

6 years, 1 month, and 24 days.

As of Oct. 18, 2024, that is how much time we have left until our climate clock hits zero. Our carbon budget would be depleted and the possibility of devastating global climate impacts would be colossal.

The biggest contributor to climate change is the use of fossil fuels. They account for over 75 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions and just about 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally. These gasses wrap around our Earth and trap the sun’s heat inside the atmosphere. This, in turn, raises our global temperature, causing global warming.

With the rise of global warming comes intense heat waves, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and rising sea levels. These things directly affect us and our daily lives.

Just this past month there have been three hurricanes and one intense tropical storm in the Northern Hemisphere. Since Oct. 28, the storms have collectively caused at least 372 fatalities and more than $190 billion in damages. As the years go on and global climate change worsens, the destructive potential of these natural disasters will continually increase.

The effect that global warming has on the economy will also affect us negatively. 

The social cost of carbon is an estimate, in dollars, of the economic damages that would result from emitting one additional ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is currently used by local, state, and federal governments to inform billions of dollars of policy and investment decisions in the United States and abroad. 

Studies by Adrien Bilal and Diego Känzig estimate that by the year 2050 climate damages could amount to 10-20% of GDP, with a social cost of carbon exceeding $1,000 per ton. Preventing future climate change is far cheaper than coping with its costly damages, but what can we do?

Climate change is a serious issue we all face today, but luckily there are many different solutions we can do to help reverse it before its effects become too much.

Keeping fossil fuels in the ground, investing in renewable energy, and restoring and protecting nature are all ways we can fix the climate issue. For some people, these solutions might seem too difficult and overwhelming but there are simpler options for everyday people. 

Recycling and reducing the consumption of single-use plastics can be a great way to help stop pollution that causes global warming. We can also slow down how much we consume things like fast fashion, certain food products, and our transportation. Switching to electric vehicles and minimizing plane travel will not only help stop climate change, it will reduce air pollution too.

Doing these simple tasks can help keep our planet alive for many generations to come but we can’t do this alone. Only working together can make a difference, so why not give it a try?

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.” Henry Ford