Global warming. Three current realities; one subjective surmise and a concluding call for public opinion to drive the case for urgent and collaborative action to prevent, mitigate and adapt to the consequences. This is the essence of the article.

Reality 1: The earth is warming at a rate that human and natural habitats cannot adapt to. The earth has historically been characterised by climate change but at a pace that shifting patterns of the ecosystem have been able to accommodate. Today human action threatens to disrupt this balance. The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere has moved the temperature trajectory to dangerous levels. Scientists differ on the precise implications but if temperatures continue to rise, the consequential warming will do irremediable damage to the planet.

Reality No. 2: Read any document on the subject whether authored by governments, NGOs or scientists and one cannot help but be struck by the commonality of the recommendations. There are of course differences over details, timings and statistics. There is no consensus on issues like the mechanics of carbon trading, taxes and prices; the optimal mix between risk and reward, efficiency and equity; the role of legislative fiat, and of course the paymaster — who should pick up the tab — the industrialised world that is responsible for the crisis, the multilateral agencies like the World Bank’s climate change investment funds and/or the market via avenues like the clean development mechanism?

... contd.