What are we doing when there is a code red out there?

This year, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on human-induced climate change was termed a "code red for humanity" by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. It is an undisputed fact that Earth's climate has been changing, and that human activities are contributing to it. There are bodies of scientific evidence behind such claims. For years, climate scientists have warned us of the global temperature rising due to heat trapped by the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by human activities worldwide. The outcome of those activities is now slowly becoming acute. The series of heatwaves in the US, Japan, Spain, and Pakistan, floods in Germany and China, the wildfires of Canada, California, and Greece are just small reminders of what could be coming in the next few years because course correction has not been taken seriously enough. Even Dhaka is experiencing a hot October in 2021, with temperature ranging from 31-36 degrees Celsius on an average, which is far from the usual. In 2020, the range was 26-33 degrees Celsius.

Yet, most of us are busy just carrying on. It hints at our climate denial. Climate change is a practical example of the prisoner's dilemma: everyone waits for someone else to fix the boat and ends up drowning together. It seems we would rather push ourselves to the brink of destruction than acknowledge the mess we are making in the name of luxury, status quo and lifestyle.

The important and most obvious question in this case is: Who starts first? Is it the government? Or is it the people? Where and how do all of us come together? If I am not ready to start changing my lifestyle, who would? And if everyone waits for the others to change their lifestyles, is it ever going to happen?

There are many ways to respond to this, but my preferred way is to start with learning about what we are doing to this planet. How much do we really waste energy? How much unnecessary waste are we generating every day? How often do we buy luxury products, and imported and processed goods that come at the cost of wildlife and forestlands? Becoming aware of the problem is often a starting place; the rest takes its own form.

In the age of the internet, it is not hard to find information. What is rare, though, is deciding to open our eyes, despite the daily burden of responsibilities on us.

I personally believe the academia in Bangladesh should come forward with more efforts to respond to climate change in the coming years. Here is my rationale for thinking so.

At the University of Birmingham, I had coursework on climate ethics as part of my studies in global ethics. The lectures, evidence and scenarios that I discussed with my academic mentor, Dr Merten Reglitz, left a lasting impact on me. I am also an alumnus of Brac University and a current student of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB). I am making an open request to the leaders at these institutions to invest more resources to inspire the youth to become front-liners, activists, ethicists, teachers, researchers, and entrepreneurs who care more about the future of humanity and the well-being of the planet, rather than senseless profiteering. Most of all, we need citizens who are aware of the grave situation ahead of us, and develop a sense of responsibility in their personal lives and career paths.

It is not unlikely that there will be a shift in the nature of jobs because of the emergency ahead. Covid-19 has taught us that we have to adapt to survive—the sooner we do that, the better. Many people have lost their traditional jobs due to Covid-19; the climate crisis may not be so different.

A fundamental shift will be necessary in the major sources of GHG emissions, and we cannot continue to wait for others to hold their sides of the bargain anymore. It is too late, and we have to start doing our part. This starts with two major areas: tracking environmental footprint, and changes in lifestyle. It starts with initiatives and incentives to build green businesses, and recruiting more people in green roles.

On top of it all, every citizen needs to become actively involved in keeping pressure on their local representative as well as the government for climate decisions, and tracking the actions being taken to mitigate the impacts of and adapt to climate change.

There is plenty of scientific evidence that suggests that the heatwaves, the floods and the crop crisis may occur more frequently in the coming days, and more people are projected to lose their homes and become climate refugees. Denial means remaining oblivious to these evident facts and possibilities. Yet, the sense of urgency does not mean giving in to climate anxiety. Climate anxiety is paralysing and it only leads to further denial.

Each of us is responsible for what we do to this planet. Waiting for others to start their action has led us to this point. To let this planet die from our careless activities would be the greatest and most shameful defeat of humankind. The time is now for every individual to actively get involved in combating the climate crisis.

Muhammad Mustafa Monowar is an HR professional with an interest in education, climate change, and technology.