Climate change is an old song that you might be tired of hearing. This specific tune is familiar to everyone. Our weather is changing and not for the better. Climate change is a change in the usual weather in a place and can vary from the amount of rain a specific place receives in a year to the high temperatures brought about by the scorching sun.  While climate change is a global concern, SDG 13 focuses on the realities that come with the predicament we face as human beings. Here’s the reality, climate change is not just a song we should sing, but it is humanity’s ‘code red’ warning to change. 

REALITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. 

i) Different temperature scenarios for coral reefs.

Coral reefs are not a thing that you have possibly given thought to when you think of the environment. But they serve a major role in the ecosystem by providing shelter and food for various species. Climate change doesn’t only affect our weather but also affects our oceans. As it gets hot here, the ocean warms up as well. We are frying the fish. Climate change will affect coral reef ecosystems, through sea level rise, changes to the frequency and intensity of tropical storms, and altered ocean circulation patterns. With all these combined, the impact is unimaginable and there is a great effect it will have on the goods and services coral reef ecosystems provide to people around the globe.

ii) Drought estimated to displace 700 million people by 2030

Drought is not a new term. According to the published Drought in Numbers report, there is an upward trajectory in the duration of droughts and the severity of impacts, not only affecting human societies but also the ecological systems upon which the survival of all life depends, including that of our species. In layman’s terms, droughts have increased and they are lasting longer than they did in the past. 

Displacement is not the only threat we should be worried about. Without immediate action, our globe will additionally face the following threats:

An estimated one in four children living in areas with extreme water shortages by 2040.

 Droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world’s population with an estimated 4.8-5.7 billion people will living in areas that are water-scarce for at least one month each year by 2050. 

iii)  Sea Level will rise for up to 30-60 CM by 2100.

Rising sea levels may not appear to be a problem for Uganda as we are a landlocked country, but despite this well-known fact, we do have water bodies and therefore not absolved from the effects that come with rising water levels. To put this threat into perspective, we can take into account the rise in Lake Victoria’s water levels in 2021 due to the floods. Several homes and families were displaced and forced to move out of their homes as the water levels reached their households. 

We could blame this on the fact that many have built-in wetland areas, but putting that aside, we can’t ignore the rise in these levels had dire effects on our environment. 

iv) Medium to Large-scale disasters will increase to 40% by 2030.

Disasters are a major concern, and the list is endless. The magnitude of a disaster is measured by separately examining the numbers of fatalities, injuries, and people otherwise affected – as well as the financial damage caused. If the impact of these increases by 40%, it is of concern that the human race is on the verge of extinction as we know it. 

“The climate is changing. The proper political debate would be how to deal with these risks.”

– Steven Chu