The seven apocalyptic horsemen of climate change
The Bible knows four, climate change seven "apocalyptic horsemen" to which climate change can be pinned. They ride worldwide and threaten the UN's 16 sustainable development goals: From the fight against poverty to peace and justice - all efforts to make the world a better place are in danger of falling by the wayside due to climate change.
Dear roommates!
The world should become a better place for everyone. That is the idea. When the United Nations agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals for humanity in 2015, the fight against climate change was included in the package as a global development goal by 2030. Today, seven years later, it is clear that we are far from having climate change under control - on the contrary, it is becoming clear that unchecked climate change will also undermine and topple the other development goals - without exception. Here are the seven "apocalyptic horsemen" of climate change in a nutshell.
It all starts with the driving force behind everything, the increase in the greenhouse gasCO2: although more carbon dioxide in the air drives plant growth, it dilutes valuable nutrients such as proteins, iron, magnesium and zinc. Tomatoes, lettuce or potatoes boosted with excessiveCO2 are less nutritious. To make matters worse, a lot ofCO2 in the air we breathe is unhealthy for us humans. Important: In the end,CO2 is behind all measurable effects of climate change and should be tackled as a matter of urgency.
Secondly, the warming of the air: there is not a single sustainable development goal that remains unaffected by warmer temperatures. Warming is shifting rain and dry zones and threatens to thaw the permafrost. Extreme heat is increasingly deadly, leading to droughts, hunger, migration and ultimately war.
Thirdly, melting glaciers: fresh glacier water dilutes salt water, weakens oxygen mixing in the oceans and thus endangers fishing. Sea levels will rise for centuries and keep mankind on tenterhooks for a long time to come. In the near future, clean drinking water for humans and animals will become scarce in many places due to the lack of glacier meltwater.
Fourthly, melting sea ice: retreating white sea ice releases darker seawater, exacerbating the greenhouse effect and threatening the rich ecosystem of the polar seas, at the end of which is the polar bear. Last but not least, there will be conflicts over resources and transportation routes.
You can find the whole article here:
Photo ©️ Andreas Jäger
