Climate Change and Politics: Why the Debate cannot Wait?

 

Introduction: The climate clock is counting.

Climate change is not a far-flung occurrence anymore—it is a reality today. Inundating floods in Pakistan and wildfires in California, the melting glaciers in the Himalayas, and surging sea levels in Bangladesh—the world is experiencing unprecedented climate-related catastrophes. Researchers have sounded the alarm that there are only 10 years left to contain the most devastating effects of climate change. Politics are usually a barrier to quick action that should be taken. Why? This is because climate change has fallen into a political tussle or, rather, is being used by economic issues and wastes of global issues.

The World Reality Climate in 2025

· In many areas, 2025 has already become the hottest record in history.

· Cities such as Karachi, New Delhi and Dubai are being subjected to severe heat waves.

· Europe and North America are dealing with wildfires and scarcity of water.

· There is the migration due to the climatic impacts and food insecurity in developing nations.

That is no longer a problem of the future anymore; it is influencing the nature of politics, economic trends, and the survival of man today.

Climate Change and Political Divide

Political polarization is one of the main challenges to addressing climate change.

· In the United States, climate policy is subject to big fluctuations in election outcomes: one regime takes action on clean energy, another reneges.

· Concentrating on South Asia and Pakistan, it is important to understand that this vulnerability to climate disasters affects the poor in the region most, yet the governments are only focused on ensuring the present economic growth and short-term benefits despite their negative effects on the environment and the same population.

· In Europe, green transitions have been criticized by far-right political parties who state that they will harm the industries and jobs.

This segment slows down radical intervention. Each lost year extends to the loss of more life, livelihoods, and ecosystems.

Economics, Environment and the Struggle of Power:

Politicians have a lot to do with the climate crisis, not only because of science, but also because of money and votes. The fossil fuel industries remain to be of humongous influence on political decision-making. Oil-producing countries agitate to push the green changes back, and developing countries request that a recompense should be paid to them since they are the persons who have suffered due to the industrialized countries.

This poses a power tussle in the world over

· Who is to pay for climate injury?

· Who is the revolution leader in clean energy?

· Whose economy makes the sacrifice on behalf of a future planet?

Until these questions are answered, politics will most likely keep stalling action on meaningful climate change.

Climate Justice: A Political Demand

The idea of setting the stage on climate justice is now at the focus of political doings of the world. It claims the worst victims of global warming are the poor and vulnerable since they did not contribute towards it. For example:

· Pakistan is emitting very low emissions, which is why it suffers dreadful floods.

· The migratory crisis, desertification, and hunger are affecting African countries in spite of their low carbon footprint.

· Small Pacific Island countries run the risk of being subsumed by increasing sea water levels.

Vanishing climate justice is not only an environmental problem but a human rights problem now.

Youth Activism, Political Pressure

Youth are protesting over inaction on climate across the world. Such movements as Fridays For Future and youth-led campaigns are making governments lend an ear. Social media has proven to be an effective instrument towards creating awareness and keeping leaders in check.

It is an intergenerational struggle: the future of young people will have to pay a price of political inefficiency. They want simple things: do it, do not do it tomorrow.

Why The Argument Has to Be Deferred

· When it comes to climate action, delayed politics will have disastrous irreversible effects:

· Worse climate refugees—millions of people displaced by floods, droughts and rising water.

· Global food insecurity—destruction of crops, water scarcity and food price increases.

· Heightened tensions—wars fought not only over oil but also over water and fertile land.

Crises in public health—deaths due to heat, outbreaks of diseases, and pollution-induced diseases.

The science is also clear that waiting any time longer than five years to tackle climate change will take the world beyond the 1.5-degree level and into runaway temperature rise.

The Way Forward: Doing Politics rather than Talking Politics

To get past the debates and into solutions, global politics needs to:

1. Stick by international agreements such as the Paris Accord without a backtrack.

2. Invest in renewable energy rather than subsidizing fossil energy.

3. Adopt national and local changes that are climate friendly.

4. Promote climate funding to the vulnerable states.

5. Involve people and young people in the decision-making process.

That is when we can expect to make political promises to go beyond what they are.

Finally, it is up to us to decide!

Climate change is never going to wait on politicians. It is a daily occurrence on all continents of the globe. The point is whether we want political hold-ups and quarrels to determine our destiny—or whether we force it by action. The problem cannot wait forever, as we are talking of the planet that cannot wait.