WNPS Monthly Lecture Climate Change and our responsibility By Dr. Erandathie Lokupitiya

Climate change has been the biggest environmental challenge since Industrial Revolution. Carbon dioxide concentration on earth has increased by about 40 percent since industrial revolution, and the mean temperature rise since then has reached ~1 0C. The observed warming on earth has been attributed to the increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to various anthropogenic activities including fossil fuel burning and land use changes. The focus on the issue of climate change has increased during the last few decades due to the irreversible impacts it has caused across the world. The response to those impacts includes international, national, and local level action. How far can such response from us would help reduce climate change or its impacts? What responsibility lies ahead of us to minimize the impacts of climate change on future generations and what immediate action is needed to make it a better world? The answers depend on how serious we are about this issue, our attitude/s and our commitment. Although there might be valid global solutions, timely local action may lead to better consequences.