The declarations by the major world polluters, U.S.A and China to cut carbon emissions are positive signs.

The world is looking forward to see the United States of America that contributes 22 per cent of carbon emissions effective implement the revised Clean Power Plan President Barack Obama announced on August 3, 2015. The plan aims to cut one of climate change factors which is greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power stations by 32 per cent by the year 2030 compared to the 2005 levels.

Prime Minister Li Keqiang of China, another highest polluter in the world recently announced in Paris that his country has submitted a plan to the United Nations Organisation (UNO) in which the country aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 60 to 65 per cent from the 2005 levels. The commitments by these world powers represent signs of hope in combating climate change whose impact negatively affects all aspects of human life.

The Disastrous Effects

Facts about climate change published in Conserve Energy Future  disclose that the disastrous effects of the phenomenon on planet earth range from high temperatures, loss of wildlife species, increase in sea level, changes in rainfall patterns, heat waves, stronger storms, wildfires, droughts, shrinking of arctic ice, damage to infrastructure, food insecurity and increase in frequency of hurricanes. Key domains affected include health, environment as well as agriculture and the economy.

The greatest effect of climate change is witnessed through environmental hazards. Reports say depending on carbon emissions, a rise in temperature from 1.1 degree up to 6.4 degree is expected by the end of the current 21^st century. The global temperature on an average has increased by 0.6 to 1 degree Celsius till the 20^th century.  Heavy rains and disasters like Hurricane Katrina that occurred in the United States of America in 2005 are some of the environmental effects of climate change.

Health Casualties

Information published in Conserve Energy Future states that coastal flooding and displacement of people lead to injuring of people and killing of others, and cause deadly diseases  by spreading infection and vector borne diseases. It is reported to have serious health impacts such as heat stress, extreme cold which can cause major deaths due to heart diseases. In concrete terms, reports say that in 2003, around 70,000 deaths occurred in Europe alone due to diseases caused by rising temperatures.

Reports equally disclose that above 600,000 deaths occur worldwide every year due to climate change, 95 per cent of them being in developing countries. Climate change has also led to increased cases of malaria, diarrhea and malnutrition that have caused more than three million deaths since 2005, one third of which are in Africa.

Agriculture and the economy are also greatly affected by the negative impact of climate change. The World Food Programme (WFP) reportedly says that by 2015, the number of people affected by climate change disasters could reach 375 million per year. Reports indicate that a separate budget of 40 million U.S. Dollars has been allotted for climate change research since 1990. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)  a leading body created to fight climate change  has stated  that the Kyoto Protocol  formed to analyse and fight climate change will cost more than 100 trillion U.S. Dollars. Oxfam is cited as stating that climate change could push food prices by 50 to 60 per cent more by 2030.