By Aradhya Goel (Winner)
Climate change is one of the biggest problems today. All of us hear about it on TV, in books, in
school, and also in the news. But many children still wonder, what is this climate change and why
are people so worried about it? Climate change means the change in weather of the Earth over a
long period of time. It is not like one day is hot and the next day is rainy. It is about the Earth
becoming hotter year after year, rains not coming on time, and disasters like floods, cyclones,
and droughts happening again and again. The saddest part is that most of this problem is
created by human beings themselves.
Our Earth has a natural system that keeps its temperature balanced. There are some gases in the
atmosphere like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide that trap heat from the sun. This
keeps our planet warm enough for plants, animals, and humans to live. This system is called the
greenhouse effect, and without it our Earth would be freezing cold. But human beings have
disturbed this system. We burn too much coal, oil, and gas to get energy, and that releases too
much carbon dioxide into the air. We also cut down so many trees, and then fewer trees are left
to clean the air. On top of that, the number of cars, factories, and aeroplanes has grown very fast.
All this adds a lot of pollution. Because of this, the Earth is heating more than normal, and this
extra heating is called global warming.
The results of climate change can be seen all around us. The temperature of the Earth has
already increased by more than one degree in the last 100 years. Summers are becoming hotter,
winters shorter, and heatwaves very common. The ice in the Himalayas and in the Arctic and
Antarctica is melting very fast. This makes the sea level rise, and cities near the sea like Mumbai
and Kolkata, are in danger of floods. Small countries like the Maldives are even scared that one
day they may go under the water. At the same time, the weather is becoming very strange.
Sometimes there is too much rain and sometimes no rain at all. Farmers are confused because
the seasons are not regular anymore, and crops are getting destroyed.
Climate change also brings more disasters. Cyclones, hurricanes, forest fires, and landslides are
happening more often. They destroy houses, crops, and even take away human lives. Animals
and plants are also suffering a lot. Many animals are losing their homes as forests dry up and ice
melts. Polar bears are in danger, and so are tigers and elephants. Coral reefs inside the oceans
are also dying. Human health is also at risk. People can get heat strokes in hot summers, many
suffer from breathing problems because of pollution, and in some places, there is not enough
clean water to drink. If crops like rice and wheat fail, then there can even be food shortages.
We must care about climate change because it is happening right now and not in some far future.
If we do not act quickly, it will become worse and maybe impossible to solve. Climate change is
not only about animals or forests; it is about us, our parents, our children, and everyone’s future.
This is the only planet we have, and we cannot get another one. So we must protect it before it is
too late.
The good thing is that there is still hope. If all people, governments, and industries work
together, then we can reduce climate change. Instead of using coal and oil, we should use
renewable energy like solar power, wind power, and hydropower, because they do not pollute. We
should plant more and more trees because trees clean the air and give us oxygen. Factories
should use cleaner methods, and people should use public transport or bicycles instead of cars
that run on petrol or diesel. Even small things matter, like switching off lights when they are not
needed, saving water, recycling waste, and saying no to plastic bags. If everyone does small
things, together they will become big.
Awareness is also very important. Many people still do not know how dangerous climate change
is. Schools, newspapers, and television should spread the message to everyone. Countries
should not fight over this issue but must join hands together. Climate change is a global problem,
so the whole world must solve it together. That is why meetings like the Paris Agreement were
held, where countries promised to reduce pollution and protect the Earth.
Children and young people also have a big role. Students can start with small steps like using
steel bottles, planting trees in their school or home, and saving electricity. They can also tell their
families and friends to be careful about wasting things. Today many young leaders are already
speaking about climate change, like Greta Thunberg, who showed how one child can inspire
millions of people. The future is in the hands of the young, so it is important that children and
teenagers act wisely and strongly.
If humans do nothing, then scientists say that by the year 2100 the Earth could become hotter by
three to five degrees. That would be very dangerous because then many places may become too
hot to live, and floods and droughts may destroy food and water supplies. But if we act now and
make smart choices, we can stop the worst effects of climate change. The Earth can still be safe
and beautiful if we live in harmony with nature.
In conclusion, climate change is the biggest challenge of our time, but it is also a chance for all
of us to come together. We must remember that the Earth is not only for us, it is also for animals,
birds, trees, and the generations that are yet to come. There is a famous saying: “We do not
inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” This means we must return
it to them in a safe and healthy way. Climate change is a warning, but it is also a lesson that
teaches us to respect nature. If all of us work together, we can still save our only home – our
planet Earth.
