Two Wars on Earth

They say that the first casualty of war is truth. Each side of the conflicted party would spread the news that advantages their action or position. They always blame the other side to justify what they have taken. In today’s era of information, the casualty of truth takes place not only in the warzone but also in mass media and social media. Both sides flood the grid with the news, with the same goal for both sides: to bring down the other’s supporters.
No matter what the cause is and who the wrong side is, war is never the solution. Women, children, and many civilians are the actual flesh and blood who bear the burden for a long life they have, if the bombs do not find them first. Due to the mass media focusing only on what happened in Gaza Strip, the world has not yet known about the other battle we should prepare for: the climate crisis.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released new records and concluded that September 2023 was still on the trajectory of being the hottest month ever recorded compared to another September. This means that since June 2023, we have had the hottest months breaking records since the pre-industrial era. This year, the limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels has been crossed over. Although we need to make an average from the latest century or half-century to ensure whether the 1.5-degree threshold has been crossed over due to 2023 records, one thing is for sure: this year has made the chart no longer work, it has been over the chart.
The best part is, the impact of this hottest temperature won’t arrive until next year. The upcoming rainy season or winter season could be more damaging. Everything is still vague and still needs to be researched and collected data, at least until El Niño comes to an end. El Niño is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the surface waters of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean become warmer than average, affecting global climate patterns. According to NOAA, there is a 70% chance of El Niño developing in the second half of 2023. This means that the warm water in the Pacific Ocean will release more heat into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and its impacts.
Climate change is not a sprint war, but a marathon: slow but with a consistent pace. We need to escalate the unity of all nations like we fight COVID-19, in order to keep the climate crisis under control.
The last thing we want in this scenario is World War III.
RW
