The elephant in the room

Abstract

To my mind, having read extensively on the subject (wearing the hat of the scientist I was before I did medicine) I am convinced that there are major anthropogenic causes for the current global warming – which is shown conclusively by measurements going back hundreds of years. Along with this are ice cores showing the growing load of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, far in excess of what is required for the greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth habitable. These massively rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have come about since the 1950s when there was a massive surge in the use of fossil fuels in our industries, as well as the start of the rising consumerism that is part of the problem. Most of these greenhouse gas emissions have come from the West – massive industries, a high standard of living which consumes relentlessly and produces a large carbon footprint. But, in Africa, South Africa plays the role of the West – our carbon footprint is large and, apart from our industries, is produced by a relatively small part of the population who are able to live the Western lifestyle. In the latest round of talks on climate change – unsatisfying as they were – countries such as South Africa, China, India and Brazil were no longer able to hide behind the label of ‘developing world’ and claim that they needed to continue to pollute in order to develop. Climate change will affect every aspect of our lives. In the Western Cape we are already seeing a change in the seasons, with lower winter rainfall, later onset of summer and higher temperatures later into the year. This will affect agriculture – it already is – and those who are at subsistence level suffer the most. As with nearly all adverse man-made phenomena it is the poor who bear the brunt.