TürkçeOne of the once-glorious managers of the past once remarked in a meeting:
“Whenever I see balance somewhere, I throw a wrench into it!”
I remember thinking to myself, “Yeah, good job messing things up!”
This manager probably thought he was being clever, whereas in reality, balances are extremely difficult to establish. Breaking them, on the other hand, is easy. And once broken, restoring them can be a grueling task. The cost is also quite high.
This is essentially what’s happening in the world today. Humanity has fundamentally shaken the Earth’s and nature’s critical balance.
A recent report published in the media was striking. Newly surfaced documents confirmed that the oil and automotive industries had financed the early climate science research conducted by Charles David Keeling at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) between 1954 and 1956. Keeling is known for the “Keeling Curve,” which demonstrated global warming and the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In other words, these documents revealed that industry leaders were aware of the potential environmental impacts of fossil fuels from the very beginning. Put plainly, capitalist capital knowingly chose to disrupt the world’s balance, and they continued to do so for decades in pursuit of high profits.
Once the balance was disrupted, there was no turning back. The accumulation of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere reached extreme levels, and we were introduced to global warming. As greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere increase, more heat gets trapped. Especially when these gases exceed levels that natural processes like photosynthesis can handle, the excess trapped heat leads to what we now call climate change.
In short, climate change was an unpleasant result of meddling with this balance, and major disruptions began to appear.
Take ocean currents, for example. These currents have a massive effect on the global climate. The heat from the sun is absorbed primarily by tropical waters near the equator and transported across the globe by ocean currents. These currents move under the influence of winds, differences in salinity, temperature changes, and even the rotation of the Earth. As a result, they determine regional climate conditions by influencing temperature and rainfall. For instance, the Gulf Stream warms the coasts of Western Europe, while cold ocean currents can create a cooling effect in warmer regions. Ocean currents also play a vital role in marine ecosystems by transporting nutrients and oxygen, thereby shaping the lives of marine species.
As we know, the most visible impact of global warming is seen in the glaciers, which are now melting and mixing into the oceans at unprecedented speeds. Researchers report that due to global warming, the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting, releasing freshwater into the oceans, which reduces the salinity and density of seawater. This could lead to a slowdown—or even a complete shutdown by 2050—of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), an ocean current system. Needless to say, such a scenario would threaten life as we know it.
Warming and glacier melt not only disrupt such massive balances, but also smaller systems that support the larger balance.
You’re asking, “Like what?”
Let’s take penguins as an example. A recent study discovered something remarkable: penguin droppings play a significant role in keeping Antarctica’s atmosphere cool. Ammonia gas released from their droppings increases cloud formation in coastal regions of the continent, which blocks sunlight and helps lower temperatures. However, global warming negatively affects the habitats of these adorable creatures, eliminating this cooling benefit.
Another example is the spread of invasive species.
Cactus plants like prickly pears, which are typically seen in hot and dry climates such as the Grand Canyon, are now invading the Swiss Alps due to climate change. These plants, present since the 18th century, have spread significantly in some parts of Switzerland and Italy. According to The Guardian, the municipality of Fully began an effort at the end of 2022 to uproot and eliminate these invasive plants. As you can tell, the local population is not thrilled about the spread of this species within their ecosystems.
If that example sounded a bit harmless, here’s a more serious one:
Among scientists’ greatest concerns is the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes due to climate change. And this is not just a theoretical threat. A recent study shows that malaria-transmitting mosquitoes have been expanding into warming regions of Africa for more than a century, increasing their territory by 3 miles each year. This highlights just how real the scientific concerns are about climate change pushing various species into new territories.
The solution lies in taking sustainability seriously, enforcing it through legislation, and helping the world restore its critical balance.
Of course, once that balance is reestablished, it is equally vital to ensure that no one throws a wrench into it again for the sake of profit.
Until next time, stay safe and well.