THIS is with reference to the report ‘US notifies UN about withdrawal from Paris climate deal’ (Jan 29), according to which United States President Donald Trump has sent an official notice to the United Nations regarding his decision to take the US away from the Paris climate change agreement. The withdrawal of the global power from a critical binding accentuates the need to find an alternative solution to the looming climate crisis.

While the global pledge to target decarbonisation is vigorous, there are voices suggesting that such a singular emphasis alone may not tackle the climate crisis effectively. Though dropping emissions is seriously inevitable, the abrupt focus on transition to a world decarbonised has floated feelings of risks and economic disruptions, particularly for nations whose economies are massively dependent on fossil fuels.

For consensus-building among global powers in tackling the climate risks, there must be an out-of-the-box approach the task of dealing with the carbon menace. The world should try adopting innovative approaches that may transform carbon from being a liability to being a useful resource. Nature itself offers plausible solutions.

Oceans, forests and soil hold enormous potential for capturing carbon. Promoting natural remedies, like mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, and using other methods, like ocean fertilisation and regenerative agriculture, can effectively address the carbon issues, and foster biodiversity.

Using technology, like synthetic trees, advanced carbon capturing right at the industrial sites, and repurposing carbon dioxide into building materials as well as synthetic fuels can increase global strength to fight the climate crisis.

Additionally, sky-based solutions, including stratospheric solar reflectors, may also address the challenge of rising temperatures by deflecting the sunlight in space. The industrial sector must be encouraged to adopt circular economies and to use materials that absorb green-house gases (GHGs). These and other steps could revolutionise the approach of the world towards harmful emissions, and transform them into useful reserves rather than refuse.

Climate activists must not limit them-selves to the singular path. They should bring into play their imagination to embrace versatile approaches, keeping science, nature and industry in harmony.

Ashok Suthar
Tharparkar

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025