Climate change is the most pressing problem facing the earth. We can no longer hide from the fact that it is already taking place and we all have to confront the problem together.

It may appear that the challenges are insurmountable. Yet, as stakeholders, we have to collaborate in this cause. Globalisation should not be used as an excuse for exploiting our planet. Governments must accept that long-term economic prosperity in every nation relies upon the environment. We are all blinded by materialism and short-sighted, self-serving interests that cause us to neglect conservation of our earth. We all have to recognise the urgency of this issue and be ready to take action in order to protect our homes, our futures, and our world. We are all responsible for the many people who die each year because of global warming. Citizens must let their voices be heard and hold governments around the world accountable.

As the global environment deteriorates, the lack of legally binding emissions legislation and internationally verifiable efforts to control climate change become ever more evident. While all humans have a responsibility to conserve the environment, governments must realise that individual efforts alone will not be enough. Global leaders keep on deferring commitment, which is directly exacerbating this problem. Governments must unite at this dire moment, and this has to be enforced through international legislation. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen was a huge disappointment. All nations focused on their own self-serving interests, and failed to reach a consensus on limiting global warming. It was a battlefield between the developed and developing world, and no one was prepared to accept their responsibilities. We all hoped our global leaders would compromise and act as one force towards a common goal, yet they failed us.