How is climate change threatening Azerbaijan?

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Climate change is already beginning to transform life on Earth. In case of failure to take timely actions, the impacts of climate change threaten to catastrophically damage the beauty that surrounds us.

Ecologists argue that our climate is rapidly changing with disruptive impacts, and that change is progressing faster than any seen in the last 2,000 years.

The recent research published in the famous "Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society" magazine says that the abnormal hot temperatures observed in winter and summer months may be considered normal by 2025.  

The hottest year on record globally in 2015 could be just another average year by 2025 if carbon emissions continue to rise at their current rate. This will primarily relate to Australia and Antarctica, according to scientists.

Gulmali Suleymanov, the head of the Climate Change and Ozone Center at the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry, agrees that the forecast can justify itself if  no steps taken”.

“The 5th assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel shows that if nothing is done during the next 10 years, then the temperature can increase by 3 degrees by 2050," he told Azernews.

The ecologist stressed that the temperature is changing closer to the north part of the Earth. "If the temperature in the world will change for 2 degrees, then the same will be observed in Azerbaijan. But moving to the north, for example, to Russia or north of Canada, the temperature will change by 3-4 degrees, while in Greenland by 4-5 degrees," he explained.

This year, the temperature in Azerbaijan was unusual, as summer started a bit later and autumn came earlier. Many became concerned that the climate change has already reached the country.

In this regard, Suleymanov said that the changes occurring in 1, 3 or 5 years is hydrometeorological events and have noting close with the climate change.

"Climate change is determined and compared during 30 or more years. That's why here we talk about long term changes. The indicators of climate change are strong winds or heavy rains that supposed to fall during the month, but  fall within a day," he said.   

This December, Azerbaijan joined almost 200 countries from every corner of the world to sign the Paris Agreement, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to support “green planet”, which was ratified by the country's Parliament and come into force this October.  

Suleymanov said that as other member countries, Azerbaijan also makes its contributions.

"We see our contribution in decreasing by 2030 the volume of greenhouse gases by 35 percent compared the figure of 1990. Moreover, several events, programs and strategies are expected to be carried out as part of the agreement.”

As for the so-called climate change deniers or skeptics, he said, “the debate over the climate phenomenon is over, scientifically and environmentally: it is affecting our daily lives.”

The processes occurred in the nature and climate change led to the changes in the wildlife, believes Elman Yusifov, Director of the Zoology Institute of the ANAS.  

Despite the season, snakes began to appear in some regions of the country, which is according to Yusifov caused by unstable weather in the country.

Yusifov said that there is nothing dangerous in it, adding that in the second decade of November, snakes will again fall into hibernation and come out of it only after March 20.

Climate change alone is expected to threaten with extinction approximately one quarter or more of all species on land by the year 2050, surpassing even habitat loss as the biggest threat to life on land. Species in the oceans and in fresh water are also at great risk from climate change.