Worldwide state of emergency necessary amid rising heat, says expert

A worldwide state of emergency is necessary to decrease fossil fuel usage and promote renewable energy, an academic said Wednesday.

Professor Guven Ozdemir from Türkiye’s Istanbul Aydin University told Anadolu about long-term policies that can be implemented to counter the increase in global temperatures, including in Türkiye.

Ozdemir, who is a member at the engineering faculty, further said that the use of fossil fuels leads to an excessive accumulation of gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect.

He said the use of fossil fuels creates heat islands over major cities, contributing to the rise in temperature.

He added that the increasing world population also leads to a higher demand for energy, which further contributes to the growth of heat islands.

Ozdemir also said that the excessive use of fossil fuels, the "El Nino" effect, the formation of heat islands in cities, and climate change contribute to increased warming in polar regions.

This warming leads to significant melting in polar areas, causing moisture-laden air to move southwards from Siberia to Europe, resulting in increased rainfall in Siberia and more droughts in Europe.

He further added that these atmospheric pressure differences exacerbate the climate crisis.

"Fossil fuels cannot be completely abandoned, but we can increase the use of renewable energy and solar energy," Ozdemir said.

"Air conditioners depend on electricity, and some of that electricity is generated using fossil fuels. Electricity demand increases during the summer. To save electricity, the usage of air conditioners should be reduced when the temperature reaches 40 degrees. Saving energy means saving water usage. If we say 'What does it matter to me?' it means significant energy consumption,” he added.

- Rising temperature in Mediterranean

He stated that this cannot be accomplished solely through the annual United Nations meetings.

“The temperature in the Mediterranean is increasing, indicating that the equator is getting closer to us. In 15-20 years, there will be an accelerated change in the marine and terrestrial vegetation, impacting the ecosystem

“This is inevitable, and the soil is becoming less fertile. Production will begin to differentiate, and summer tourism in southern regions will shift northward. The Black Sea and Aegean regions’ north will become tourism centers,” he said.

He stressed that the well-being of all living beings in the world should be the primary concern.

He warned that during droughts, the land cannot be utilized, the sea becomes barren, food production collapses, economies suffer negative impacts, and every cycle is affected by drought.

“Rainwater should be collected in cisterns and storage tanks. Municipalities should make it mandatory for all buildings to have sufficient storage tanks. In Istanbul, there are around 5 million vehicles. Imagine that all of them go out on the road every day, and after a light rain, they are washed again. We consume so much water. To promote water conservation, it needs to be advertised on social media, radio, and television. This awareness needs to be instilled,” he concluded.

* Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul