body-container-line-1
01.03.2010 Science

Natural and Spiritual implications

01.03.2010 LISTEN

There was a unanimous agreement in 2007 G-7 Summit; every country is to work at reducing carbon emissions to 50% by 2050. Temperatures continue to rise, as estimated, by three degrees. The rate of temperature rise and the intensity of its effect especially within the tropical zones are frightening. Apart from the punishment from the sun's heat energy, temperature rise leads to a personal budget deficit. Those who work on farmlands and any other open field, especially in Africa, will testify that the level of dehydration they suffer and a sudden lost of energy to work means they will have to spend more money on food and water to constantly keep their energy level high and maintain their body water level as appropriate, which is lost through sweat to the sun, so they can work efficiently. Those with high metabolism rate are even worse of; they burn calories faster than those with low metabolism and this means those with high metabolism will have to spend more money on food and water than those with low metabolism and with global warming the situation will worsen.

There is also the fear that Lake Victoria's, the second largest fresh water lake in the world, may barely survive as it is recorded among the fast shrinking fresh water bodies in the world. Global warming and the seemly unstoppable climate change may affect East Africa greatly. The countries in East Africa, like most African countries, depend on rain-fed Agriculture for their food production and with the rains falling in the Indian Ocean due to climate change it appears that drought will continue to waste farmlands and destroy crop yields as well as animal production—the East African river system may just disappear and as rains continue to fall off-shore famine is inevitable since the rivers that will serve as alternatives for irrigational purposes are fast evaporating.

The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that some African countries may experience a cut of about 50% in crop output by 2025 should the trend in climate change continues. The panel also estimated that some 250m Africans may lose their source of fresh water with destructive consequence on agricultural output and health.

Where as climate change may be viewed as a natural phenomenon, I view it is one of the signs of the end-time. In Revelations 16:8-9 the Bible outlines, 'the forth Angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. Although the above scriptures talk about the tribulation, what is happening now may be announcing the soon return of Christ and is but tiny fringes of the reality of its intensity in the tribulation. It is therefore wise that as one keeps his eyes on natural events; he should as well follow Bible prophecy for the end-time and amend his ways as well as keep in touch with the spiritual significance of these dreadful moments in the history of humanity.

Fidel Y. Tetteh -ModernGhana.com

body-container-line