The digital divide in the 21st century

There is a big gap in this world between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' group of people. Every work is becoming easy to do because of rapidly growing technological advancement and digitalization. Computer, Mobile and smart devices are an integral part of a human being these days. Without which most of us cannot think to move even one step further. But still, around 45 percent of the population is not on access to the internet. Still around 37 percent of the population lack to use network devices in the world as per the beginning months data of 2018.

The factors that affect to increase digital gap or to create digital divide are economic status, race, gender, geographical condition, Disabilities, Education, and so on. Students and youths from the poor family background have access to the internet only in school, library, or cyber. Westerners are more advanced than Asian and African people in terms of technology use, study shows. If we talk about Nepal, Still a few numbers of so-called lower caste are backward and are not in access to the internet compared to so-called upper castes. More male are using Digital devices than female. Some of the countries have strict law for women, which restrict them to have digital devices and use them. More male travels one place to another place and gets access to the internet and digital device.

Another factor is the geographical condition. The urban area has more digital systems, technology than remote places. Cities have more investment more digital inventions and more distributions of opportunities and facilities. In the geographically backward places illiteracy and poverty push them to focus on their simple and primary needs which bind them not to use a digital device. They are not used to with such devices and are not provided with substantial training and ideas with digital systems. We can see educated are fonder to use computers, mobile and smart device than those who are illiterate or less educated. Ideas to operate such software, Need of those programs in day to day life segregates them to be user or non-user. A handicapped person cannot use computers and another digital device. There are some compatible devices for them but not substantial and too expensive to afford. The economic condition of them and the nature of their disabilities limit them to use new technologies.

Aforementioned causes are the vital points for technological differences between different types of population in access and use of them. We hear and read leaders of the countries are lecturing, preaching and declaring with the high voice, they do this and that. But we cannot see the fair distribution of opportunities and facilities to digital access for all equally. In my personal view, this is not impossible to increase and install digital system equally to all the population at least if they simply show their will to do. This is the first need of the 21st century.

The role of the developing countries to control global warming

Global warming is famous among us these years. There was one era when global cooling has existed. But the increasing number of population, urbanization, Industrialization, and human activities resulted in greenhouse gas emission. Increasing greenhouse gas emission resulted in global warming. Another reason for global warming is the ozone layer depletion caused by chlorofluorocarbon and halon gases. We can feel and see global warming around us. Temperature rising in an unusual manner. Snow in mountains and glacier lakes is melting gradually. In result of that mountains are turning into black rock hills, increasing the risk of Glacier lake outburst flash flood (GLOF) and sea level rise. some of the islands are vulnerable to sinking and few already sunk and disappeared. Some countries like Australia facing chilling hot which is intolerable to a living being. We hear that vegetation is shifting from down to up and some of them are about to extinct. Sign of desertification has been seen due to the temperature rising. It is believed that the Maya civilization and dinosaurs destructed and disappeared because of climate change effect and global warming. 

Some scientist still doesn't believe in Climate Change. They say it is just a hoax and propaganda myth, rather Climate Change and Global warming happens once in a long period of time and disappears, it is not happening because of human activities. But environment and climate change experts claims with their research and statistics that it is happening and we, humans are responsible for this.

Most of the developed countries have spent handsome budgets and adopted the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). In which they reduce greenhouse gas emissions like Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Carbon Monoxide etc and emphasize on clean and renewable fuel and energy consumption. Developing countries are also on the same row but It takes a long time for them to adopt such bulky projects and in the same way they cannot stop their development progress. Many developed and developing countries have signed the United Nation framework convention on Climate change (UNFCCC) treaty in 1992 AD and are committed to fighting against climate change. Again they signed the Kyoto Protocol on UNFCCC in 1997 AD to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and for Carbon trade. In which developing countries help developed countries to absorb and reserve carbons in forests and lands and in return developed countries invests projects related to resilient on climate change and global warming. Developing countries are using that budget on afforestation, reducing pollution, adaptation, and mitigation on global warming and climate change. However, developing countries are undoubtedly hesitant about such treaties as their development process in progress and are pressurized to slow down development work.

A developing country like Nepal can play a significant role to control global warming. Reducing use of fossil fuel like petroleum product and gas instead using clean and renewable energy like hydroelectricity or wind energy or solar power to run vehicles, Machinery and electronic accessories, reducing numbers of old and used vehicles by replacing with big and fuel-efficient vehicles, by using bare and non-used land and not using the cultivation land for construction, preserving the forest and focusing on afforestation, efficient management of landfill sites, recycling and reusing of used materials and goods, emphasizing on organic cultivation, creating awareness and disseminating knowledge on global warming and its effect are the important work can be done in developing countries like Nepal. 

As far as I can see, Developed and developing both kinds of countries are responsible for global warming. Countries playing an important role in emissions of greenhouse gas are less affected, underdeveloped countries are highly vulnerable in the effect of global warming. So, there should be more effective treaties and strategies and their efficient execution and merciful compensation to affected countries.