Climate change is a challenge that transcends borders and is experienced globally. Most people are not exactly conversant with the causes and consequences of climate change due to misinformation and unreliable sources of information. As a result, there are a lot of myths about climate change. For instance, the terms 'global warming' and 'climate change' are often used interchangeably. However, an important difference exists between these two terms as climate change is caused by global warming.
Climate change is a term used to describe a change in expected average conditions such as rainfall and temperature in a particular region over an extended period of time. These changes have negative repercussions on the planet. In order for us to succesfully tackle the issue of climate change, we have to know the causes first.
Climate change is caused by many issues that have been contributed to by the man's lack of responsible actions. Global warming is a result of the greenhouse effect, a natural process whereby the atmosphere stores heat from the sun, helping the earth maintain the necessary conditions to sustain life. Without the greenhouse effect, the planet would have an average temperature of -180C. Daily human activities maximize the greenhouse effect, creating a problem and causing the temperature of the planet to increase even more.
Here are the causes of global warming:
Rise in greenhouse gases: an increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, HCFCs, and Nitrogen oxide have adverse effects on global warming. Carbon dioxide is released mainly by the burning of fossil fuels for the generation of electricity, heating, construction, and transport. Methane comes from rice farming, waste tips, and livestock. HCFCs are gases that originate from human activity, replacing CFCs. Although they are harmless to the ozone layer, they increase the greenhouse effect. Nitrogen oxide is as a result of the overuse of fertilizers and industrial activity.
Increase in population: as the population increases, more resources are required to cater to the unending needs of the people. These demands put pressure on the supply and as a result, production is intensified and more gases are emitted from factories. Farmers make use of chemicals to prevent their crops and livestock from pests and these chemicals contribute to speeding up the increase in emissions from all production processes.
Destruction of forests and marine ecosystems: forests and the oceans serve as natural carbon sinks. Forests absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and return oxygen back into the atmosphere. The oceans too act as carbon sinks, absorbing up to 50 % of CO2. However, when the oceans should meet their limits they will acidity and cause death and disease among marine flora and fauna.
Dangers of Climate Change
The increase of temperatures on a global scale signals very negative and disastrous consequences. The flora and fauna of the earth, including human beings, are endangered as a result.
Some of the worst climate change impacts are the melting of the ice mass at the poles which in turn results in rising sea levels causing flooding and posing a threat to coastal environments where small islands stand the risk of disappearing entirely.Climate change also causes an increase in more violent weather scenarios, fires, droughts, the death of animal and plant species, flooding resulting from rivers and lakes overflowing their banks. This is all taking place right now. Our future is at stake. Our children's future is at stake. We must take action today.
