Human makes up a large amount of the greenhouse effect and, as a result, are responsible for part of global warming
Global warming is an occurrence of climatic changes branded by a rise in global temperatures and long-lasting effects on weather patterns and ecosystems. It is related to the escalation of gases in the atmosphere, exacerbating the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide and other air pollutants contribute to global warming by absorbing sunlight and solar energy reflected from the globe’s surface (Kerr). Usually, this pollution would go into space, but these pollutants trap the heat and cause the earth to warm. Climate change has existed throughout the history of our world. However, the global warming observed during the past years is atypical since it is the product of human activities. Human activities contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases. As a result, it should be no surprise that scientists believe that human activities are the primary global warming caused, mostly due to the obvious nature of human activities.
For instance, the huge consumption of petroleum products is the most evident cause of climate change, as the combustion of these products produces CO2 (Landsea). Second, forest exploitation is a big contributor to climate change. Plants help in climate regulation by captivating CO2 from the air. This beneficial effect is nowhere to be found, and the carbon deposited in the trees is freed into the air when the trees are felled. Humans suddenly began spewing millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other emissions into the atmosphere during the industrial revolution, tripling the amount of carbon in the air compared to the lowest levels in the last years. Daily observations of this phenomenon are made possible by observatories. Global warming is attributed to human activity. In truth, the scientific basis for the link between carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature increases has been validated by scientists. The well-documented pattern of rising CO2 atmospheric concentrations is due to the burning of fossil fuels and immense changes in land cover. Isotopes of carbon give the smoking gun evidence that human activities are accountable for a significant spike in atmospheric CO2. The isotopes help researchers fingerprint the source of co2, revealing that the increase in carbon in the air is due to the combustion of fossil fuels.
Intensive farming is another cause of global warming due to increasing animal and plant fertilizers and products. When digesting their food, livestock produces huge gases, while fertilizers emit nitrous oxide (Kerr). On top of these, Landfills and incineration create hazardous gases, such as methane, which are released into the environment, adding to the greenhouse effect.
The mining business plays a vital role in the present life. Minerals and metals are the raw resources utilized in product manufacturing, transportation, and construction. This market is responsible for a huge portion of all gas emissions from extraction to distribution. Lastly, over consumerism also plays a significant impact on climate change. It is accountable for the excessive exploitation of natural emissions and resources from intercontinental cargo movement, contributing to climate change.
The outcome of all of these human activities is a globe that has never been warmer. Since 2006, nine of the ten warmest years since 1881 have happened, with the five hottest years occurring in 2015. Numerous studies have debunked the assertion made by climate change doubters that there has been a slowdown in the rise of global temperatures. The effects of global warming are already causing harm to people on every continent.
Climate researchers have concluded that global warming must be reduced to avoid a future in which climate change’s worst effects, including extreme famines, and other disasters, will characterize daily life worldwide (Landsea). All people experience these repercussions somehow, but the disadvantaged, economically marginalized, and people of color feel them most directly, as global warming is frequently a fundamental factor in their social unrest. Defining all the above as climate change is correct, but this does not provide a fuller understanding. Climate has always changed, but never so rapidly and never in the presence of such rigid and complicated infrastructure as is present in the cities and manufacturing systems of industrialized nations.
Due to climate change, a lot of consequences have been documented. For instance, temperature increases and climatic changes disrupt ecosystems and alter plants’ circumstances and reproductive cycles. Climate change alters the animals’ lifestyles and migration patterns (Weart). We observe the extinction of numerous organisms or the introduction of venomous species that harm animals and crops. The equilibrium of biodiversity is therefore altered and threatened by climate change. Most ecosystems will suffer if the globe warms by more than two degrees Celsius.
Polar ice is melting at an unprecedented rate due to climate change, causing the sea level to rise at an unprecedented rate. The worst-case scenario is a population increase of 1 million by 2100. Also of significant concern is the acidification of the oceans (Weart). The huge CO2 amount absorbed by the seas causes them to turn more acidic, raising concerns concerning the adaptation of coral reefs and seashells.
The side effects of climate change are felt everywhere. In recent years, intense heat waves have resulted in thousands of deaths all over the globe. Since the nineties, Antarctica has lost trillions of tons of ice, a worrying indicator of future disasters. Some scholars believe that if we use petroleum products at the current rate, the loss rate might quicken, making the sea levels increase several meters over the next decades and causing havoc on coastal cities globally.
Humans are not exempt from these catastrophes. The global economy is affected by climate change. It is upsetting geopolitical, health, and social equilibriums in numerous regions of the planet. Resources such as food and energy scarcity spawn new conflicts. Floods and rising sea levels are resulting in people’s migration. Minor island nations are in the vanguard.
Lastly, climatologists worldwide have been studying the effects of climate change on weather events for decades. And the consequences are enormous: more heatwaves and precipitation, more droughts, and catastrophes such as floods.
In conclusion, therefore, immediate actions need to be taken to prevent further damage to our planet. Different measures could be adopted to mitigate climate change. At first, abandoning fossil fuels must be taken seriously, and people should start favoring renewable energies such as geothermal power (Weart). Generating clean energy is essential, but lowering our energy and resource use through more efficient technologies like advanced light bulbs is less expensive and equally critical.
It is essential to design and construct new low-energy structures and repair older houses to reduce gas production from buildings produced by lighting, air conditioning, warm water, or heating. Encouraging public transportation and hydrogen and electric mobility can undoubtedly decrease carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate global warming. Carbon collection, utilization, and storage can drastically cut these sectors’ emissions (Landsea). In addition, it can assist in the removal of carbon from the atmosphere using carbon removal techniques like carbon capture and storage, and it can serve as a platform for low-carbon hydrogen production.
Encouraging better use of natural resources, halting huge deforestation, and greening and improving the efficiency of agriculture should be a primary concern. Adopting appropriate consumption practices is essential, involving food (especially meat), clothing, cosmetics, or cleaning supplies. Studies indicate that we must reduce global carbon emissions by as much as 40 percent by the next ten years to avert the worst effects of global warming. The international community must take urgent, decisive action for this to occur. Last but not least, recycling is an absolute requirement for trash management.
Educators should introduce the topic of global warming with comprehensive formwork that creates the fundamentals of the scientific method, the foundational principles of climate science, and a reliance on strong scientific research to help students understand that the effects of climate change are the aspect of climate science that is most commonly misunderstood. By doing this, the future generation will have a better understanding of climatic changes, and they will be able to come up with better ways of fighting them.
