CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE
The term "climate change" refers to the long-term, worldwide trend of gradually shifting average temperatures and weather patterns. It's possible that these shifts have a natural cause, much like the sun's periodic variations. Human emissions, particularly the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, & gas, have been a major driver of climate change ever since the 1800s.
CAUSES
Generating power
Electricity and heat produced by power stations that burn fossil fuels are a significant cause to climate change. Coal, oil, and gas are still the primary sources of energy production, and their combustion releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, two of the most important greenhouse elements that trap solar heat and contribute to global warming. Wind, solar, or other renewable sources account for just over a quarter of global electricity production. Unlike fossil fuels, they produce almost no greenhouse gases or air pollution.
Manufacturing goods
Emissions are produced during the production of cement, iron and steel, techniques, plastics, attire, and other items. These emissions are caused by the fossil fuels that are burned to generate the energy needed. Industries other than construction and mining also contribute to atmospheric gas emissions. Fossil fuels are employed in the manufacturing process because they are used to power many of the equipment used and because they are used to produce many of the chemicals needed to make things like plastics. The industrial sector is one of the world's primary contributors to emissions of greenhouse gases.
Destruction of forestland
The carbon stored in trees is discharged into the atmosphere when they are felled. This is why clearing land for farming or grazing accounts for a significant portion of global warming gases. Every year, we lose almost 12 million hectares of forest. The ability of nature to filter pollutants out of the air is diminished when trees are taken down because they absorb carbon dioxide. Deforestation, farming, and other changes to land use account for around a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Using transportation
Fossil fuels are crucial to the operation of vehicles, ships, and planes. The transportation sector is therefore a major contributor to atmospheric carbon dioxide as well as other gases. The primary cause is the use of motor vehicles, which involves the burning of oil products like gas in internal combustion engines. Despite this, pollution levels are growing due to increases in emissions from ships and aero planes. Vehicle travel accounts for about a quarter of all global carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, future forecasts predict that transportation will use a larger and larger percentage of the world's energy.
Producing food
Food production is linked to the emissions of carbon dioxide, carcinogens, and other gas emissions because of deforestation and deforestation for food security and grazing, mouth by cows and sheep, output and utilization of fertilizer's but also cow dung for agricultural crops, and utilization of energy to run farm equipment or trawlers, typically with fossil fuels. This means that the production of food is a significant contributor to climate change. Carbon dioxide is released during food production, distribution, and storage.
EFECTS
Hotter temperatures
As atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases rise, temperatures on Earth's surface rise as well. The decade of 2011-2020 will be the warmest on record. A new high temperature record has been established every month since the 1980s. Hotter days and more intense weather are affecting a growing number of landmasses. When temperatures rise and the prevalence of heat-related illnesses increases, outdoor work becomes more difficult. Extreme heat makes it more probable that a wildfire will start and swiftly spread. The Arctic had warmed at a pace that is at least one-and-a-half times faster than the global average.
More severe storms
Devastating storms have increased in frequency and intensity in many places of the globe. Rising temperatures feed more intense storms, which in turn exacerbate extreme rains and floods. Temperature increases in the oceans cause an increase in the severity and breadth of tropical storms. Tropical cyclones, including hurricanes and typhoons, flourish in the warm waters just below the ocean's surface. Whole neighborhoods may be wiped out by a single severe storm, leading to several deaths and millions of dollars in property damage.
Increased drought
It's getting more difficult to find clean drinking water in many parts of the world as a direct result of global warming. Climate change is increasing the possibility of both agricultural droughts that may harm crops and ecological droughts that can stress ecosystems. Droughts may also exacerbate the severity of sand & dust storms, which may carry millions of tones of dirt over continents. Growing deserts reduce cultivable land. There are constantly at danger too many individuals who are thirsty.
A warming, rising ocean
The ocean is taking up a large portion of the extra heat that people are adding to the globe. Since the turn of the century, ocean warming has sped up noticeably at all depths. Because water expands when heated, your ocean will increase in size as the Earth warms. Coastal and island communities are at risk from rising sea levels due by melting ice sheets. The ocean is able to absorb CO2 and store it, therefore keeping it from entering the atmosphere. As the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, the oceans become more acidic, posing a danger to marine life and coral reefs.
Loss of species
Climate change is a serious danger to all forms of life on Earth, including marine and terrestrial species. The risks increase along with the temperature. The current rate of species extinction is 1,000 times faster than at any other time in human history, and scientists attribute this to climate change. Potentially a million species will become extinct during the next several decades. Forest fires, extreme weather, and the spread of new pests and diseases are just some of the dangers that climate change brings. Unfortunately, not all animal will thrive in their new surroundings.
Not enough food
Climate change and the severity of extreme weather events may be contributing factors to the rise in global hunger and malnutrition. Loss of fisheries, agricultural, and animal production ecosystems, or significant declines in their productivity, are all possible outcomes. The food sources for billions on people who depend on marine items is in jeopardy due to the acidification of the ocean. Snow and ice changes have had a significant effect on herding, shooting, & fishing in the Arctic, three of the most important subsistence activities there. Heat stress may reduce water availability or grazing pasture, which might be bad for agricultural productivity and livestock health.
More health risks
The health of humanity is at more danger from global warming than at any other time in our history. Human health is already being negatively impacted by climate change in many different ways, including increased air pollution, illness, severe weather events, relocation, stresses on mental health issues, and increased hunger or poor nutrition in areas where people could really produce or get adequate food. About 13 million people die every year as a direct result of environmental factors. Changing weather patterns and extreme weather events both increase mortality and put a burden on healthcare facilities.
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