Greenhouse gases and their role in climate change
Climate change is the long-term shifts in weather patterns and temperature, and these shifts occur through natural processes like the solar cycle. But for the last two centuries, human activities have been the major source of climate change due to burning fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gases (Werndl 2020). Greenhouse gases are coming from the burning of fossil fuels, and it acts like a blanket that covers the whole earth, which causes a rise in temperature and trapping the heat of the sun (Werndl 2020). Carbon dioxide and methane are the major sources of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. In the last 2 million years, greenhouse gases are at their highest, and the earth is about 1.1 degrees warmer than in the 1800s. (2011-2020) the decade was the warmest temperature recorded. The drawbacks of climate change are water scarcity, rising sea levels, flooding, polar ice melting, declining biodiversity, severe fires, and storms (Werndl 2020). It is the change in average conditions like temperature. For example, most parts of the United States were covered with glaciers 20,000 years ago and now United States have warmer climate and very few glaciers. Earth’s climate is regularly changing; scientists have observed unusual changes in the climate. For example, earth temperature has increased rapidly and quickly over the past 150 years. This essay will further shed light on the causes and effects of climate change, how it harms our environment, some facts about climate change, and possible outcomes to decrease climate change.
The major causes of climate change are greenhouse gases, which is the main drivers of climate change. Few gases on earth act like glass in a greenhouse, which traps the sunlight heat and stop them from backing into space. This causes global warming (Farooqi et al. 2022). Some gases are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Greenhouse gases like water vapor occur. Naturally, carbon dioxide, released in the atmosphere, comes from human and natural processes. It is the leading contributor to climate change. Carbon dioxide is increasing at an alarming rate, and it also has the potential to stay for thousands of years or get absorbed by the land, trees, ocean, and other sources (Farooqi et al. 2022)
Agriculture is enormously vulnerable to climate change; it contributes and is affected by climate change. Modern agriculture, production and distribution of food contribute to greenhouse gases. 19-29% of greenhouse gas emissions are released by agriculture alone. Before food reaches our plates, it has gone through various processes like storing, packed, transporting, prepared, and served. In every stage of food production, it releases greenhouse gases (Reddy 2015). Methane gases are released by livestock in the digestion process of enteric fermentation, and nitrogen fertilizers release nitrous oxide emissions. 2020 report shows that 690 million people, or 8.9 % of the world population, are hungry in the upcoming five years. Deforestation and climate change are interrelated, and deforestation is also a major contributor to global warming. Earth day network report statistics show that deforestation is the second major contributor to greenhouse gases. Loss of trees causes climate change, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, which increases greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Lawrence and Vandecar 2015). Deforestation has major environmental effects directly related to climate change, like plants and animals’ loss due to habitat loss. Increased greenhouse gases lack of trees allows greenhouse gases to be released in larger quantities, and the deforested area loses the ability to absorb carbon dioxide, thus releasing more carbon. Due to deforestation, there is less water in the air, which affects the inability to grow crops. Trees help maintain the level of water in the atmosphere by regulating the water cycle. Deforestation leads to increased soil erosion and flooding because soil easily washes away without trees (Lawrence and Vandecar 2015).
Impact of agriculture on climate change
Human activity influences the earth and climate temperature by cutting down forests, burning fossil fuels, and farming livestock. Climate change is connected with the development and enhancement of industries and technologies. As temperature rises, weather patterns will harshly change. Global warming is the cause greatest impact on our environment, human activities consistently increasing CO2 levels every year. Increased temperatures lead to melting glaciers and land ice, rising sea level at 3.42 per year. 1-4 feet oceans will be rising by 2100. Acid rain occurs when people burn coal, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released in the air, then they rise, and clods become saturated. Acid rain is very harmful to lakes and small bodies of water. Ground soaks the acid, which results in depleting essential soil nutrients (Lambeck et al. 2002). When trees absorb acid, this damages their leaves and kills many forests. Acid rain also affects the life of fish, which affects our ecosystem in sustaining the environment. Water pollution caused by humans is impacting water life beneath the earth. According to research done by national geographic, there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. Ocean acidification occurs when CO2 dissolves in the ocean then create carbonic acid. All these human activities impacted lives on earth, and thus it changes climate at a faster rate. Livestock generates nearly 14.5 % of greenhouse gas emissions, which has very adverse effects on the environment. research shows that by 2050, livestock products demand will be double because of improvements in the lifestyle of the individuals. (ICAP) international carbon action partnership is a climate change initiative program which helps in exchanging information and provides assistance for reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
Effects on climate change worldwide: people notice that glaciers are melting and temperatures are increasing at an alarming rate. Extreme weather is also known as unseasonal weather. This type of weather has significant impacts on society and our natural resources. For example, In 2015, the Munich Re disaster impacted more than $90 billion loss (Bouwer et al. 2007). Extreme weather is of various types like; unconditional heavy rainfall or snowfall, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes and tornadoes. In the U.S during 2019, six climate disasters happen during the year, costing more than $1. Climate change is impacting people’s health. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention report, health issues related to climate change are Diseases that occur from poor water quality, insecurities in food & water supply, Respiratory problems, Asthma from air pollution, high-temperature related issues injuries caused due to severe weather. Floods and heatwaves lead to mental health issues like suicide, depression, and anxiety. According to the world health organization, climate change has affected the health and wellbeing of the people in many ways: climate change has increased the intensity and frequency of life-threatening weather like heatwaves, bushfires, and floods. Children are quickly vulnerable due to several reasons. For example, children are easily affected by heat and dehydration, and they are very sensitive to exposure to air pollution. Pregnant women face risk due to heat stress during heat waves. In this way, climate change directly impacts the health of the people.
Deforestation and its effects on climate change
The effect of climate change on the country’s economic stability biggest threat was climate change (Tol 2009). According to the new research report, 10% of the global economy will be reduced by 2050. At the growing rate of climate change, it is estimated that by 2050 the global temperature will increase by 3.2 °C, resulting in a loss of 18% of global GDP, according to the Swiss Re report. Swiss Re warns that it is a systemic risk that the world needs to address. If temperate continues to rise at the same rate, then the Paris agreement net-zero emissions are impossible to meet. Rising sea levels are due to warming climate worldwide, and it is important to critically think about the issue of global warming and sustainability as the world’s ocean sea level is increasing due to global warming. According to U.S communities, the sea level rises by 3.6 millimeters per year, with an average rate of 1.4mm. According to NASA, a rise in every vertical inch of sea level moves the ocean 50 to 100 inches inland (1.3 to 2.5 meters) of the beach. Approximately 216 million people live on land, going below sea level by 2100 (Mandapaka 2018). Maintaining a normal sea level is very important because it is related to earth habitable. Our drinking water, climate, weather, rainwater, etc., is regulated by the sea (Mandapaka 2018).
For maintaining a good environment, there are many initiatives have taken by our leaders in saving our natural resources and environment. Humans need to change their lifestyles for achieving sustainability goals. A global framework like the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (Van Soest et al. 2021). Switching from the burning of fossil fuels to renewable sources like solar or wind will enormously reduce GHG emissions. Many countries have committed net zero emissions by 2050. People need to start eating more plant-based food. These types of food produce less greenhouse gas emissions it requires less energy and water than meat products. Reduce-reuse-recycle as much as possible is very beneficial for the upcoming generation (Van Soest et al. 2021) Adaptations help reduce climatic effects and their impacts on ecosystems and the well-being of the people. Examples of adaptations are, water conservation strengthening programs, upgradation of stormwater systems, creating proper early warning systems for dangerous heat events, early preparing for storms through better planning and early response strategies. National environmental protection strategy highlights four long-term areas, including the sustainable use of waste management and our natural resources, quality improvement in the environment, maintaining the stability of the ecosystem and adapting and mitigation of climate change (Van Soest et al. 2021)
Everyone can help in reducing the effect of climate change on earth, saving energy at home is the common practice that everyone needs to implement in their lives. Using less energy directly gives benefit to our environment. eating more plant-based food like vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts, and less meat and dairy foods helps in reducing green-house gas emissions because it requires less water, land and energy. Throwing away less food and apply the techniques of reduce, reuse, repair and recycle, switching to electric vehicle. The best to stop using fossil fuel is to changing the main source of energy to renewable and clean energy. For example, these technologies include solar, wave, tidal, wind, and geothermal power.
Reference: Fawzy, S., Osman, A.I., Doran, J. and Rooney, D.W., 2020. Strategies for mitigation of climate change: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, vol.18, no. 6, pp. 2069-2094. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-020-01059-w In-text citation: (Fawzy et al. 2020).
Climate change are climate emergency, breakdown or crisis. Global heating and global warming.
It is the long-term changes in the weather patterns. It increases the earth temperature leads to increase in greenhouse gases.
Temperature of the earth is increasing due to changes in the global temperature all around the world. carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing at alarming rate, and affecting our environment badly. Sea level is rising all over the world, due to rising in the global temperature.
Everyone can help in reducing the effect of climate change on earth, saving energy at home is the common practice that everyone needs to implement in their lives. eating more plant-based food like vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts, and less meat and dairy foods helps in reducing green-house gas emissions because it requires less water, land and energy. Throwing away less food and apply the techniques of reduce, reuse, repair and recycle, switching to electric vehicle.
References
Source 1 Werndl, C., 2020. On defining climate and climate change. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1093/bjps/axu048
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Source 3 Reddy, P.P., 2015. Causes of climate change. In Climate Resilient Agriculture for Ensuring Food Security, pp. 17-26. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-81-322-2199-9_2
Source 4 Lawrence, D. and Vandecar, K., 2015. Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture. Nature climate change, vol.5, no.1, pp.27-36. https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate2430
Source 5 Lambeck, K., Esat, T.M. and Potter, E.K., 2002. Links between climate and sea levels for the past three million years. Nature, vol.419, no.6903, pp.199-206. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature01089
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Source 8 Tol, R.S., 2009. The economic effects of climate change. Journal of economic perspecties, vol.23 no.2, pp. 29-51. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jep.23.2.29
Source 9 Van Soest, H.L., den Elzen, M.G. and van Vuuren, D.P., 2021. Net-zero emission targets for major emitting countries consistent with the Paris Agreement. Nature communications, vol.12 no.1, pp.1-9. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22294-x
Source 10 Mandapaka, P. V., and Lo, E. Y. 2018. Assessment of future changes in Southeast Asian precipitation using the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections data set. International Journal of Climatology, vol.38 no.14, pp. 5231-5244. https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/joc.5724
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