about climate change

Climate change is described as a variation in the statistical distribution of weather patterns that can persist for long stretches of time, usually decades or millions of years. According to scientific research, the atmosphere on Earth is constantly changing. Changes in weather patterns include global warming, which causes temperature fluctuations, as well as changes in precipitation patterns, which cause hurricanes and snowfalls, among other things. As a result, this article would include an in-depth examination of climate change and many of its associated tenets. Citizens must understand the many facets of climate change in order to take preventative action. Berkeley Earth (2014) states that current climate change is blamed for everything including hurricanes and tornadoes. It is a wrong depiction since the claims go beyond the scientific facts. Furthermore, linking cause-and-effect to the different weather events is quite difficult (Berkeley Earth, 2014, p. 4). Even if fossil fuels might be the cause of climate change, they can be attributed to the various advancements that have improved the other aspects of life like the mode of transportation and communication among others.

The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) (2016) affirms that climate change has been mainly propelled by the increasing greenhouse gasses. According to their reports, the carbon dioxide concentrations have risen by about 35% since the beginning of industrial revolution. Roughly 80% of carbon dioxide emanating from human activities are due to fossil fuels. Another 20% is due to deforestation among other related agricultural activities. Another greenhouse gas, methane which is even 25 times more lethal in trapping heat than carbon dioxide has risen by 150%, even though its concentrations are still less than carbon dioxide. Nitrous oxide has also risen by 20% over the years. The nitrous oxide, on the other hand, is almost 300 times more lethal in trapping heat. These greenhouse gasses trap heat by forming a layer whenever they are released to the atmosphere (National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, 2016). According to this agency, climate change is a reality that emanates from various activities such as combustion of fossil fuels that result in the emission of greenhouse gasses. The gasses cause gradual warming of the earth, a rise in sea level, and a decrease in snow and ice cover. As a matter of fact, scientific research has also established that the sun’s intensity has been the same over the years. In that regard, global warming emanates majorly from the greenhouse gasses (National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, 2016).

The United Nations Environment Programme (2016) state that climate change occurs as a result of the reducing forest cover. In other words, reduction of forest cover reduces evapotranspiration rates. It also lessens the availability of carbon sinks leading to more accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere. Ever since the industrialization period began, the impacts of climate change have been heightening, primarily due to deforestation in order to set up the industries (United Nations Environment Programme, 2016).

The World Health Organization (2016) reports that the effects of climate change can be felt in various aspects including migration of animals in search of cooler places. The body predicts that a quarter of the earth’s species are headed for extinction by the year 2050. Furthermore, the melting of ice across the arctic, which are habitats for the polar bears could lead to total extinction of the animals within 100 years. In fact, due to climate change, the remaining Golden Toad in Central America died in 1999 (World Health Organization, 2016).

The United Nations Environment Programme (2016) also relate the continuous migration of people living in low-level lands to climate change. Due to climate change, the sea levels are raised thus displacing individuals living in the low-level lands. In countries like Haiti, people are moving from some islands due to continuous flooding. The body also estimates that the country could be submerged in a few years. Therefore, climate change has been directly linked to migration of people residing in these low-level lands as well as coastlines (United Nations Environment Programme, 2016).

Conclusion

Climate change is real and can be exemplified by the current weather patterns. Climate change can be mainly attributed to human activities that include deforestation and combustion of fossil fuels. As it is well known, trees are essential in the formation of rains. In other words, rain concentrations depend on the number of trees within water catchment areas. In that regard, destroying trees results in loss of catchment areas resulting in loss of rainfall. As such, the lower rainfall and loss of carbon sinks further heighten the global temperatures. Increase in the utilization of nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers on agricultural lands as opposed to manure affects heat storage on crop lands. This is because nitrogen oxides have 300 times more heat trapping capability per unit volume than Carbon IV Oxide (United Nations Environment Programme, 2016). Scientific research and other international agencies involved in climate change have affirmed that it exists. As elaborated by scientists, changes in the environment have led to numerous detrimental effects to humans and animals. Without adequate maintenance of the issue, animals such as the polar bears could be extinct in some years to come.

References

Berkeley Earth. (2014). Know the Facts: A Skeptic’s guide to Climate Change. 1-12. Retrieved from http://static.berkeleyearth.org/pdf/skeptics-guide-to-climate-change.pdf

National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration. (2016). Global Climate Change Indicators. Retrieved November 14, 2016

United Nations Environment Programme. (2016). Climate change. Retrieved November 14, 2016

World Health Organization. (2016). Climate change and health. Retrieved November 14, 2016