The earth’s climate is changing at a rapid rate. Over time, humankind has been affecting this change and is now accelerating the process with modern-day production techniques as well as consumption habits. If humans continue to keep up this unsustainable pattern of behavior, they will experience extreme weather conditions that will ultimately cause problems for many future generations.
The earth’s climate is constantly changing as a result of natural phenomena such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate tectonics. However, there has been an upwards trend in the speed at which this change occurs due to human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels for energy. Although carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses exist naturally on our planet, human activity has further contributed to the rapid increase in their production.
There are five main factors that contribute to global warming:
(1) atmospheric aerosols
(2) land-use changes
(3) ozone-depleting substances (ODS)
(4) greenhouse gases (GHGs)
(5) solar irradiance
Aerosols fall under category 1 with land use and ODS falling under category 2. Category 3 contains chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs, and halons which harm the earth’s ozone layer as well as contribute to global warming. Category 4 is made up of GHGs such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor. Finally, solar irradiance accounts for category 5 by affecting the amount of energy that reaches us from sunlight as well as its distribution throughout our planet’s atmosphere (Saltzman).
The accumulation of these factors has led to an increase in average temperature over time. Data shows that since the industrial revolution, there has been a steady rise in temperature with 2015 being one of the hottest years on record (Rojstaczer). The earth’s climate is becoming increasingly unstable as a result of this rise in temperature. In the last two decades, there have been more extreme weather conditions such as heavy rainfall, droughts, heatwaves, and storms that have caused negative effects on human beings as well as other living organisms.
In addition to these environmental changes, there has been a shift in global weather patterns which has led to the disappearance of ice caps near the poles. As a result, sea levels have risen by 20 cm since 1880 (Rojstaczer). Scientists believe that the rate at which this increase will occur will speed up due to melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. By 2100 this increase could be anywhere 0.75 meters to 6 meters (Saltzman).
In addition to disappearing ice caps, sea levels will be affected by the temperature increase as well as the acidification of the ocean. As a result of climate change, glaciers and polar ice caps are melting faster than ever before. This process has resulted in higher temperatures as well as a rise in sea levels which will affect coastal regions due to tides and storm surges. In fact, a study done by Rahmstorf et al found that since 1993, every year an average of 36 million people have been displaced from their homes due to flooding from high tides or storm surges associated with landfalling tropical cyclones (Rojstaczer). In addition to this, Climate Central determined that if all of Earth’s glaciers melted, sea levels would rise by 215 feet (Saltzman).
Sea level rise is just one of the consequences that future generations will face if humans do not take action to reduce greenhouse gasses. The change in weather patterns has also resulted in an increase in drought conditions as well as heavy rainfall throughout certain regions of the world. This shift has led to severe consequences such as famine and starvation due to a lack of precipitation for crops. Other consequences include an increased number of people at risk for infectious diseases due to flooding areas where disease-carrying insects are present (Rojstaczer). Furthermore, climate change has already created a significant challenge for global food security which includes making sure that all human populations have reliable access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. More specifically, the human race must address issues of food access, availability of arable land, and climate change.
The planet is becoming increasingly unstable due to climate change which has had a direct impact on future generations through natural disasters. There have been more extreme weather conditions resulting in famine and starvation due to lack of precipitation for crops. Furthermore, the increase in temperature has lead to ice caps melting at an accelerated rate which has resulted in higher temperatures as well as a rise in sea levels which will affect coastal regions due to tides and storm surges.
Climate change has already created a significant challenge for global food security including making sure that all human populations have access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. The human race must address issues of food access, availability of arable land, and climate change.
By 2050 there will be an increased number of people at risk for infectious diseases due to flooding areas where diseases are carried by insects. In addition, future generations will experience over 400 ppm CO2 in the atmosphere, the acidification of the ocean which affects coral reefs ecosystems, more extreme weather conditions that lead to famine and starvation due to lack of precipitation for crops. Furthermore, there will be an increase in drought conditions as well as heavy rainfall throughout certain regions of the world.
It’s time to take action against climate change with serious hands and save our future generations.
