Climate change is commonly described as a significant change in weather conditions. For example, conditions become hot, humid, or dry for decades or more. This is a long-term trend that distinguishes climate change from natural climate change.
Climate change manifests itself in thousands of ways and is experienced by all living things. Across the world, economically disadvantaged people, who have played a small role in the root causes of climate change, are likely to be hit the hardest.
Climate refers to the general climatic conditions of a place that are measured over many years. Satellites orbiting the Earth, remote weather stations, and buoys on the ocean are used to monitor current weather and climate. Still, data from ice cores, ocean, corals, and lake sediments have enabled scientists to record climate records dating back millions of years.
These records provide a comprehensive overview of long-term changes in the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and cryosphere. Scientists then feed this data into climate models that can predict future climate trends with precision.
It is worth noting that while climate change and global warming are often used interchangeably, global warming is just one aspect. The mechanics of Earth’s climate system are simple. When energy from the sun reflects off the Earth and returns to space, or when the Earth’s atmosphere releases energy, the planet cools.
When the Earth absorbs energy from the sun, or when atmospheric gases prevent the heat emitted by the Earth from going into space, the planet heats up. Both natural and artificial factors can affect the Earth’s climate system.
Earth had gone through stages of heat and cooling in the past, long before humans existed. Forces that can contribute to climate change include changes in the sun’s intensity, volcanic eruptions, and naturally occurring greenhouse gases. Records show that current seasonal warming, especially since the mid-20th century, is happening faster than ever and cannot be explained solely by natural causes.
Humans emit greenhouse gases from different activities, one of the leading causes of rapid climate change on Earth. Greenhouse gases play an essential role in keeping the planet warm enough to live. However, the amount of these gases in our atmosphere has exploded in recent decades.
The current levels of carbon, methane and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere are much been much higher than the last 800, 000 years, according to EPA. The proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 46 percent before the industrial age.
Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas to generate electricity, heating, and transportation are the primary source of artificial emissions. Another major source is deforestation.
Although our planet’s forests and oceans absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and other processes, these natural carbon sinks cannot sustain growing emissions. The build-up of greenhouse gases is causing the world to heat dangerously fast.