It is evident that there is climate change and the main cause of disruption of the climate is due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum oils, gases, etc. These fossil fuels, when getting burnt, release many greenhouse gases into the air. When greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide get concentrated in the upper atmosphere, it raises the global temperature.
Causes of Climate Change Impact
The climate on the earth has been changing gradually since it was formed. It was the natural factor that changed the temperature of the globe. The natural factors included volcanic eruption, solar variation, heat waves, changes in the earth’s orbit, oceanic current, etc.
Earth is in a period with constant temperature which is called an interglacial period. For millions of years, the earth’s temperature has been shaped by a series of global warming and global cooling (ice age). The glacial and interglacial period that the earth is experiencing is due to the change in the earth’s orbit and its rate of rotation around the sun. In the past 100,000 years, the change of climate has been completely due to natural factors.
However, since 1800 there has been a sudden rise in global temperature due to the industrial revolution. During this period, a large amount of forest was cut down, and a huge volume of coal was used in factories, transportation, engines, generating electricity, etc.
Greenhouse Effect:
The gases produced by the greenhouse effect can be caused by both humans and nature, which can contribute to the causes of climate change impact. When some gases get trapped within the earth’s atmosphere, and the temperature starts rising, it is called the greenhouse effect. Some of the greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, CFCs, etc. While few gases are already found in the earth’s atmosphere, ones like CFCs are produced only by humans.
Factors Responsible for Climate Change Impact
Human Causes- Due to the continuous burning of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 40% from 20th to 21st century. The greenhouse gases are produced due to different activities, which include:
•Deforestation
•Burning of fossil fuels
•Stubble burning in agriculture
•Industries and factories
•Thermal power plants
•Animal husbandry
Natural Causes- The whole blame for climate change cannot be placed on human activities. Some natural causes resulted in global warming and climate change. The natural factor includes a cycle that alters the global temperature by global cooling and global warming in a certain period and at its own pace.
The changes in climate due to natural factors are also known as ‘forcing’. Some of the natural factors influencing climate change are as follows.
•El Nino southern oscillation
•Volcanic eruption
•Milankovitch cycle
•Solar irradiance
•Changing earth orbit
•Ocean current
Is It Too Late to Prevent Climate Change Impact?
The rise in human greed has already damaged the climate in various ways, and it might be very difficult to retrieve. But on the other hand, people are getting more environmentally aware. If the factories and industries stop emitting greenhouse gases, the whole situation can change. The global temperature and the concentrated carbon in the atmosphere will flatten in a few years.
According to some research, the global temperature in 2100 will rise by 2.5 degrees to 4.5 degrees if there is no change in carbon emission. The effect that has been already done by humans cannot be reversed in the human timescale.
On the positive side, there is still hope by limiting and avoiding the use of fossil fuels; the planet can be saved from the worst effect of climatic phenomena and climate change impact. The approaches humans need to follow are:
Mitigation: To adopt the concept of carbon neutrality and check the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This will help to reduce the effect of climate change.
Adaptation: In this approach, people should learn and adapt to live in climatic conditions without any interference with nature.
