Causes and Consequences
of Climate Change
The greatest challenge facing the planet is climate change. Human activity is its main origin and its effects can be devastating.
But do you really know what climate change is and how it affects you? We discover the causes and consequences of this climate crisis that already affects the whole world.
According to the United Nations convention (UNFCCC), climate change is a change in the climate, attributed directly or indirectly to human activity.
The sudden variations in the climate are associated with various industrial processes that require the burning of fossil fuels, the massive felling of forest mass and the use of polluting fertilizers and many more factors alter the composition of the global atmosphere in addition to regular changes, which naturally, they occur on the planet.
The Earth has natural cycles that occur from time to time, among which are climatic changes. For example, about 10,000 years ago, our planet’s climate was colder than it is today and glaciers occupied a large percentage of the earth’s surface; little by little changes took place that put an end to that last glacial period.
However, in recent decades all living beings have participated in the acceleration of this process, which occurs naturally.
What reasons have caused this? Greenhouse Effect
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The Earth's atmosphere is made up of different gases whose function is to maintain an appropriate temperature for life. This natural phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect.
Unfortunately, the balance and fair proportion of the emission of greenhouse gases has been broken.
Human activities have increased the production of gases causing the so called global warming and as a consequence climate change. - The burning of fossil fuels produces metric tons of CO2 and is the cause of 63% of global warming.List Item #2
- Deforestation: the lumber industry, agriculture, mining and ranching are the main economic activities dedicated to cutting down trees. The planet suffers daily from excessive and uncontrollable deforestation.
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The use of fertilizers, chemical activity for wastewater treatment, transport, heating and urban planning.
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The accelerated growth of the population: the increase in the number of inhabitants influences the production of gases that accelerate the greenhouse effect.
There is much scientific evidence that demonstrates the serious causes and consequences of climate change on our planet:
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The accelerated growth of the population: the increase in the number of inhabitants influences the production of gases that accelerate the greenhouse effect.
There is much scientific evidence that demonstrates the serious causes and consequences of climate change on our planet:
- In the case of ecosystems, wetlands, for example, are at risk of disappearing.
- The average temperature of the planet increases, this causes many changes such as decreased precipitation (rain) in various parts of the planet and drought. This produces droughts and causes fires in the forests. In other parts of the planet it causes devastating weather events such as hurricanes, cyclones, extreme rains or floods.
- Acidification and contamination of the water thanks to the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air and the effects of synthetic fertilizers that stop in the water of the rivers and the sea. Alteration of the water cycle is a sign of the enormous imbalance.
- Death, migration and extinction of different species of animals.
- In the sea the habitat of many marine species and the extinction of large areas of algae, corals and microorganisms are destroyed.
- The presence of plastics and other pollutants in the sea, overfishing and other destructive fishing practices contribute to the extinction of many species of fish, whales, sea lions, etc.
- Increase in sea level and global temperature due to melting.
- Emergence of rare diseases for humanity.
- Depletion of natural resources necessary for human life.
