Assignment on Climate Changes

Introduction of Climate Changes

            Numerous people are already experiencing devastating effects of disasters which are spurred by climate changes. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, there was a prolonged drought while in the Pacific, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, there were immense tropical storms. In addition to it, during the summer months, scorching wildfires and heat-waves swept across the USA, Pakistan, Japan, and even Greece. Although climate change is largely understood through its effects on humanity which is being caused by it and will continue to cause, what makes it an urgent issue is its devastation on humanity. In this essay, the causes of climate changes along with its effects will be explained.

Climate Change: The climate of earth is changing constantly over time with fluctuations of average temperatures. But this warming period is taking place more rapidly than it has in previous years. Actually, it has become quite clear that heat-trapping gases have been released more than ever before in the recent years for powering modern lives. This is being done by land-use, agriculture, and burning of fossil-fuels which are responsible for climate changes. At the highest levels are greenhouse gases than they have been before. This rapid increase is quite a major concern because it is seemingly changing the climate at a rate which is more rapid than what can be adapted to by other living things.

            Climate change seemingly not only involves rapidly rising temperatures but also seal levels, extreme weather events, shifting populations, and various other impacts (Parry, 2019).

Causes of Climate Changes

            Actually, there is a significant scientific consensus that 97 percent of climate experts have come to the conclusion that most of global warming is made by humans. The burning of fossil fuels is one of the main drivers of climate changes as it includes burning of oil, gas, and coal as it has enhanced the concentration of greenhouse gases like CO2 or carbon dioxide. Coupled with several other activities like cutting and clearing the land for different agriculture purposes, it is increasing the average temperature of planet. Scientists and experts are as sure of the connection between global warming and greenhouse gases as the connection between lung cancer and smoking.

            165 nations, in 1992, signed a treaty referred to as UNFCCC or UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ever since the Conference of Parties, they have seemingly held meetings on annual basis with the object of developing methods and goals for reducing climate change along with adapting to its effects. At the moment, there are 197 nations which are bound by the framework.

            In general, there are some certain gases which block heat from being released. Long-lived gases which are present in the atmosphere and do not respond chemically or physically to changes in temperature are recognised to force the climate change. As it has been explained above, greenhouse gases are increasing. Some of the gases which contribute to greenhouse effect include Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Water Vapour. Water vapour as the greenhouse gas is the most abundant. However, most importantly, it serves as a feedback to the whole climate. As the atmosphere warms, water vapour increases. This also increases the possibility of precipitation and clouds which is quite a significant mechanism that contributes to greenhouse effect (Ghosh, 2018).

            Carbon Dioxide, although it is a minor gas, it is quite an important component or part of the atmosphere. Natural processes release carbon dioxide like volcano eruptions and respiration along with other human activities like burning fossil fuels, land use changes, and deforestation. Humans have seemingly increased the concentration of carbon dioxide by almost a third ever since the new Industrial Revolution. Methane is actually a gas which is produced through both human activities and natural activities, including the waste decomposition in rice cultivation, agriculture, and landfills. On a molecular level, methane is a lot more active and corrosive greenhouse gas than CO. However, it is important to note that this gas is less available in the atmosphere. A stronger greenhouse effect has seemingly warmed the oceans and melt glaciers. It has increased the levels of sea significantly. It has been predicted that in the future, oceans will expand and it will contribute to the rise of sea level even more.

Effects of Climate Change

            For several years now, the effects and impacts of climate changes have been recorded and felt. In recent years, they are being felt even more and global warming has actually reached 1C more than pre-industrial levels. It is quite significant to note that climate experts have noted that the frequency of heat waves will increase even more in the recent years. In fact, it is also predicted to be more intense in some specific regions. The oceans will acidify and warm and the mean sea level will continue to increase. It would not be wrong to say that the necessity of addressing the climate change has intensified even more with the publication of a report by IPCC or the International Panel on Climate Change in 2018 (Kellogg, 2019).

            The IPCC has actually warned that for avoiding global warming, it is important to ensure that we do not reach the level of 1.5C more than the pre-industrial levels.

            Actually, at a national level, less developed nations and small island states are among the worst influenced by climate changes. For instance, people living in the Marshall Islands seem to experience devastating storms and flooding on a regular basis which are capable of destroying livelihoods and homes. The 2018 heat wave seemingly impacted several countries and some of its effects can be noted from Pakistan where temperatures increased more than 44C. It caused more than 60 labourers to die as they were already working in the scorching heat. The effects of fossil-fuel related population and climate change also run along class and ethnicity lines. An example can be taken from North America where people belonging to a lower class are forced to live next to industries and breathe in toxic air. They experience higher rates of cancers and respiratory illnesses and they are also more likely to diet of pollution which is caused by climate changes.

Rising Levels of Sea of Climate Changes

A major effect of climate change is the rising levels of sea. In the past century, average level of sea increased about 8 inches and climate experts determine that it will rise more rapidly in the coming years. Various coastal cities like New York are observing an increased number of events in flooding and by 2050, several cities similar to it might need seawalls to thrive and survive. Although estimates vary, sea levels are actually expected to increase 1-4 feet enough to seemingly flood many island states, coastal cities, and beach resorts. For instance, if the Antarctic ice shelf or the Greenland ice cap collapses, levels of sea could increase by approximately 4 feet which is seemingly enough to flood several cities like Boston and Bangkok.

Powerful Storms of Climate Changes

            Although the specific conditions which seem to produce rainfall will not experience a change, climate change seems to affect the amount of water which is present in the atmosphere and it will increase the production of violent downpours instead of just plain and steady showers. In addition to it, typhoons and hurricanes will increase in power along with the fact that flooding will become more frequent and common (Dessler & Parson, 2019).

Droughts and Heat waves of Climate Changes

            In spite of downpours in some specific places, prolonged heat waves and droughts have become quite common in recent years. It is not surprising for people to experience rising temperatures but in the recent times, they have become more common and their intensity has increased significantly. It has been experienced in several countries that heat is consistently increasing. In addition to it, dry places have become only drier and in some areas, there has also been a decrease in rainfall.

            The entire ecosystem is changing just because the world is warming. The rising temperature levels at the equator have seemingly pushed crops like rice into various cooler areas. For instance, various fish species have migrated quite long distances to stay in those areas which have proper temperatures. For instance, in colder waters, this might increase the catches of fishermen. However, in some other areas, this might serve to decrease the catches of other fishermen (Jordan, Huitema, Asselt, & Forster, 2018).

Conclusion of Climate Changes

            Overall, it can be said that numerous people are already experiencing devastating effects of disasters which are spurred by climate changes. The climate of earth is changing constantly over time with fluctuations of average temperatures. But this warming period is taking place more rapidly than it has in previous years. Actually, there is a significant scientific consensus that 97 percent of climate experts have come to the conclusion that most of global warming is made by humans. Due to the climate changes, there have been significant effects. Some of the major effects include the increased heat wave and global warming. For instance, in recent years, it has been observed that temperatures have increased significantly in some specific areas and nations.

References of Climate Changes

Dessler, A. E., & Parson, E. A. (2019). The science and politics of global climate change: A guide to the debate. Cambridge University Press.

Ghosh, A. (2018). The great derangement: Climate change and the unthinkable. Penguin.

Jordan, A., Huitema, D., Asselt, H. V., & Forster, J. (2018). Governing climate change: Polycentricity in action? Cambridge University Press.

Kellogg, W. W. (2019). Climate change and society: consequences of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Routledge.

Parry, M. L. (2019). Climate change and world agriculture. Routledge.