Climate Change
What is Climate Change?
Climate Change refers to a long-term shift in the planet's weather patterns and average temperatures. Global temperatures rose about 1.98°F (1.1°C) from 1901 to 2020, but climate change refers to more than an increase in temperature. It also includes sea level rise, changes in weather patterns like drought and flooding, and much more. Things that we depend upon and value — water, energy, transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health — are experiencing the effects of a changing climate. We now know that man-made climate change is real and that it poses a great threat to the planet and its inhabitants. Current data suggest that we need to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in developed countries by at least 80% by 2050 in order to have a chance of staying below an average temperature rise of over 2ºC.
Causes of Climate Change
The climate on Earth has been changing since it was formed which is 4.5 billion years ago. Till now, natural factors have been the cause of these changes which include volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, shifts in the earth's crust, etc. Scientists now agree that humans cause climate change. Many of us think climate change mainly means warmer temperatures, however, this is just the beginning of the story. Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others. The consequences of climate change now include, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms, and declining biodiversity.