Ways To Reduce Climate Change And Global Warming – Climate change is real and the evidence is all around us. While changes in Earth’s climate are nothing new, it is clear that recent impacts are having devastating effects on countless people, places and wildlife. If you want to know what climate change really is and why it matters, read on to learn more about its causes, effects and practical solutions to stop it.

You may have heard the terms climate change and global warming used interchangeably. That’s because they both describe changes in Earth’s climate. While global warming focuses on the rise in Earth’s average temperature, climate change generally refers to changes in factors such as precipitation, wind patterns, and temperature over a period of time. Measured climate change can continue for years, decades or even millions of years.

Ways To Reduce Climate Change And Global Warming

Climate change has been happening for as long as the Earth has existed. It occurs whenever Earth’s climate patterns change and remain constant for a measurable amount of time. This is evident in the natural cycle of cooling and heating. Before anthropogenic factors begin to change the global climate, five main factors interact when climate change occurs. These five factors include:[1]

How You Can Stop Climate Change

According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “The scientific evidence is clear: human-caused global climate change is occurring and a growing threat to society.” [2]

Greenhouse gases play a vital role in the Earth’s climate cycle. When the earth is hit by sunlight, some of the energy is absorbed and the rest is reflected back into space as heat and energy. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere capture the reflected energy, redirect it back to Earth and ultimately contribute to global warming. Various gases serve this purpose, including:[3]

While some of these greenhouse gases (such as water vapor) occur naturally, others (such as CFCs) are synthetic. The release of CO2 into the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic causes is one of the main contributors to climate change. Carbon dioxide has been increasing at an alarming rate and has the potential to remain in the Earth’s atmosphere for thousands of years if not absorbed by the oceans, soil, trees and other sources. [4] However, while CO2 production has steadily increased, Earth’s natural resources to absorb CO2 have also decreased. This is already happening in many ways because the planet’s resources are being lost to things like deforestation. Some studies even predict that as the planet continues to warm, plants and soil will be able to absorb less carbon dioxide—further accelerating climate change. [5]

As mentioned above, solar activity plays a role in Earth’s climate. As the sun goes through natural cycles that increase and decrease the amount of energy it emits toward Earth, solar activity is unlikely to be a major cause of global warming or climate change. There hasn’t been a measurable upward trend since scientists started measuring the amount of energy the sun hits our atmosphere. [6]

Consume Less Resources To Cool Global Warming

There are many ways agriculture affects climate change. From deforestation in places like the Amazon to the transportation and livestock needed to support agricultural jobs around the world, agriculture accounts for a large portion of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. However, agriculture is also an area that is making great strides to become more sustainable. As productivity increases, less and less carbon is emitted to produce more food. Agriculture also has the potential to act as a carbon sink and ultimately absorb almost as much carbon dioxide as it emits. [7]

Deforestation and climate change often go hand in hand. Not only is climate change increasing deforestation through fires and other extreme weather, but deforestation is also a major cause of global warming. According to the Earth Day Network, deforestation is the second largest contributor to global greenhouse gases. [8] Many people and organizations fighting climate change point to reducing deforestation as one of, if not the most important, issues that must be addressed to slow or prevent climate change. [9]

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the most important contributor to climate change in the United States is the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat and transportation. Of these factors, transportation—cars, trucks, ships, trains, and airplanes—emits the most carbon dioxide—accelerating global warming and remaining a significant contributor to climate change. [10]

While related to many of the agriculture and deforestation issues we’ve already touched on, livestock such as cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry play an important role in climate change. According to a study titled Livestock and Climate Change, the livestock sector is responsible for 51 percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. [11]

Causes, Effects & Solutions For Global Warming

From melting glaciers to more extreme weather patterns, people around the world are beginning to notice the real effects of climate change. While some countries around the world are taking action, such as initiatives such as the Paris Climate Agreement, others are continuing with business as usual – pumping millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere year after year. While the long-term consequences remain to be seen, for now, climate change continues to cause extreme weather, as well as security and economic challenges across the globe.

Changes in the weather are perhaps the most visible effects of climate change on ordinary people. One reason is the potential financial impact of severe weather events. There have been six climate disasters in the United States so far in 2019, most costing more than $1 billion. [12] According to the National Climate Assessment, as climate change continues, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events will continue to increase. [13] Weather extremes affected by climate change include:

In 2014, the US Department of Defense published a report stating that climate change poses a serious and immediate threat to national security. Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said: “Rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events will exacerbate the challenges of global instability, hunger, poverty and conflict.” [14]

In addition, climate change is likely to present economic challenges in many parts of the world. It is estimated that human-caused climate change already costs the United States about $240 billion annually, and future costs are expected to be even higher. [15] However, once you consider the staggering cost of losing natural resources such as clean air and water, it is difficult to put an exact figure on the real cost of climate change.

Nasa Technologies Spin Off To Fight Climate Change

The long-term effects of climate change can be absolutely devastating to the planet and everyone and everything that lives on it. If the world continues on its current trajectory, then we will likely continue to see an increasing impact on everyday life.

Climate change can affect people’s health in many ways. Climate change is already affecting the health of many people and has the potential to affect millions, depending on age, location and economic status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health risks associated with climate change may include:[16]

Ecosystems are networks of interconnected organisms that help support the life of a variety of plants and organisms. Climate change is already altering seasonal weather patterns, disrupting the supply of food for plants and animals around the world, potentially leading to mass extinction events. Some studies estimate that nearly 30 percent of plant and animal species are at risk of extinction if global temperatures continue to rise. [17]

Climate change can have major impacts on food and water supplies. Severe weather and rising temperatures will continue to limit crop yields and increase water demand. With demand for food expected to increase by nearly 70% by 2050, the problem is likely to get worse. [18]

Are Big Lifestyle Changes The Only Way To Save The Planet?

Sea level rise can have profound effects on cities and coastal habitats. Rising ocean temperatures and melting ice sheets have steadily contributed to rising sea levels across the globe. At current rates, NOAA estimates that sea levels will rise by at least 8 inches by 2100, which could lead to flooding and loss of marine habitats and wetlands. [19]

While contributing to sea level rise, the shrinking ice sheet presents a unique set of problems, including rising global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change has caused a nearly 30 percent increase in summer melting of the ice sheets covering Greenland and Antarctica since 1979. [20]

The ocean is one of the main ways to absorb carbon dioxide. While this sounds like a net positive at first, increasing amounts of human-caused carbon dioxide are pushing the world’s oceans to their limits and causing increased acidity. As ocean pH levels drop, shellfish struggle to reproduce and much of the ocean’s food cycle is disrupted. [twenty one]

As bleak as the impact of climate change may seem, there is hope. By taking immediate action to curb climate change, we may never see the worst consequences. Likewise, millions of new jobs and billions of dollars in revenue are likely to be created as the world adopts cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.

Global Challenge 1

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