Do you believe in Climate Change?
Ever since I was in high school, climate change has been a relevant issue that concerns many different human aspects. I was an active member of our school's environmental organization and climate change was always mentioned during symposiums. If I were to be asked, of course I believe in climate change. We have been experiencing its effects over the past decades. According to the Australian Academy of Science, climate change is a change in the pattern of weather and related changes in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets occurring over time scales of decades or longer. It is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system that persists for several decades. Causes of climate change are due to natural processes and human activities. Natural processes may include internal variability like the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and external variabilities like volcanic activities and changes in the sun's energy output. But for me, human influences has the greater contribution for climate change. These human activities are estimated to have increased Earth's global average temperature by about 1° C per decade since the 1950s and is still increasing. Human activities include burning of fossil fuels, releasing chemicals into the atmosphere, deforestation, and industrial expansions. I guess it is safe to say that one of the most prominent effects of climate change is global warming.
Scientific evidences are present to show the rapid changing of our climate system. The world has been experiencing global temperature rise since the late 19th century and most of the warming occured in the past 40 years, with the last seven years being the warmest. The temperature rise has caused the oceans to warm as they have been absorbing much of the increased heat. Another evidence is the shrinking of ice sheets, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica where data show that Greenland have lost an average of 279 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2019 while about 148 billion tons in Antarctica. Glacial retreat, decreased snow cover and declining Arctic sea ice are more of the evidence concerning the world's ice deposits. In the last century, global sea level rose for about 20 cm and this rate nearly doubled in the last two decades and is still accelerating every year. This resulted in an increase in the number of flooding and erosion. Climate change also caused damaging weather events such as hurricanes, floods and storms.
The impacts of climate change range from global impacts as a whole up to the things we basically depend on– water, transportation, energy sources, agriculture, and even human health. Some regions in the world are experiencing drought while others are experiencing floods and water quality problems due to freshwater shortage. Climate change also brought extreme challenges in the agricultural sector that results in disruption of food availability and affects food quality. The increase in food prices and loss of crops and livestock are due to reductions of agricultural productivity. Scientists have predicted that the effects of climate change will still persist in the coming years or decades.
This problem primarily started from us, humans so the solution for this also starts from us. What can we do? When it comes to our environment, even little things matter. The things you don't think will have an impact, will do, if we do it habitually and if we do it together. We can start by using less energy and water, turning off lights and television, and unplugging appliances when not in use are some of the small things we can do at home. We can save water by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth, and reusing laundry-used water in your comfort rooms. We can also help by planting trees, and participating in different campaigns and support groups. And the simplest thing we can do is knowing about Earth, knowing the problem and not be part of it. Be part of the solution. Normalize doing little things habitually for a greater cause.
So you, do you believe in climate change?
Thank you for reading ❤️
I read your whole article and thanks for the info. Individual actions are necessary but not enough. The ones that are holding back efforts to curb climate change are the fossil fuel companies clinging on to their oil fields. Speaking of climate change, I also wrote about the possibility of greening Australian deserts.