Climate change refers to the cooling or warming of the earth's climate over a long period of time. Not to be confused with the weather that we perceive short-term, current changes in temperature every day. Climate change is not a new event. It represents the extensive variations in factors such as rainfall, ocean currents and temperature.
Climate change is preoccupying more and more people on our planet. Rightly so, It is advancing at a threatening speed, is becoming more and more noticeable and affects us all. In many regions, the fatal effects are a bitter reality. But what are the causes and what are the consequences? Let's find out.
Causes of climate change
The climate changes mainly due to the greenhouse effect. The rays of the sun that hit the earth are absorbed by natural gases and clouds and some of them are reflected back onto the planet. That keeps the earth warm. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the earth would have frozen over and our life would not be possible like this.
The amount of CO2 in our atmosphere has remained constant for centuries, and so do the climate on earth. But climate change, which poses a threat to life on earth, is mainly man-made. Industrialization and the associated burning of fossil fuels such as lignite, hard coal and crude oil mean that twice the amount of CO2 is released into the atmosphere than would be the case without human intervention.
Science worldwide agrees on the main causes of climate change. Even if the climate is not always 100 percent stable, we have seen massive changes in the last few decades that cannot be explained at all by natural processes such as fluctuations in solar radiation. The burning of fossil fuels such as crude oil or coal, but also, for example, deforestation worldwide by us humans, have released greenhouse gases to a large extent in the last few decades. These accumulate in the earth's atmosphere and, through the greenhouse effect, ensure that it gets warmer and warmer. On a global average, the temperature has already risen by more than one degree, and in the Arctic, for example, it has increased significantly.
Today the CO2 value is 45 percent higher than in the previous millennia of stability. This means that the highest CO2 concentration in at least 15 million years can now be measured.
Consequences of climate change
Climate change affects all regions of the world. The ice in the polar caps is melting and sea levels are rising. In some regions, extreme weather events and increased precipitation occur more frequently, while in other regions extreme heat waves and droughts are more frequent. These effects are more likely to intensify in the upcoming years.
Melting ice and rising sea levels
Caption
Water expands when heated. During that time, the polar ice caps and glaciers are melting as a result of global warming. These changes lead to a rise in sea levels, which causes flooding and erosion in coastal and lowland areas.
Extreme weather events, shift in rainfall patterns
Heavy rains and other extreme weather events are becoming more common. This can lead to flooding and a reduction in water quality, but in some regions, it can also affect the availability of water resources.
Consequences for Europe
- In Southern and Central Europe is becoming more common heat waves, forest fires and droughts.
- In the Mediterranean region, drought is spreading, making the region more vulnerable to droughts and forest fires.
- In Northern Europe, on the other hand, the climate is becoming significantly more humid and winter floods could become the norm.
- The urban areas, where four in five Europeans now live, suffer from heat waves, floods or sea-level rise, but are often barely able to adapt to climate change.
Consequences for developing countries
Many poor developing countries are among the countries hardest hit by climate change. The inhabitants of those countries are usually reliant on their natural environment to a great extent and they do not have the resources to cope with the climatic changes.
Human health hazards
Climate change is already affecting health:
- Heat-related deaths increased in some regions and cold-related deaths decreased in others.
- Changes are already being observed in the spread of certain water-based diseases and disease carriers.
Social and Economic Costs
Damage to property and infrastructure as well as damage to health mean considerable costs for society and the economy.
Between 1980 and 2011, more than 5.5 million people were victims of floods, which caused direct economic damage of over 90 billion euros.
Sectors such as agriculture, forestry, energy and tourism, for which certain temperature and precipitation levels are particularly important, were hit hardest.
Dangers to the plants and animals
Climate change is happening so quickly that many plant and animal species can hardly adapt. Many terrestrials, marine and freshwater species have already migrated to new locations. Some plant and animal species will be increasingly threatened with extinction if global average temperatures continue to rise unhindered.
Conclusion
Climate change is a serious issue. Although we are not tackling the fact the way we should, it's still not out of our hand yet. So with proper awareness, if we are ready to sacrifice a little bit of our comfort, we can still minimize the effect of climate change.
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