Scientific evidence paints a clear picture that climate change is happening and caused by human activity which will is really serious and create damaging effect in decades. Greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, cars and other man made sources are the primary causes. These emissions include the carbon dioxide which has reached a concentration level in our atmosphere that the Earth’s surface hasn’t seen for many years. These greenhouse gases are like a blanket that traps the sun’s warmth near the Earth’s surface that affects the planet’s climate system.
The rising global temperatures threaten human health; it increases the risk of some types of extreme weather and damage ecosystems. As the oceans warm and polar ice caps melt, sea levels are rising that endangers coastal areas. These impacts are already felt today by the groups like the poor, elderly and those living in the delicate areas.
Impacts of climate change includes:
- Sea-Level Rise. The sea level has risen due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. The warming of seas and oceans is making coastal storms more dangerous and damaging. Scientists predict that sea levels could rise in 21st century and could even higher if the glaciers from Greenland and Antarctica continues to melt quickly.
- Heavy Precipitation. Nowadays, heavy downpours are becoming more common in many locations that shows the effect of the climate change in the Earth’s surface.
- Heat Waves. As the Earth warms, more areas will be at risk for hotter and extreme heat waves. Heat waves are long periods of time having above-normal temperature.
- Ocean acidification. Much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean that makes it more acidic. It makes difficult for corals and other microorganisms to survive. It also distracts the food supply for other sea animals.
- Threats to habitats and animals. As the temperature of Earth’s surface warmed, many plants and animals are transferring to higher elevations. Some animals have difficulty in moving or adapting to new habitats.
- Global warming will rise the risk of drought in some regions. Warmer temperatures also upsurge the water demand and evaporation that stressing the water supplies.
- This is the common incident that burn vast amount of forests and brushes. If it will not control, wildfires can destroy homes and will be deadly. The number of large wildfires and its length have been recently increasing.
There are two things we need to do save the climate and the Earth’s surface. First is to lessen the greenhouse gas emissions that is responsible of this phenomenon. In picking cleaner ways to power our homes, offices and cars be more efficient and less wasteful, by these we can produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Second is to prepare life in changing climate. We need to ensure the businesses, roads, buildings and all the services that they can endure the climate change which already happening in our surroundings.
Anybody can play a vital role in having a clean energy, that includes government, businesses and you. There are many things you can do to help, like turning off the lights when you leave a room to lessen the electricity use, taking showers in shorter time to reduce the water use, recycling to reduce waste and planting tree to absorb carbon dioxide.