CLIMATE CHANGE

Generally speaking, climate change happens when the earth’s climate system
adjusts and displays new weather patterns that can last for as little as a few decades
or up to millions of years.

Climate change: Can be defined as a broad range of global phenomena created

predominantly by burning fossil fuels, which add heat-trapping gases to Earth’s
atmosphere. These phenomena include the increased temperature trends described
by global warming, but also encompass changes such as sea-level rise; ice mass
loss in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic and mountain glaciers worldwide; shifts
in flower/plant blooming; and extreme weather events.

However global warming and climate change are sometimes used interchangeably,,
which is not supposed to be so global warming refers only to the Earth’s rising
surface temperature, while climate change includes warming and the “side effects”
of warming—like melting glaciers, heavier rainstorms, or more frequent drought.
Ultimately, this means that global warming is one side of the much larger problem
of human-caused climate change.

CAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Volcanic activity

Volcanic activity can influence climate in a number of ways at different timescales.

Individual volcanic eruptions can release large quantities of sulfur dioxide and
other aerosols into the stratosphere, reducing atmospheric transparency and thus
the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface and troposphere. Volcanoes
and related phenomena, such as ocean rifting and subduction, release carbon
dioxide into both the oceans and the atmosphere. Emissions are low; even a
massive volcanic eruption such as Mount Pinatubo releases only a fraction of the
carbon dioxide emitted by fossil-fuel combustion in a year. At geologic timescales,
however, release of this greenhouse gas can have important effects. Variations in
carbon dioxide release by volcanoes and ocean rifts over millions of years can alter
the chemistry of the atmosphere. Such changeability in carbon dioxide
concentrations probably accounts for much of the climatic variation that has taken
place during the Phanerozoic era

TECTONIC ACTIVITY

Tectonic activity also influences atmospheric chemistry, particularly carbon

dioxide concentrations. Carbon dioxide is emitted from volcanoes and vents in rift
zones and subduction zones. Variations in the rate of spreading in rift zones and
the degree of volcanic activity near plate margins have influenced atmospheric
carbon dioxide concentrations throughout Earth’s history. Even the
chemical weathering of rock constitutes an important sink for carbon dioxide.
(A carbon sink is any process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by
the chemical conversion of CO2 to organic or inorganic carbon compounds.)
Carbonic acid, formed from carbon dioxide and water, is a reactant in dissolution
of silicates and other minerals. Weathering rates are related to the mass, elevation,
and exposure of bedrock. Tectonic uplift can increase all these factors and thus
lead to increased weathering and carbon dioxide absorption. For example, the
chemical weathering of the rising Tibetan Plateau may have played an important
role in depleting the atmosphere of carbon dioxide during a global cooling period
in the late Cenozoic Era.

GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

Greenhouse gases are gas molecules that have the property of
absorbing infrared radiation (net heat energy) emitted from
Earth’s surface and reradiating it back to Earth’s surface, thus
contributing to the phenomenon known as the greenhouse
effect. Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour are the most
important greenhouse gases, and they have a profound effect on
the energy budget of the Earth system despite making up only a
fraction of all atmospheric gases. Concentrations of greenhouse
gases have varied substantially during Earth’s history, and these
variations have driven substantial climate changes at a wide
range of timescales. In general, greenhouse gas concentrations
have been particularly high during warm periods and low during
cold phases. A number of processes influence greenhouse gas
concentrations. Some, such as tectonic activities, operate at
timescales of millions of years, whereas others, such as
vegetation, soil, wetland, and ocean sources and sinks, operate
at timescales of hundreds to thousands of years. Human
activities—especially fossil-fuel combustion since the Industrial
Revolution—are responsible for steady increases in atmospheric
concentrations of various greenhouse gases, especially carbon
dioxide, methane, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

HUMAN IMPACT

Human impact, the conversion of vegetation by deforestation, afforestation,

and agriculture, is receiving mounting attention as a further source of climate
change. It is becoming increasingly clear that human impacts on vegetation cover
can have local, regional, and even global effects on climate, due to changes in the
sensible and latent heat flux to the atmosphere and the distribution of energy within
the climate system. The extent to which these factors contribute to recent and
ongoing climate change is an important, emerging area of study.

ANIMAL AGRICULTURE

Animal agriculture is responsible for an estimated 65 percent of anthropogenic

nitrous oxide emissions. Methane, accounting for roughly 40 percent of agriculture
emissions, is a potent greenhouse gas emitted from sources including the digestive
process of ruminants such as cows. Yet it is the rapacious demand for hamburgers,
steaks, and cheese that is the real culprit behind these emissions. Even a brief
snapshot of greenhouse gas emissions paints a damning image of animal
agriculture. Nitrous oxide, packing 300 times more punch when it comes to heating
the atmosphere, is produced in livestock manure.

CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The Global Temperature is Rising

The average global temperature is rising, particularly in recent years. 2019 was
the second warmest year on record, with a global average temperature of 1.15
degrees celsius higher than pre-industrial averages. Nine out of ten of the warmest
years on record have occurred within the last fifteen years.

Warming Oceans

The world’s oceans have become a vast dumping ground for the world’s trash. Yet
there is another thing the oceans take in, in vast quantities: heat. A 2013
assessment found that oceans had absorbed 93% of the excess heat generated by
greenhouse gas emissions since 1970, contributing to the increased average global
sea temperatures rising by about 0.13 degrees Celsius per decade over the last
century.

Shrinking Ice Sheets

Ice sheets contain vast amounts of frozen freshwater and cover such a large surface
area that they influence global weather patterns. NASA satellites have been
tracking shrinking ice sheets for decades, documenting significant losses since
2002. The Greenland ice sheet – the biggest in the world – has been of particular
concern to scientists after documenting a 30 percent decline in total mass between
1979 to 2006. 2019 saw record melting, with the sheet losing a whopping 197
gigatonnes.

Glacial Retreat

Around the world, glaciers are in retreat – meaning they are shrinking and
disappearing before our very eyes. The Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas,
including the Himalayas, has the densest concentration of glaciers outside of the
polar regions – at least, it once did. Studies have shown many glaciers enduring
negative mass balance, meaning they are losing more ice than they are
accumulating, leading to glacial retreat. Glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya in India
are retreating so quickly that researchers believe that many – if not most –
Himalayan glaciers could essentially disappear by 2035. These findings are
especially concerning given that these glaciers feed major rivers such as the Indus,
providing vital water sources for millions of people downstream.
Decreased Snow Cover

Snow cover is an important cooling agent thanks to its albedo effect – the ability to
reflect the sun’s rays, preventing heat from being absorbed into the earth. Globally,
snow reflects up to 90% of the sun’s energy. Climate change has seen significant
decreases in snow cover around the world; in the U.S., average snow cover in
April was observed to have declined 21 percent since 1915.

Sea Level Rise

Ocean levels are rising at a rate of 3.3 millimeters per year. In the last century,
levels have risen between four and eight inches. Though this may sound
infinitesimal, the cumulative effects are going to have devastating consequences if
these trends continue, as millions of people live in dense urban areas along
coastlines. Sea level rise is driven by two factors caused by climate change. As ice
sheets and glaciers melt, they pour extra water into the oceans. The less obvious
factor contributing to sea level rise is the expansion of ocean water, caused by
warming temperatures.

Declining Arctic Sea Ice

Over the last two decades, arctic air temperatures have gradually increased, thanks
to a vicious cycle of warming air, which melts ice, which warms the air, ad
infinitum. Warming air and ocean temperatures have caused sea ice in Arctic
regions to decline by roughly 10 percent in the last three decades.

Extreme Events

The number of extreme events in recent decades is truly mind-boggling, and

unfortunately is one of the ways people can get a taste of the climate emergency
first-hand. In recent years, fire seasons in California and Australia have been
unprecedented. Changing temperatures in the Indian Ocean created the perfect
storm of conditions for locusts, which swarmed part of East Africa and the Middle
East, spurring food security issues as the insects devoured crops. In the Bay of
Bengal, super cyclone Amphan killed hundreds of people and caused widespread
flooding. As of 2020, Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, three
years after the devastating hurricane hit.

Ocean Acidification

When atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by the world’s oceans, these vast
bodies of water become more acidic. Acidified ocean water inhibits calcification, a
process that animals such as snails, oysters, and crabs rely upon in order to build
shells and skeletons. Already, some animals are essentially dissolving, as the
oceans have become 30 percent more acidic in the last two centuries, with the
ocean’s pH dropping from 8.2 to 8.1 in the last hundred years alone. These changes
are occurring at faster rates than has occurred in the last 300 million years.

Temperatures Will Continue To Rise

Polluting greenhouse gasses from activities such as electricity generation and

transportation collect in the atmosphere. When heat from the sun is reflected off
the earth’s surface, it is normally sent back out to space. However, greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere capture and collect this heat, causing global temperatures
to rise. This is what’s known as the greenhouse effect. And as long as fossil fuels
continue to be burned, this effect will only continue to magnify.
Frost-free Season Will Lengthen

The lengthening of frost-free seasons means that springtime will arrive sooner and
fall will be delayed. While this might sound appealing, this can be severely
disruptive for plants and animals. Plants and trees will bloom sooner, and
migration and hibernation patterns of animals, birds and insects will be disrupted.
In the mountain ridges of the West coast of the continental U.S., the frost-free
season is predicted as lengthening by 80 days by the end of the century – causing
potential disruptions with agriculture and the natural rhythms of ecosystems.

Changes In Precipitation Patterns

Changing weather patterns can bring drought to vast areas of land, where once
agricultural cultivation was taking place, causing potential food security issues.
Desertification is another threat caused by the absence of rain, where desert-like
conditions move into once-lush areas. Conversely, more severe storms and shifting
jet streams may cause increased precipitation, resulting in serious flooding.

More Droughts And Heat Waves

In the United States, serious heat waves are expected to become more common in
California and the Southwest in particular. Regarding the latter, even nighttime
will be much hotter, making it more difficult for fauna and flora to adjust, given
the absence of respite normally expected during nocturnal hours. Hotter
temperatures reduce snowpack and evapotranspiration, leading to drier soils.
Droughts could become more frequent, longer and severe.
Hurricanes Will Become Stronger And More Intense

According to one model, there could be a 40 percent increase in hurricanes of

category 3 or higher. These storms may take place in the North Atlantic as well as
the North Pacific, which puts major cities in Asia at serious risk.

Sea Level Will Rise

One study estimates that a billion people currently live on land within less than 10
meters above high tide lines, and predicts that around 190 million people will be
displaced by the year 2100 – and this is providing that action is taken to curtail
emissions. Within high emissions scenarios, where little to no action is taken, up to
630 million people could be affected in that same time period. Islands in the South
Pacific such as Tuvalu, and megacities including Jakarta, Tokyo and New York are
all at risk.

Arctic Likely To Become Ice-free

The Arctic is projected to continue losing ice and snow on both land and sea,
including ice sheets and glaciers. Many guesses have been made as to when the
Arctic will become entirely ice-free; some estimates put it as early as the 2020s,
with others predicting somewhere around 2040. Regardless, the consensus appears
to be that this is a question of when not if.

Climate Change Solutions

Carbon mitigation efforts often focus on the world’s poorest people, partly because
they will be the most severely impacted. Lower-income people tend to have less
mobility in order to escape natural disasters, and less able to recover economically
and otherwise. Lower-income countries can also be the focus of some climate
solutions when it is pointed out that as these places become more wealthy, their
lifestyles will increasingly consume more fossil fuels, demanding they take action
to mitigate these future effects. However, in many ways, this is tantamount to
victim-blaming and directs the focus away from where the problem largely
originates: with wealthy Western lifestyles.

Some argue that more policies are needed that target people at the opposite end of
the social ladder. One paper points out that the super-rich have long escaped
criticism for their lifestyles, yet the top 1% of income earners could have a carbon
footprint 175 times larger than low-income individuals.

Regardless, implementing solutions within a framework of economic justice can

offer some of the most promising solutions. For example, a gasoline tax fund could
be established that not only discourages personal cars but would fund mass transit.
A carbon tax on industrial polluters would incentivize them to make their
operations more efficient. Perhaps the biggest, and most obvious, solutions would
be to end government subsidies to fossil fuel companies, funneling this money
instead into things like affordable housing within urban areas in order to reduce
sprawl.

And of course, one can’t discuss climate change solutions without mentioning
green technologies. Things like wind, solar, and geothermal energy are
increasingly viable alternatives to fossil fuels. Although their production currently
requires the expenditure of fossil fuels and other harmful industrial processes,
these technologies are improving rapidly in the hopes of creating energy sources
that require relatively minimal damage to the planet.