Climate change
… Our resourceful planet, once brimming with wealth
Is no longer such a picture of health…
Our planet is changing, it is getting warmer and it is mainly because of humans. Read on to learn about what the climate actually is, what greenhouse gases are and where they come from and understand how global warming happens and why it matters.
*Remember to check out the Glossary at the bottom of the page
What is the climate?
‘Climate’ means the usual weather condition in one area of the Earth’s surface over a long period of time. For example, the UK has a temperate climate, so we generally get cool, wet winters and warm, wet summers; we rarely experience extreme heat or cold, although this is becoming more common.
Scientists assess the climate of an area by taking many measurements, including temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind and rainfall over a period of 30 years. Climate and weather are different, as weather is just the day to day conditions in the atmosphere.
In recent years, wild weather has become more common and scientists have noted that the world’s climate is getting warmer. Although changes to the Earth's climate are natural, current changes are a result of increasing human populations and activities that create pollution.
“There is no question that climate change is happening; the only arguable point is what part humans are playing in it. ”
What are Greenhouse gases and where do they come from?
Many of our modern activities, such as driving, plugging in electrical devices and heating our homes rely on energy which comes from burning fossil fuels (natural gas, oil and coal).
When burnt, these energy sources release a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide along with other gases form an invisible blanket that traps the Sun’s heat, just like the glass in a greenhouse, so these gases are called ‘greenhouse gases’.
Some greenhouse gases are a good thing as without them the planet would be too cold and life as we know it could not exist, however human activities are adding too many of these gases to the atmosphere.
Human destruction of the rainforests is also contributing to the problem; forests absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen back into it. Sadly, many rainforests are being cut down to utilise the timber, grow palm oil plantations and also to clear the way for farmland, roads, oil extraction and dams.
The main greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, water vapour and CFCs.
Carbon Dioxide or CO2 is the primary greenhouse gas and is released by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, gas, wood and other solid material. It can stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years and is the most important contributor to human-induced global warming.
Methane or CH4 is the main component of natural gas and is released from landfill sites, industrial plants and also agriculture (farts from grazing animals!). Methane traps a lot of heat and an important contributor of global warming.
Nitrous Oxide or N2O accounts for a small percentage of total greenhouse gases but is more powerful than carbon dioxide. It is released by some types of factories, power plants, manure and fertilizers. It damages the protective ozone layer and is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Water Vapour or H2O blocks heat from escaping.
Ozone at ground level can be formed by burning fuel in cars and in some types of factories.
Another greenhouse gas; Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs do not occur naturally but can do considerable damage to the protective ozone layer. CFCs are gases that were widely used in the past in things such as aerosols and refrigerators and can cause damage to the ozone layer.
“Climate change should be treated as an emergency. Instead, we have world leaders playing for time and trying to negotiate with science.”
What is global warming?
The greenhouse gases let sunlight pass through the atmosphere but they prevent the heat from escaping which causes the Earth’s temperature to rise, this is known as global warming.
Global warming causes changes in weather patterns around the world, making our weather more extreme and unpredictable. This is climate change.
The Earth’s temperature has risen by about 1°C over the past 140 years, making 2018 one of the warmest ever recorded. It is thought that climate change is being sped up by human activity, yet many plants and animals cannot adapt quickly enough to the changes in order to survive. Scientists expect the climate to warm further, possibly as much as 4.7°C by 2100.
“We need every person on Earth to acknowledge that climate change is real and encourage each other and our leaders to address the challenge.”
Why does it matter?
Even a slight rise in temperature can affect our planet in many ways.
It is likely that we will see more extreme weather including more rainfall, snow, more severe droughts in some areas as well as shifting wind and ocean patterns. It may also effect the weather we would expect in a typical season.
As temperatures increase, it will also cause glaciers and polar ice sheets to melt and for sea levels to rise. These changes will have a huge effect on both people and animals.
Climate change is already impacting wildlife all over the world but some species are more at risk than others. At both the north and south poles many species rely on the sea ice, yet it is melting at an alarming rate. Polar bears rely on the sea ice in their search for prey; the blue whales’ main food source and krill relies on the algae that forms beneath the ice. Similarly, the Adélie penguin is also reliant on krill for food and warmer temperatures are affecting chick hatching times.
It is not just polar animals that are affected; marine turtles rely on nesting beaches to lay their eggs, yet these are threatened by rising tea temperatures. Warmer sands could also result in more females being born than males, therefore disrupting their population balance. Even some populations of tiger live in areas susceptible to sea level rise.
Climate change also affects people too, particularly farming communities who are facing higher temperatures, increased rain, floods and droughts. These obstacles make farmers more reliant on chemicals to improve their crops, so they can continue to earn money. People all over the world will have to deal with more extreme weather conditions that will effect everyday life.
“It’s 2019. Can we all now stop saying ‘climate change’ and instead call it what it is: climate breakdown, climate crisis, climate emergency, ecological breakdown, ecological crisis and ecological emergency?”
Glossary
atmosphere: A layer of gases that surround the Earth
climate: The usual weather condition in one area
global warming: An increase in the surface temperature of the Earth.
greenhouse gases: Gases that form an invisible blanket that trap the Sun’s heat
pollution: The introduction of a harmful substance into the environment