Climate change - causes and effects
Sustainability - environment.
Author: Charitarth Sindhu, Environmental Sustainability & ESG Consultant.
Climate change, primarily driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases, entails significant shifts in weather patterns. Although natural climatic variations have occurred throughout Earth's history, human activities, notably the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, have been the primary driver of climate change since the 1800s.
The consequences of climate change are far-reaching and dangerous. Weather patterns become less predictable, posing challenges for countries reliant on agriculture, where maintaining and growing crops becomes increasingly challenging.
Moreover, climate change leads to more frequent and intense extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and cyclones, exacerbating vulnerabilities in affected regions. The accelerated melting of polar ice due to rising temperatures contributes to sea-level rise, endangering coastal areas with increased flooding and erosion.
Furthermore, temperature rise triggers various feedback mechanisms, amplifying its impacts, including desert expansion, heatwaves, wildfires, and disruptions to ecosystems, ultimately jeopardizing food security, water availability, public health, and economic stability.
Addressing climate change is imperative to mitigate its extensive consequences, as even successful efforts to minimize future warming will not fully prevent some long-term effects, such as rising sea levels and ocean acidification, which will persist for centuries.
Causes of climate change
Several anthropogenic activities induce harm to the environment. The most potent among them are:
Power Generation: The burning of fossil fuels for power and heat generation constitutes a substantial portion of global emissions.
In addition to emitting carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, power plants release significant amounts of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, causing acid rain, particularly when burning coal.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, contribute only a fraction of global electricity generation.
Manufacturing and Industrial Goods: Emissions from manufacturing and industry result from burning fossil fuels for energy in the production of various goods like textiles, electronics, plastics, cement, iron, and steel. Gases are also emitted during mining and other industrial activities, as well as construction.
Some products are manufactured using chemicals derived from fossil fuels, such as plastic products.
Deforestation: Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide. Therefore, deforestation diminishes nature's ability to absorb emissions. Nearly 12 million hectares of forests are estimated to be burned annually, reducing the carbon sequestration capacity.
Transportation: Fossil fuels power transportation, leading to significant emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide and methane. Energy use for transportation is expected to rise substantially in the coming years.
Food Production: Deforestation for agriculture, along with the use of fertilizers, manure, and energy-intensive farming practices, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, fishing activities powered by fossil fuels further exacerbate emissions.
Major effects of climate change
Climate change has devastating impacts on humans and the environment. The major effects are:
More severe storms: Rising temperatures lead to increased moisture in the atmosphere, intensifying heavy rains and flooding, resulting in more severe storms. Warm ocean waters fuel tropical storms, leading to more frequent and intense hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.
Frequent drought: Climate change alters water availability, exacerbating water scarcity in many regions. It increases the risk of ecological and agricultural droughts, threatening crops and ecosystems.
Warming and Rising Ocean: Ocean acidification due to increased carbon dioxide absorption harms marine life and coral reefs. Additionally, warming oceans melt glaciers, contributing to rising sea levels and endangering coastal communities.
Food Scarcity: Climate change disrupts food production through extreme weather events, leading to crop failures and loss of livestock. Fisheries are also affected, endangering food sources for millions.
Health Hazards: Climate change poses significant health risks, including air pollution-related illnesses, extreme weather events causing fatalities and injuries, displacement due to environmental factors, mental health stressors, and food insecurity leading to malnutrition and hunger.
See also
- Carbon footprint
- Climate benchmark
- Climate change
- Climate change mitigation
- Climate finance
- Climate physical risk
- Climate-related financial disclosure
- Climate risk
- Climate transition
- Corporate social responsibility
- Deforestation
- Greenhouse gas
- Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)
- Metaeconomics
- Natural capital
- Organic
- Paris Agreement
- SRA
- SRI
- Sustainability
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Transition
- United Nations
- V20
