Climate Change

 What Is Climate Change? 

Human actions are causing rapid temperature rises, putting the world, people, and ecosystems under serious challenges. Though it's getting worse, scientists also insist that acting sooner will prevent many of the more disastrous effects of climate change.
What is climate change?
Climate change is an increase in temperatures and other atmospheric conditions over a prolonged period.
Over the past century, the earth has been warming at a rate unexperienced in any previous time. From 2015 to 2024, average global temperatures were 1.28°C higher than those from the late 19th century, as reported by the European Copernicus Climate Service. Since the 1980s, every decade has ended up warmer than its predecessors, and 2024 became the year on record to be at its warmest.
It was then that it marked the year which breached the critical barrier of 1.5°C level of warming surpassing postindustrial levels was time for urgent action.

How Do People Contribute To Climate Change?

Earth's climate has over time had varying patterns of warnings, with the present drastic warming over time being a reflection of human-made causes.

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), which is released into the atmosphere when people burn fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal for energy and also for transportation purposes.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased by about 50%, far above the historical level. This increase has been scientifically linked to human activities because the chemical composition of this CO2 corresponds to emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.

What Are the Effects of Climate Change?

Climate change is already changing our world in fundamental ways:

Extreme Weather: Heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and hurricanes are becoming more frequent and intense.
Melting Ice: Glaciers and ice sheets are melting at an alarming rate, raising sea levels.
Ocean Changes: Warming oceans drive more intense storms and damage marine ecosystems, including coral reefs.
These changes are already having profound effects on people and economies. Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which hit the US in 2024, have been estimated to have caused over $50 billion in damages and hundreds of deaths. Scientists have already attributed their intensity to climate change.

In 2022, East Africa suffered its worst drought in 40 years, leaving over 20 million people on the brink of severe hunger. Climate change has at least increased the likelihood of such droughts by 100-fold, experts say.

Why does it matter to limit warming to 1.5°C?
The greater the amount of warming, the more dire the impact. Scientists argue that keeping global warming at 1.5°C would avert the worst impacts, including:

Fewer extreme heat events, sea level rise.
Saving 30 percent of the coral reefs, rather than a near-total loss at 2°C.
Avoiding irreversible tipping points like ice sheet collapse.
This goal is institutionally locked in by the 2015 Paris Agreement, where nearly 200 countries committed themselves to limiting global warming within this limit.

What Are Governments Doing?
To achieve the 1.5°C goal, global CO2 emissions must reach "net zero" by 2050. This is achieved by reducing emissions as much as possible and removing any remaining emissions from the atmosphere.

Some progress has been made, such as increased adoption of renewable energy and electric vehicles. At the 2024 COP29 summit, wealthier nations committed $300 billion annually by 2035 to support climate efforts in developing countries. However, global emissions are still rising, making it likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C.

How Can Individuals Help?
While governments and businesses play the biggest role, individuals can contribute by:

Flying less and conserving energy.
Improve home insulation and switch to energy-efficient appliances.
Convert to electric vehicles or live car-free.
Reduce red meat consumption and support sustainable practices.