Why you should be concerned about climate change

By preserving a healthy environment, fighting climate change offers us an opportunity to put people’s welfare first.

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SOURCENationofChange

All the significant climatic changes caused by human’s induced disasters and natural causes are disruptive. As a result of past climatic shifts, species have been wiped off the planet, lands dried, and ocean circulation patterns have been drastically altered. Current climate change is occurring quicker than most historical evolutions, making it hazardous for human society and the natural world to adjust.

The industrial revolution has increased the release of greenhouse gases which are major contributors to the climatic disruptions. These greenhouse gases are becoming the reason for elevated temperature, melting of glaciers, endangered species, and much more. Along with this, human plastic and domestic waste are also increasing water pollution, making it hard for their own kind to survive. 

Extensive droughts in sub-Saharan Africa and severe tropical storms that ravaged Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean are just some of the extreme catastrophes caused by climate change and are already impacting millions of people worldwide. Summer 2018 in the northern hemisphere was marked by heatwaves and wildfires that killed hundreds of people.

While we are generally comprehending climate change through the consequences it has on our natural habitat. It is simultaneously going to exacerbate and intensify existing disparities. And its consequences will continue to develop and worsen over time, producing devastation for present and future generations. 

Read more: The rich, the poor and climate change

What are the causes of climatic changes?

Emissions of greenhouse gases, most notably methane and carbon dioxide, are the major drivers of climate change. Fossil fuels are the main source of these gases. Emissions of greenhouse gases are increased by the production of meat and milk, cement manufacturing, and various industrial operations such as the manufacture and usage of fertilizers. The world has released approximately 2.2 trillion tons of CO2 since the mid-19th century.

Effects of climatic disruptions 

The effects of changes are different according to the regions. The planet is growing hotter, yet at times some locations and seasons might be momentarily colder. In some locations, the seasons will be longer, while there will be more intense bursts of severe weather in other regions.

The frequency and intensity of severe weather occurrences are projected to increase. Examples of severe weather include hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and flooding. Icebergs in Greenland and Antarctica might be destabilized by global warming. So, huge parts would melt and add to the ocean’s liquid.

Global warming has reached nearly 1°C exceeding pre-industrial levels, according to the UN Environment Program. There will be an increase in sea level because of the warming and acidification of the seas. There is doubt that all of this will have a terrible effect on human existence.

Sea levels rise as this shift is causing oceans to expand. Corals are losing their vibrant hues as a result. Meanwhile, about a third of CO2 emissions end up in the seas, causing the water to become more acidic and eroding the shells of sea animals due to acidity.

Now, we will mention a more detailed argument of why you should be concerned about your natural environment and climate. Here you can find the sustainability and green technology topics for your college essay.

Food and Farming 

Climate is the best indicator of where crops better grow. So, will the climatic change disrupt agricultural activity and productivity? Recent research predicts that crop production in the United States would drop by 2 to 4 percent every year because of climate change. As change develops, you can expect to spend more to buy bread, cereals, and meat. Agricultural goods are exchanged on a worldwide market, where China has considerable demand.

Emergence of diseases 

Temperature and precipitation are stronger predictors of the prevalence and severity of insect-borne illnesses than any other factor, including the prevailing climate. Dengue, Malaria, Zika, and other mosquito-borne diseases will be more prevalent in the Southeast. An increase in tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease is expected in the Northeast. And if you are sensitive to poison ivy, you should know that it develops quickly and more virulence when the CO2 level is raised.

Read more: Stopping climate change

Forest fires and droughts

Increased evaporation from warmer temperatures causes the ground surface to be dried. In a hotter, drier environment, forest fires will be more common. As a result, the value of forest products and housing is anticipated to increase.

Businesses will get immensely affected.

If you are in the business of lobster fishing, maple syrup, maintaining a ski area, or wine production (and potentially several other business domains). In that case, you may find that climate change will lower your production and shift the locations in which you can operate.

Natural habitat will become hostile. 

The ice Arctic creatures require is gone. As sea ice melts, ice-dependent animals such as polar bears and walruses struggle to live. Because of global warming, polar bears became the first animals to be added to the Endangered Species Act.

In addition, corals and shellfishes are in severe danger. Little variations in water temperatures can have a devastating impact on coral reefs. The heat affects the algae that feed corals and give them their vivid hues. Eventually, the corals starve because of the algae’s departure, a phenomenon known as coral bleaching. 

Many other species, including fish, depend on coral reefs, and their collapse would destabilize the entire ecosystem. Another concern is the effect of acidification on calcifying organisms like shellfish and coral, which may not have sufficient calcium to develop properly in an acidic environment.

Elevated risks to transportation and infrastructure 

Flooding, hot weather, and other extreme weather events destroy infrastructure, place a significant load on the electricity supply, and affect how we commute and travel from work and other activities.

Conclusion 

Nature provides fundamental rights to every living being on this planet, and these rights are in grave danger due to these climate changes. By preserving a healthy environment, fighting climate change offers us an opportunity to put people’s welfare first. 

As a result, we will promote human rights by allowing more people to use clean, affordable energy sources and create new employment possibilities in new industries.

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