Climate Change An Alarming Issue – Erakina

High Time To Take Major Actions against climate change-Erakina

We often read about the hazardous effect of climate change in our life but have we ever noticed the effect of our actions on the climate? Let’s dive deep into it.

What is Climate Change?

The shift in temperature and weather patterns we are seeing right now in the world is known as climate change. Though it’s not a new issue, it has just increased enough to be noticed by people all over the world. This shift in the natural process is caused due to variations in the solar cycle. But for a very long time, humans have been majorly contributing to Climate Change.

Climate Change can be seen in a particular area or the whole world. This climate change is making it complex to determine day-to-day weather predictions. The areas or countries which are majorly based on agriculture find it very difficult to grow and maintain crops as they require proper rainfall and sunlight which is no longer following the correct weather pattern. 

Effects of Climate Change on the World

Our planet is facing various major fluctuations because of which we, humans, are suffering a lot, and yet there is a lot to see. Let’s look at those major effects this climate change is causing. 

• Hotter temperatures: 

 According to the recent census, 2020 was recorded as one of the hottest years so far. This rise in temperature makes it tremendously difficult to work and travel anywhere, and various illnesses related to heat are becoming major issues of concern. Rising temperatures also allow the forests and wildlife to catch fire quickly and spread rapidly in the hotter days causing enormous damages to the forests and animals’ habitat. 

• More Drastic Storms: 

This temperature change is causing irregular rainfall, these irregularities in rainfall are causing more serious and frequent storms. Due to the temperature rise, there is more evaporation which leads to more moisture in the atmosphere. Scientists are in a dilemma about the increase in the number of storms due to climate change, but the warmer ocean temperature and higher sea levels can intensify their impact and intensity. Storms with more intensity will result in causing a great deal of damage and deaths. 

• Increased Drought: 

Water shortage is one of the major issues in the world and climate change is also contributing a lot to making it worse. Climate Change is causing droughts, prolonged shortages in water supply, whether surface water and groundwater or atmospheric are known as drought. These droughts can last for months and sometimes years. This directly impacts the ecosystem, agriculture and also harms the economy. Tropics are facing an annual dry season which increases the risk of these droughts, ultimately enhancing the risk of fires. Climate change has made these droughts more regular and unpredictable. 

The damage doesn’t end here, Climate Change is affecting other factors as well such as Warming or Rising oceans (the heat produced due to global warming is mostly soaked by the Oceans. This raises sea levels and melts ice sheets, a danger for the island and coastal communities. The carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere is also being absorbed by the oceans in abundant amounts making it more acidic threatening marine life), Loss of Species(risking the survival of animals of land as well as the ocean. Frequent forest fires, extreme weather, invasive pests, and diseases and rise in temperature making their survival tough), Not Enough Food(extreme temperature is one of the major reasons for destroying or less production of fisheries, crops, and livestock), More Health Risks(Diseases like malaria are spreading due to change in weather patterns, and other diseases making it difficult to cope up with), Poverty and Displacement(the slum areas often get attacked due to floods, lost their house, land, and jobs and force them to wander in search of better living).

Till now, we came in contact with the effects of Change in Climatic Conditions now let’s see what are the causes of this Climate Change. 

Causes of Climate Change

All the natural factors(Solar Cycle and Volcanic Eruptions) were responsible for the climate change ever since life came into existence but after the humans came and dominated the world along with the industrial revolution and increase in population size ultimately they overtook the natural causes and became dominating in changing the climate as well. 

Many human activities contribute to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases are released into the air where they absorb reflected sunlight and remain for a long period at high altitudes. Then they warm the surrounding, the land, and the ocean. Electricity production by coal, oil-burning power plants, and other harmful gasses accounts for approximately 20% of gas emissions. The process of extraction of this coal or oil itself produces greenhouse gasses contributing about 11% of total emissions. Land clearing, cement production, deforestation, are some other factors responsible for causing Climate Change.