Climate is the usual weather of a place. Climate can be different for different seasons. A place
might be mostly warm and dry in the summer. The same place may be cool and wet in the
winter. Weather is the change we see and feel outside from day to day. Weather usually
changes within hours. It might rain one day and might be sunny the next. Sometimes it is cold.
Sometimes it is hot.
Climate change is also referred to as global warming. Climate change is the change in the climate
pattern due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2); hence, increased atmospheric
temperature.
We breathe out (CO2) every moment, but this is not the reason for increased atmospheric
temperature. The combustion and the burning of fossil fuels waste from industries, emit carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Let's understand the phenomenon in simple words. A few decades back there were not many
industries, cars. People used to live simple lives. With time men had developed comfortable ways of living. Men find a way of a comfortable life, but it will result in a polluted atmosphere. Now there are hundreds and thousands of industries, cars air crafts, and trains
consuming natural energy resources and producing hazardous waste. During past times there
were forests. As you know plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Deforestation
also causes the proliferation of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming.
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon, warming the earth and the troposphere (the lowest layer of earth). The sun radiates the energy, and part of this energy reflects directly from the top of the earth. The remaining energy absorbs by the earth (land and oceans). The energy absorbed by the earth should be radiated to make the planet cooler. As the earth is much cooler than the sun. But this is not happening, the earth is not radiating the same amount of energy, it is trapped by the abundant gases (the greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere. This is called the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are responsible for the hotter planet. These gases are
Greenhouse Effect:
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon, warming the earth and the troposphere (the lowest layer of earth). The sun radiates the energy, and part of this energy reflects directly from the top of the earth. The remaining energy absorbs by the earth (land and oceans). The energy absorbed by the earth should be radiated to make the planet cooler. As the earth is much cooler than the sun. But this is not happening, the earth is not radiating the same amount of energy, it is trapped by the abundant gases (the greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere. This is called the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are responsible for the hotter planet. These gases are
- Water vapors (H2O)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O)
- CFC (chlorofluorocarbons)
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) forecasts the global temperature will
continue to rise for decades and will rise to 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Impacts of Climate Change:
Climate change is one of the biggest threats in the last few decades. It is the greatest threat our
new generation will face. It is equally detrimental to all types of habitation. This article explains
how much it is deadly in every aspect.
Public Health Problems:
SMOG: The word SMOG drives from SMoke and fOG. Fog is a natural phenomenon while
smoke is produced from human activities. The photochemical reaction takes place when fog is mixed
with smoke (gases present in the atmosphere like sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide) and other
particles in the atmosphere and water vapors. This is visible air pollution yellowish, blackish. This usually occurs under high temperatures, sunshine, and calm winds.
SMOG has serious effects on health. Like
- It harms your lungs. It contains ground-level Ozone which can harm your lungs even after symptoms disappear. It can irritate your respiratory system. Cough, throat, and chest irritation.
- Dangerous for asthma patients.
- It can irritate your eyes.
- It is equally detrimental to animal species and green life.
- Children, elder citizens, and pregnant women are at higher risk of climate-sensitive health issues.
- Waterborne diseases are directly proportional to warmer weather.
- Allergy seasons are getting longer, giving rise to infectious diseases and other mental and physical health problems.
- Crops yield becoming uneven and unpredictable. Which is responsible for problems like hunger, malnutrition, and undernutrition.
Agricultural Sector:
"There will be impacts on the quantity, quality, and location of the food we produce," said Dr.
Sam Myers, a medical doctor and senior research scientist studying environmental health at the
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Ultimately, climate change will reduce the amount of food grown around the world, Myers told
Live Science.
Initially, some experts thought that rising carbon dioxide levels might act as a fertilizer and
increase food yield, Myers said.
In some regions, climate change may favorably increase crop yield. But this does not apply to all crops. Increased temperature harms crop production, weeds, insects, and pests benefit from this. Increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to a lower level
of zinc iron and other nutrients in crops. Either flood or drought both extremes can destroy the
crops.
Rising Sea Levels:
The sea level is rising at an accelerating rate. Core samples, tide gauge readings, and most recently,
satellite measurements tell us that over the past century, the Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL)
has risen by 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters). However, the annual rate of rising over the past
20 years has been 0.13 inches (3.2 millimeters) a year, roughly twice the average speed of the
preceding 80 years.
The two major causes of the rise in sea level are shrinking land ice and the thermal expansion of seawater. Shrinking land ice, i.e. mountain glaciers, and polar ice sheets are releasing water into the sea.
As the atmospheric temperature rises the sea water absorbs the heat and water molecules expand due to thermal expansion, which results in a rise in sea level.
The oceans are acting as the planet's heat sink. Most of the heat and atmospheric carbon dioxide are absorbed by the ocean. The oceans are getting acidified as they absorb carbon dioxide.
As the oceans get warmer and acidified will lead to species migration. Marine mammals
such as polar bears are especially endangered because of melting glaciers. They want ice to
survive.
The aftermath of the rising sea level are: threats to coastal areas
Saltwater intrusion
Livestock On the same risk as well:
Climate change is also a major threat to the sustainability of livestock. Climate factors like
increased temperature, humidity, and wind speed affect the well-being of livestock and will lead to a decline in their growth, reproduction, and milk production efficiency. Too many rainfalls cause the
disease breakout and increase the risk of animal diseases. Weather extremes like floods and
drought may lead to severe loss.
Conclusion:
This insidious creep has ruined our planet. The Concentration of greenhouse gases continuously increases. Global temperature will continue to rise due to human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, irrigated agriculture, oil extraction, and deforestation. Heat-trapping gas disturbs mankind's animals and is responsible for more intense and stronger hurricanes, more drought and heat waves, blizzards, tornadoes, rising sea levels, and changed precipitation patterns.
Conclusion:
This insidious creep has ruined our planet. The Concentration of greenhouse gases continuously increases. Global temperature will continue to rise due to human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, irrigated agriculture, oil extraction, and deforestation. Heat-trapping gas disturbs mankind's animals and is responsible for more intense and stronger hurricanes, more drought and heat waves, blizzards, tornadoes, rising sea levels, and changed precipitation patterns.
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