The role of people in climate change and its drastic outcomes is undeniable. Burning fossil fuels and deforestation are the main reasons of global warming. While writing the research, much statistics and other data were studied. This information made me understand how serious the problem is. Now it is not possible for me to stay aside of the global problem. Saving the energy and water should be the obligatory things for everyone.
The terms “global warming”, “climate change” and ‘global change” seem to be similar, but they have a difference in their definitions. The notion “global warming” refers to the temperatures on the Earth’s rising surface when the term “climate change” means not only warming, but also the side effects of warming, for instance, heavier rainstorms, melting glaciers, and more frequent drought. So, global warming is a kind of a symptom of a huge problem called climate change. Climate change usually means natural changes as well as human-caused ones.
When scientists talk about the problems of global warming they usually describe the human-caused reasons for warming, like quick growth in carbon dioxide and other gases that appear due to oil, gas, and coal burning. Also, people can cause serious climate changes by emitting aerosol, the tiny pieces of which reflect the light of the sun, thus, cooling the climate, and by changing the landscape, for instance, modifying carbon-storing forests into farmlands. The global warming is also the reason for such serious changes as the intensification of the water cycle, sea level rise along heavily populated coastlines, retreat of mountain glaciers that are the sources of drinking water for millions of people, and stress on animals and plants. These problems are highly important to our lives and economies (Caitlyn Kennedy, Rebecca Lindsey).
So, global warming is a part of climate change and it causes series of side effects in the whole climate system and it has a much greater impact on people than just change of temperature alone.
The term “global change” defines the effects of people’s activities on the planet. Global change includes various changes in different environmental systems. The term “global change” includes both natural and anthropogenic components. It means that the environment on Earth would change even if there were no people living on it, but humans accelerate the changes and generally influence on the climate greatly (Definitions and Implications of Global Change).
Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has a surface with stable and relatively mild temperatures. Earth is comfortable to live on thanks to the unique atmosphere, that is the layer of gases that protects our planet.
Almost all climate scientists are sure that people have been changing the Earth's atmosphere dramatically during the previous 2 centuries, and that has led to global warming. To understand why we experience global warming now, it is necessary to know what the greenhouse effect is.
Naturally, there is a balance between the radiation that the planet gets from space and the radiation that the Earth reflects back into it. The thing is that our planet is constantly attacked by the great quantity of radiation from the sun. NASA has found out that nearly 30 percent of the solar radiation that strikes the Earth’s atmosphere gets reflected back to space by snow, ice, sand, clouds and other reflective surfaces. The atmosphere, the land and oceans absorb the rest 70 percent of radiation. When these surfaces heat up, they start releasing heat into space.
The equilibrium of outgoing and incoming radiation makes our planet habitable, without it, Earth would be cold as our moon or hot as Venus. The exchange of radiation that makes the Earth warm enough to live is called the greenhouse effect, as the greenhouse works in the same way.
People’s activity influences greatly on the normal exchange of radiation, thus, upsetting the balance. Since the Industrial Revolution, the level of CO2 has increased by nearly 40 percent. Carbon dioxide as well as other greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide, methane, and water vapor work like a blanket and prevent extra heat from escaping in space (Marc Lallanila). This process is the reason for global warming.
Among the greenhouse gases the most dangerous are:
- carbon dioxide. CO2 is emitted from human impacts on forestry, for instance, through deforestation, clearing land for agriculture, and also degradation of soils;
- methane. This gas appears in the result of agricultural activities, energy use, waste management and burning the biomass;
- nitrous oxide. The main source of nitrous oxide is such agricultural activities as fertilizer usage;
- fluorinated gases. Various industrial processes and the usage of a wide range of consumer products increase the emissions of fluorinated gases.
It is necessary to understand the relationship between climate and weather in order to understand the global climate changes.
Both terms “weather” and “climate” are used to describe the same characteristics - air temperature, air pressure, amount and type of cloudiness, amount and type of precipitation, wind direction and wind speed. Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions like rainfall, temperature, and wind at a certain place. Climate describes weather conditions generally. Climate is also referred to "average" weather in a given area. So, it is a sum of statistical weather information that describes the region or certain place. Also, climate describes large-scale weather examples, like tropical climate or Ice Age climate (Differences Between Climate and Weather).
The change of the global climate influences on the environment greatly. Lake Erie is just an example of the destructive influence of human activity. Now excessive algae are the dominant plant species that cover the beaches and kill off the native species by soaking the oxygen. It is the warmest and shallowest lake among the 5 Great Lakes. The basin of the lake is developed with agriculture, industries urban areas, and sewage treatment plants. For a long time, the lake was heavily polluted. It could not handle with such a quantity of nutrients. Phosphorous was the main culprit in the disaster. It induces the growth of plants. So, plants began growing and then decomposing in Lake Erie, that led to the deficiency of oxygen and made the water's surface mossy. The deficit of oxygen and heavy metals killed local aquatic species and the stinky surface repelled tourists, anglers and local people. Lake Erie was considered to be dead. But in 1972 Canada and the United States signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. According to it, both countries should have reduced phosphorous that entered lakes Erie and Ontario. So, excessive plant and algae growth is reduced, while native plants are again growing on the lake. But still, Lake Erie has a lot of problems: contaminated sediments, non-native invasive species and closure of beaches because of sewage contamination. The example of lakes Erie pollution made people understand that the effects of human activity on ecosystem could lead to a disaster.
It is undeniable that birds, animals, and plants are affected by global warming. In case the greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, the change of climate will cause one-quarter of birdlife, land animals and plants to disappear forever. Rising temperature affects animals and birdlife in various ways: birds start laying eggs earlier than usual, plants start blooming earlier and mammals also come out of hibernation quicker. Distribution of animals is affected as well. Some species move closer to the poles, migrating birds arrive at their nesting grounds sooner. In some countries, birds can even not leave their homes as the climate stays suitable for them for the whole year.
Also, nowadays the atmosphere sucks more moisture from the land and that causes severe droughts. That is why some countries face drinking water shortages and reduced crop production.
Although it is thought that no species has yet become extinct exclusively because of climate change, many migratory and non-migratory species are expected to become extinct in the near future (Climate Change - effects on animals, birdlife and plants).
Climate change dangers the ecosystem in Northeast Ohio. The average annual temperatures are getting higher, extreme heat cases occur more frequently and winters are getting shorter. It is predicted that the region will get more precipitation, increasing the possibility of local flooding. As during the growing season, droughts are predicted, the productivity of lands might be reduced. Higher temperatures will lower water levels of Lake Erie and change the distribution of fish. Animal species and plants will find fewer placed to inhabit and will have to shrink northward if the temperature gets up further (Climate change dangers in Northeast Ohio).
American scientists notice various changes that are caused by global warming. Summers get hotter and longer, winters are usually shorter and warmer. Heavy downpours are a common thing nowadays. After storms and high tides, coastal cities suffer from streets flood. The cities that are situated nearby large rivers also suffer from flooding. In some places, insurance is not available because of the strong possibility of a nature disaster. Early snow melt and hot weather contribute to earlier wildfires that burn more acreage. As the sea ice in Arctic Alaska is melting and the coasts are not protected by it, the storms cause much more erosion that threatens the local communities with relocation.
Scientists analyze the data that they get from weather stations, ocean buoys, satellites, and tide gauges and see that the world is warming. Precipitation is changing, the level of sea gets higher, the oceans get more acidic and the intensity and frequency of extreme weather conditions are growing. It is evident that the rapid warming is the outcome of human activities (Overview). Two main people’s activities are blamed for making the Earth hotter: deforestation and burning fossil fuels. The thing is that when people are burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases that trap the heat are released into the atmosphere. Plants absorb carbon dioxide as they need it to grow, but as people cut forests down, and there are not many plants left to be able to absorb extra CO2 (How are humans responsible for global warming?).
The global warming is not going to stop, and it is predicted that the temperature will be 0.5°F higher than now in a few decades even in case all emissions from people’s activities suddenly stops. But if nothing is changed, the temperature will be more than 8°F higher than now by 2100, with the highest possible increase of more than 11°F (Future Climate Change).
There are several scenarios that offer the ways to lower the speed of global warming. But in any case, changes will happen and affect precipitation, sea levels, sea ice, and polar ice sheets. If too much arctic ice melts down, it will irreversibly change the global climate.
Anyway, climatic changes have a great impact on our life. Some of the changes can be considered positive over the short run, for instance, the longer shipping season and the longer growing season can be beneficial to our economy. But most changes are detrimental because our society created the infrastructure for the climate we got used to. Additionally, climate change can not be an isolated issue. There is a strong possibility that it will superimpose on other stresses and create new problems (Overview). The change of the environment will influence on everyone. We will have to learn how to live in a new world and get used to new climate.
Political commitments
The Assessment Report of the United Nations IPCC of 2014 studied the scientific, socio-economic and technical information about climate change and the options and effects for mitigation and adaptation. There was proved the evidence that people influence on the climate change. Also, it was pointed out that in case we do not to lessen the emissions for a long time, it will be more expensive to overcome the potential problems. It was reported that currently warming of the atmosphere is unequivocal.
The following projections were made:
- if people continue emissions of gases, we should expect further warming;
- the surface temperature will likely to exceed 1.5 °C by the end of the 21st century;
- there is a strong possibility that the water cycle will change, the disparity between dry and wet regions will grow;
- the oceans will be getting warmer, heat will extend to the deep water thus affecting circulation;
- arctic sea ice cover, global glacier volume and Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover are likely to decrease;
- sea level is expected to rise significantly;
- climate change will be changing even in case people stop CO2 emissions.
The report also described various forecasts for warming and climate changes with different scenarios of emission (Climate Change 2014).
Kyoto protocol is the first agreement between different nations that mandated that every country should reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The protocol should have stabilized greenhouse-gas concentration at not dangerous level. The treaty in Kyoto was ratified almost by all nations with an exception of the U.S.A. India, China and other developing countries were not mandated to lessen emissions. The industrialized nations should have cut emissions of carbon. But the protocol was not an international law and some countries were on their way to meet their Kyoto goals, while other nations, including the United States, were falling woefully quickly (What is the Kyoto protocol and has it made any difference?).
On 12 December, an agreement to prevent climate change was ratified by 195 nations in Paris. That agreement was the first that brought all nations together on their current and future responsibilities.
The main aim of the Paris agreement was to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius this century and to try to prevent temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the level of the pre-industrial time. The outcomes of the Paris Agreement were the following:
- the ability of countries to cope with climate impacts was strengthened;
- the global stock-take and transparency system will simplify the accounting for climate action;
- the emissions were reduced fast enough;
- the ability to recover from the impacts of climate change will be strengthened;
- there will be provided enough support, including financial, for countries to create clean and safe future (Historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change).
A lot of governments offered their financial help. Collectively, $19 billion was pledged in order to help developing countries. John Kerry promised to double the United States’ support by 2020 to $800 million a year (Outcomes of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris).
Businesses are worrying that regulations that limit emissions may make their products more expensive and less competitive. But the States have been developing the laws that should encourage businesses to create products that are safe for the environment. Money that is collected according to the Paris agreement can be used to cover temporary losses connected with limiting damaging emissions and thus protect businesses.
Though the federal policy on climate change was not forthcoming, some sector-based policies were still introduced. Now the U.S.A. is the leading country by setting emission reduction aims. It invests in energy efficiency, develops plans to prevent climate change and create greenhouse gas cap-and-trade programs. RGGI is the mandatory U.S. cap-and-trade program that worked out the ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. It sets a cap on emissions from power plants and lets regulated entities trade emission allowances in order to achieve compliance (What’s Being Done in the U.S.).
Conclusion
The problem of climate change is global and to solve it all people should cooperate. Not only our national and state government should be occupied with the problem of global warming, but also every American should do something to reduce the negative influence on nature. It is not difficult to do. Here are several pieces of advice for those who are not indifferent to the world she/he lives in:
- Instead of using cars, you can use a bicycle or just have a walk. This will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also improve health.
- Use energy star lighting that will provide you with warm and bright light and save you 75 percent energy than standard lighting.
- Reusing, recycling and reducing at home will help you to conserve energy and lessen greenhouse gas emissions.
- Try to reduce the amount of water you use. Don’t let water run when you are shaving and brushing teeth.
- Buy green power for your home. Green power is generated from such natural sources as the sun and wind (What You Can Do: At Home).
And the last advice is to spread the information among your friends. Following the above-mentioned tips should become a trend.
Works cited
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