Post University
According to Shrivastava (2007), climate is defined as the average weather conditions of an area, experienced over a period of 30 years. This means that, if the weather conditions measured are found to be different between two or more successive eras, then a climate change results. The weather conditions that determine climate changes are humidity, rainfall, temperatures, clouds and strength of wind (Lynas, 2004). Thus, elements that can be measured to lay a claim to a change in climate are measures in; air and sea temperatures, phenology, tree rings, lake sediments, sea level, radioactive dating, ice coring, and levels of greenhouse gas, and glacial or ice melts (Lynas, 2004). On the basis of air and sea temperatures, it has been proved that each of the last three decades has been warmer than the decade before (Koch, 2010). Therefore, it is undeniable that there is a climate change. However, the argument is between man-made and natural a cause, which is cause of the increasing temperatures—climate change. This argument takes the position of man-made causes as the major cause of increasing temperatures.
Background
Causes of climate change can be categorized as either man-made or natural. Man-made causes of climate change are activities carried out by man that have a direct impact on weather conditions. They include agricultural activities such as afforestation or deforestation, and industrial manufacturing of products such as aerosols and cement that increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Shrivastavas, 2007). On the other hand, natural causes of climate change are fluctuations or variations in earth’s elements, which ultimately contribute to climate change. The variations can be in the ocean, earth’s crust, solar output, and earth’s orbit (Shrivastavas, 2007).
Supportive Evidence
Since 1950, there has been an increasing trend of societies becoming industrialized. The industrialization has brought about increasing amounts of greenhouse gases (The Telegraph, 2012). The listed greenhouse gases are inclusive of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), Methane, and Chloro-carbons. Therefore, the increase in greenhouse gases contributes to the increasing temperatures of both the air and sea. Greenhouses act through accumulating in the atmosphere such that when the sun hits the land and bounces back to the atmosphere, it is again re-directed back to the sea and land. This means that almost all of the radiations from the sun is maintained in the land and sea, which causes increased temperatures over time. Koch (2010) quotes the increase since 1950 to be more than 0.50C.
Also, there are increased uses of vehicles in society. The numbers of vehicles have been on the rise, and they use petroleum as the main source of fuel. In countries like China and India, vehicles are approaching the number of people in some countries resulting in traffic jams that last even days (Shrivastava, 2007). The by-product of burning petrol is carbon dioxide; hence there is increased CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 has been proven to have a direct relationship with increased temperature since it is a greenhouse gas.
Similarly, the increased populations have resulted in demand for housing and food. In this case, housing calls for more cement production and timber from trees. Demand for timber results in more trees cut down through de-forestation. Similarly, the forest cover will be reduced in an effort to create space for human occupation, or for food crop cultivation. Lynas (2004) posits that in an area that has ample forest cover, results in the creation of a micro-climate that is different to another area without forest cover by a difference of 50C.
The wastes in landfills and dumping sites, and mining activities increase the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. In the dumping sites and landfills, methane and carbon dioxide are released in the atmosphere when incineration takes place. Furthermore, mining activities like mining coal or oil also increase carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. Agriculture is not left behind in this debacle, where fertilizer application to increase food production increases amounts of nitrous compounds (NOx) in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases cause increased global warming; hence climate change.
Counterargument
There are numerous skeptics stating that climate change is caused by natural causes and that man has no claim to the phenomenon. Geologists are the main culprits stating that climate change has occurred naturally since the earth formed, and despite human contributions climate change would still have occurred (The Telegraph, 2012). This argument can be countered by stating that natural causes are sporadic; hence not easily pre-determined as causes of climate change. Therefore, there is no proof that they are the sole causes of increased global temperatures. This means that human activities are the main causes of climate change, and can be scientifically proved.
Conclusion
The argument was whether human activities are the causes of global climate change. Therefore, it was argued on the affirmative and proved that human activities increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases change the climate through increased global temperatures. This is proved scientifically with evidence that, in the last 60 years the temperature of air and sea has increased by 0.50C, which is a significant value. The greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and chloro-carbons. The activities that increase these gases include, industrialization, usage of aerosols, incineration of waste, and increased usage of fossil fuels such as petroleum. Other activities that change the global climate is de-forestation; where trees create a micro-climate in a certain area.
References
Koch, W. (2010). NOAA: Last decade was warmest, global warming 'undeniable'. USAToday. Available at: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/07/global-warming-undeniable/1#.UH-z7MXMif4
Lynas, M. (2004). Global warming: is it already too late?. New Statesman, 133(4688), 28-31.
Shrivastava, S. K. (2007). Global Warming. Delhi: APH Publishing Company. Pp. 109-191
The Telegraph (2012, July 30). 'Converted' climate change sceptic says humans 'almost entirely the cause' of global warming. The Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/9439181/Global-warming-the-Earth-is-getting-warmer-study-finds.html
