Evidence of Climate Change
The purpose of this paper is to analyze climate change and the effect of greenhouse gas effects of climate change on the environment, society, the politics surrounding climate change, public opinion and reviews, and responses on the same. (Dow, Thomas 967)The paper is composed of information from various sources that bring insights to the understanding of climate change. Recent and reliable sources have been used to collect information to ensure information is up to date. Furthermore, the use of graphs, charts, and diagrams in the paper brings a visual understanding of the subject. The paper is a collection of evidence on the existence and effects of climate change, the facts and results of climate change, and possible ways to mitigate the condition. The paper explains how human activities can result in global warming.it also gives evidence of current occurrences that demonstrate the existence of global warming. For instance, the increases in sea level due to melting of ice glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. The objective of the paper is to determine the existence of climate change by collecting facts on climate change and establishing the effect of long-term climate change in various areas such as politics, public opinion on climate change and reviews, and responses on the subject.
Fig 1: A chart showing the impact of climate change events
The paper relied on several sources to determine whether climate change is real.these article provide information to the existence of climate change by exploring the evidence generated through years of research in the field. First, it is essential to understand what climate change entails by sampling proof to support its existence. In definition, climate change refers to the long-term change in the global climate as a result of increased temperature. The increase in temperature is attributed to the realization of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the air. The earth is protected from harmful sun rays by a thin layer of gases known as the atmosphere. Too much carbon gas in the sky destroys this layer allowing these harmful rays to reach the surface of the earth, resulting in overheating. The effects are later felt in with an increase in temperature on the earth’s surface. High temperature also increases the amount of precipitation, which leads to floods, among other effects such as forest fires, drought. These effects have a significant impact on human life hence the need to reduce carbon emission. (Braga et al. 1003). Industrialization, which relies heavily on the use of non-renewable sources of energy such as fossil fuel, has led to an overwhelming increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Various policies and restrictions have therefore been put in place to regulate greenhouse gases allowed into the atmosphere.
Fig 2: A diagram showing the Social and Economic Impact of Climate change.
Global warming has significant effects on the ecological and social environment. According to birdlife international, it poses a severe threat to environmental balance with an impact on nature and human life. Such risks affect the population, distribution, and composition of species as well as ecological communities. It also disrupts the supply of essential resources such as fuel, food, and clean water (Pecl, 567). The human, as well as wildlife, relies on these resources for survival; hence their supply is essential. Other activities that have affected the life of species include forest fires, floods, and drought. Global warming also affected different climatic regions that are natural habitats for certain species. The polar region, for instance, has been experiencing massive melting of ice glaciers due to the increased atmospheric temperature. The social effects of climate change are mainly in terms of culture and resources. Climate change affects human life by influencing the supply and availability of commodities such as food, water, and power. It also affects social wealth, transport services, and infrastructure. Different areas may also be impacted differently compared to others. For instance, people living in cities are affected the most compared to those living in the countryside. Climate change has also increased the occurrence of natural disasters, such as drought wildfire and floods. These disasters are harmful to humans and wildlife, and therefore necessary steps should be taken to reduce any activities that generate carbon.
Fig 3: A graph showing the rising Atmospheric Temperatures
As more platforms bring awareness to global warming, the public is becoming increasingly involved in the issue by participating in activities that bring more knowledge and the possible solutions. Climate change has shaped perceptions of people around the world, primarily due to the increased coverage in social media, news platforms, and even surveys conducted by large organizations. For instance, a study conducted by the UN collected people’s opinions on ways to limit the effects of climate change. The survey proved useful as it helped bridge the gap between the public and the government. The public had the opportunity to address the government directly on the things they want done to mitigate the condition. Climate change is a social responsibility that requires the effort of every person .however individuals cannot act alone without government intervention. (Urban, 571) This is because the government has the power to create and implement laws that can help monitor human activities that could destroy the atmosphere. Another survey by the Climate Outreach program and Cardiff University, reveals the UK citizens have shifted their opinions as a result of heatwaves that occurred in 2018 and 2019. As the effects on global warming become more dire people peoples, perceptions change, which affects their opinion on the problem.
The political aspect of global warming has been demonstrated through strikes and mass demonstrations where citizen have voiced their concerns to the government. There have, however, been differences among people on the significance of the matter. For instance, in the United States, democrats and republicans differ on whether the issue should be taken with high regard or not. The democrats are more proactive and are advocating for more resources to be directed towards managing climate change. At the same time, the Republicans, on the other hand, seem less proactive on the matter, with only a few supporting efforts on mitigating global warming. The difference in opinion by the republicans and democrats hinders the efforts of moderating climate change .Numbers play a role in facilitating change in climate change policies. It is, therefore, important for more people to get involved in the climate change campaign. The number of people advocating for climate change fails to reach 50%, which shows that more work on awareness should be done to bridge the gap. Therefore the political view of a nation has a significant influence on the country’s efforts to vindicating climate change.
As more light is brought to climate change, various organizations have responded and generated reviews on the subject. For instance, the article by Lesley and Craig; Drivers of Amphibian Decline, discusses the consequences of climate change to the anthropogenic environment. The article explains the possible sixth mass extinction of species. Global warming has destroyed the natural habitat of animals, making it difficult for them to survive. For instance, the polar bear faces extinction due to increasing temperatures in the polar region. Another article that responds to the effects of climate change, Beyond Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity explains the need for people to adapt to the changing climate. The article describes various always in which people can start adapting to the changes. This is necessary because the realize of carbon into the atmosphere is unavoidable, and the amount realize into the atmosphere has long-term effects that can be felt for generations. There have also been different reviews about climate change on various platforms. One report addresses the need to limit warming and other effects of climate change to reach zero in 2050. Another study emphasizes the necessity to restrict human activity that results in the production of carbon. Responses and reviews show how people are getting more involved and participating, which a huge step in finding the necessary solution to global is warming.
From the information gathered from different sources in the paper prove that climate change is real. This is evident with the activities that have been reported in with increased industrialization. For instance, the heatwave experienced in 2018 and 2019 is a clear indication that, indeed, climate change exists. Other effects that have resulted from climate change include floods, drought, and forest fires. The paper also explored public opinion on climate change, which has revealed an increase in public participation on matters relating to climate change. Politics also play an essential role in shaping climate change policies of a nation. Citizens have the power to encourage the government to take the initiative in mitigating climate change. There have also been several responses and reviews presented by writers and members on climate change. Suggestions on possible solutions to reducing the greenhouse effect have been published and shared in various platforms to encourage the necessary stakeholders to take action on the matter. Most importantly, it has become essential for people to be accountable ob how their activities can contribute to global warming.
Dow, Kirstin, and Thomas E. Downing. The Atlas of climate change: mapping the world’s greatest challenge. Univ of California Press, 2016.
Braga, A. C., et al. “Characterization of river flow fluctuations via horizontal visibility graphs.” Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications 444 (2016): 1003-1011.
Urban, Mark C. “Accelerating extinction risk from climate change.” Science 348.6234 (2015): 571-573.
Pecl, Gretta T., et al. “Biodiversity redistribution under climate change: Impacts on ecosystems and human well-being.” Science 355.6332 (2017): eaai9214.