Humans Are Influencing Climate Change The issue is simple and rather obvious; climate change is real and a problem. With a changing climate comes rising sea levels, hotter days, and stronger and wilder storms, and long painful droughts. What most people can’t seem to agree on is whether or not human activity is playing some role in it. From media outlets to internet forums, the debate is being fought on all fronts. Most of these arguments, however, are just personal opinions and poorly-made observations from the comfort of a gas-guzzling SUV. Honestly, it doesn’t take a genius to look up a legitimate scientific paper and see the data for yourself. Human activity is influencing the global climate in a negative way, with plenty of evidence to prove it and very little disagreement in the scientific community. According to a recent study, humans having been causing global warming for about 180 years. The study reconstructed 500 years of climate to determine when the warming shift started. They found that the earliest stages of human-caused greenhouse warming began in the Industrial Revolution, mainly around the 1830s in the Arctic and tropical oceans, followed by change in North America, Europe, and Asia. At this time in human history, we has started burning fossil fuels like coal. This was used to power factory machines, and steam engines used in trains and steamboats. Fossil fuels originate from the remains of ancient plants and animals, and when burned, release
Everyone talks about climate change and how the Earth is slowly deteriorating, but no one seems to have specific examples. In Linnea Saukko’s “How to Poison the Earth,” she does use specific examples of what is causing climate change. She uses satire with a hint of sarcasm in her essay. She gives the reader specific examples of how to poison the Earth, but not really wanting to poison the Earth. Gretel Ehrlich writes her essay, “Chronicles of Ice,” a little differently. She uses personal experiences of visiting a glacier and the way that it is falling apart to explain climate change. She uses detailed, sensory description to explain
Climate change poses a serious threat to Earth and its inhabitants. There is now substantial evidence that human activity is causing global warming because of our large emissions of greenhouse gases. For instance, atmospheric carbon dioxide currently measures at three hundred and ninety seven parts per million, which is the highest it has been for at least the past one million years (National Research Council of the National Academies). Also, scientific data shows that Earth’s average surface temperature has increased more than 1.7 Fahrenheit over the past one hundred years (National Research Council of the National Academies). The evidence is unequivocal that our activities are the main culprit to the disruption of the climate system. In 2013, the top four emitters of carbon dioxide totaled to fifty-eight percent of entire global emissions (Loiseau). Among these four, China is the largest, accounting for twenty-eight percent (Loiseau). The United States accounted for fourteen percent; The EU accounted for ten percent; And India accounted for seven percent (Loiseau). Specifically, China’s total annual carbon dioxide emissions amounted to a massive 8.3 billion metric tons while the United States emitted 5.4 billion metric tons annually (Loiseau). India followed China and the United States with just over 2 billion metric tons emitted annually (Loiseau). This data could, however, be somewhat misleading. For example, even though China does emit the most, it only emits 6.2 metric
What we are doing to stop burning fossil fuels and help the environment is everything we
First, an overwhelming scientific consensus agrees that human activity is primarily responsible for Global Climate Change. A study in 2010 showed that 97-98% of researchers agree that human activity is the primary cause for climate change around the world. This study also found that the expertise of researchers unconvinced was “substantially below” the researchers that were. The 2013 Cook review showed that out of the 11.944 studies, less than 1% completely rejected the possibility of humans causing this. A different review of 13, 950 studies of climate change found only 24 that rejected humans causing climate change. Let’s just go with majority rules. A different study held by Bray and Von Storch, two German scientists, showed that 83.5% of scientists studying climate believe that humans are causing the recent amounts of climate change. Also, a study in 2011 showed that 84% of scientists studying earth, space, the atmosphere, oceans and hydrology believe that human caused climate change is
The United States Environmental Association (EPA) has listed natural changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, volcanic eruptions and solar energy as some of the natural causes of climate changes on earth. However, the recent climate changes cannot be explained by natural causes alone. Research indicates that natural causes are very unlikely to explain most observed warming, especially warming since the mid-20th century. Rather, human activities can very likely explain most of that warming. These human activities are the causes of anthropogenic climate changes. The article also adds “Since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750; human activities have contributed substantially to climate change by the addition of CO2 and other heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. These greenhouse gas emissions have increased the greenhouse effect has caused Earth’s surface temperature to rise. This is the primary reason which is affecting the amount and rate of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.” Other activities that initiate climate changes are caused by the gas emissions from fossil fuels used to heat homes, petroleum based fuels like gasoline and diesel used for transportation and electricity production which comes from burning fossil fuels.
The severity of damaging human-induced climate change depends not only on the magnitude of the change but also on the potential for irreversibility. This paper shows that the climate change that takes place due to increases in carbon dioxide concentration is largely irreversible for 1,000 years after emissions stop. Following cessation of emissions, removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide decreases radiative forcing, but is largely compensated by slower loss of heat to the ocean, so that atmospheric temperatures do not drop significantly for at least 1,000 years. Among illustrative irreversible impacts that should be expected if atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increase from current levels near 385 parts per million by volume (ppmv)
Most of the blame for climate change over the years especially after the 1850’s has been placed on humans. As long as modern humans have roamed the earth, they have been upsetting the natural balance of the earth. People have did this by clearing areas of land, killing animals, polluting water, etc. Before the “modern human”, people like the Native Americans cared for the earth. They respected the land and the people that cared for it. Unfortunately, people don’t care anymore. Until recently, people did not care for the earth. People did not realize the harm they were causing it. Now we know how detrimental things are that we continue to do and used to do.
In recent years, the controversial subject of global warming has been more predominantly brought to our attention. Is the threat of global warming real? Is it man-made or is this just a natural cycle of earth? Does it really affect earth’s inhabitants? Should action be taken against it? If so, what kind and to what extent? It cannot be only a coincidence that the alarmingly rapid climate change coincides perfectly with the increased amount of pollutants that humans release into the environment. The once stable climate has in recent years begun to skyrocket, thus altering the delicate structure of earthly life. This proves to be hazardous to the future of the planet; some people worry that many of the resources the environment provides that
The issue is simple and rather obvious; climate change is real and a problem. With a changing climate comes rising sea levels, hotter days, and stronger and wilder storms, and long painful droughts. What most people can’t seem to agree on is whether or not human activity is playing some role in it. From media outlets to internet forums, the debate is being fought on all fronts. Most of these arguments, however, are just personal opinions and poorly-made observations from the comfort of a gas-guzzling SUV. Honestly, it doesn’t take a genius to look up a legitimate scientific paper and see the data for yourself. Human activity is influencing the global climate in a negative way, with plenty of evidence to prove it and very little disagreement in the scientific community.
“Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents. It is in our hands whether our children and their children inherit the same world” (Richard Branson). This quote is a brief rewording of the issue we have today with global warming. For those who are not aware of what global warming is, it is when too much carbon dioxide is added into the atmosphere. Global warming can cause sever hurricanes, intense weather, and many other natural disasters. For example, the lack of protection to our species and natural resources has led to many conflicts around the world. The lack of conservation of natural resources and need for habitat protection has had a major impact on the environment also.
Working Group II published their work in the Fourth Assessment focused on the effect of climate change on human systems, as well as the ability of these systems to adapt to changes.
Individuals that believe human beings are directly accountable for the issue of global climate change due to the anthropocentric mind-set (human dominance over nature), evident by the climate change science, believe we must change our mind-set in order to save the plant from further harm. Greenhouse gases are ensnared in the air and are rapidly increasing the temperature of the planet, since the gases basically absorb the warmth from the sunlight. Human beings are responsible for releasing the gases in massive quantities, gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Human beings have been burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon dioxide, in such massive amounts that there is simply too much of it in the atmosphere.
The IPCC define climate change as “change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g. using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity” ( “Observed”). In today’s society, there are various opinions over whether humans are contributing to climate change or if natural causes are contributing to climate change. Some people believe that humans are the main contributor to climate change, whilst others believe that natural causes are playing a substantially bigger role in contributing to climate change. Both human and natural causes play a role in contributing to climate change.
To begin with, the environment we choose to place ourselves in has the ability to impact our wellness within an instance. With that being said, there’s a possibility our wellness is likely to be threatened. For those apart of organizations concerned about the wellness of others, it’s their responsibility to inform the community about how to prepare themselves for environmental changes. What has the possibility to occur within an environment varies. Everyone adapts to alterations differently, but is human activity responsible for global warming negatively affecting human health?
For decades societies have been concerned about climate change, and in recent years it has sparked a debate as to whether the earth is warming due to causes by humans or through a natural progression. There are scientists on both sides of the debate, but one thing that they can agree on is that the earth is in fact warming.