Essay on Climate Change | Causes, Effects and Solutions of Climate Change

Earth's temperature is growing day by day due to climate change and global warming. Here we have written an essay on climate change for the students and academicians as it has become very popular essay topic for all exams. This essay on climate change clearly mentions; what is climate change? Causes of Climate Change, Effects of Climate Change, Solutions of Climate Change and way forward. 

Essay on Climate Change

Climate change is impacting human lives and health in many visible and invisible ways. It threatens the essential ingredients of good health i.e. fresh air, fresh drinking water, nutritious food and safe shelter. It also has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global health. Climate change is an effect of long term natural and human driven activities that initially warming up the temperature of earth and further results are intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity. 

What is Climate Change?

In simple words, long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns is called Climate Change. Climate change is also refers a change in Earth's climate. This could be a change in Earth's usual temperature or it could be a change in the quantity of rain and snow usually fall on Earth. Due to raising temperature of Earth and melting of ice and snow, researches started to know the reason behind it and it was found that the same is happening due to change in climate on earth due to some natural and human driven activities.

Effects of Climate Change

Greenhouse gas concentrations are at their highest levels in 2 million years and the Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record and the emissions is continue to rise. The climate change means not only warmer temperatures. The consequences of climate changes includes intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity. A number of species of plants and animals have gone extinct due to climate change and global warming.

As per World Health Organization, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress and by the year 2030, the direct health damage costs are estimated to be between US$ 2–4 billion per year. Most of the developing countries Areas with weak health infrastructure will be the least able to cope without assistance to prepare and respond.

Causes of Climate Change

There are many natural and manmade causes which are assumed to be responsible for climate change. Climate change may be natural due to variations in the solar cycle, volcanic eruptions, solar radiation, tectonic plate movement, and change in ocean's internal activities. Human driven activities such as burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, deforestation, industrial emissions are main causes of climate change. Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas generates greenhouse gas emissions. These greenhouses gases act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth which trap the sun’s heat and raises the temperature of earth.

Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane come from using gasoline which is used for driving car and other vehicles. Burning of coal for heating building or constructing roads and highways also generate greenhouse gases. Clearing land and forests also increase the level carbon dioxide in environment. Landfills for garbage are one of the major sources of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the main emitters of greenhouse gases which are responsible for climate change.

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How to reduce Climate Change | Climate change solutions

Combine efforts of Governments and individual measures such as transport, food and energy use choices have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent climate change. This will also produce major health co-benefits, particularly by abating air pollution. The phase out of polluting energy systems such as the promotion of public transportation and active movement could both lower carbon emissions and cut the burden of household and ambient air pollution. It is time to switch energy systems from fossil fuels to renewables like solar or wind which will reduce the emissions driving climate change.

The emissions that causes climate change vary from country to country, some is emitting more than other. The 100 least-emitting countries generate only 3 per cent of total emissions and the 10 countries with the largest emissions contribute 68 per cent of the total emission. So everyone must take climate action but countries with the largest emissions have a greater responsibility to act more.

Many climate change solutions can improve our lives along with economic benefits and protection of environment. We also have global frameworks and agreements on climate change to guide progress, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. Three broad categories of climate action are: cutting emissions, adapting to climate impacts and financing required adjustments.

Climate Change: Way Forward

It is time to act as per the need of hour to protects people, homes, businesses, livelihoods, infrastructure and natural ecosystems. Action and adaptation is required everywhere but must be prioritized now for the most vulnerable people with the fewest resources to cope with climate hazards. Ii is high time to start acting to protect climate and ecosystem to save the earth and our future.

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