Causes and drivers for climate change

 Causes

Greenhouse gas emissions act as a covering around the Earth, capturing the sun's heat, which subsequently causes global warming and alters the climate. Presently, the rate of warming exceeds any previously recorded period in history.

A significant portion of global emissions results from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity and heat generation. Currently, the majority of electricity is still derived from fossil fuels, with only approximately a quarter sourced from renewable options such as wind, solar, and other sustainable alternatives.

Emissions in the manufacturing and industrial sectors primarily originate from the combustion of fossil fuels to generate energy for producing various goods, including cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics, and clothing. Additionally, mining and other industrial processes also release gases that contribute to emissions.

Deforestation, whether for agriculture, pastures, or other purposes, leads to emissions as trees, once cut down, release the carbon they have been storing. Since forests act as carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide, their destruction hinders nature's capacity to effectively sequester emissions and keep them out of the atmosphere.

The transportation sector, encompassing cars, lorries, ships, and planes, heavily relies on fossil fuels, making it a significant source of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide emissions. While road vehicles contribute the most to these emissions, the growing use of ships and planes also adds to the overall greenhouse gas impact of the transportation industry.

The production of food involves energy consumption, often utilizing fossil fuels to operate farm equipment or fishing boats. Additionally, emissions can occur during crop cultivation, particularly when using fertilizers and manure. Livestock, such as cattle, produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Moreover, packaging and food distribution processes also contribute to emissions.

Worldwide, residential and commercial buildings are responsible for consuming more than 50% of the total electricity. Their dependence on coal, oil, and natural gas for heating and cooling purposes leads to the emission of substantial amounts of greenhouse gases.

The greenhouse gas emissions are influenced by various factors, including the way you manage your home and use electricity, your transportation choices, dietary habits, and waste disposal practices. Additionally, the consumption of goods like clothing, electronics, and plastics also contributes to these emissions.

The summary of the provided information is that greenhouse gas emissions are influenced by various aspects of daily life, including home energy usage, transportation choices, dietary habits, and waste management. Additionally, the consumption of goods such as clothing, electronics, and plastics also plays a role in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, individual actions and consumer choices collectively impact the level of emissions and their effects on the environment.

Main Drivers for climate change

The primary cause of climate change is the greenhouse effect, wherein certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere act like a greenhouse, trapping the sun's heat and preventing it from escaping into space, leading to global warming.

Although some greenhouse gases are naturally occurring, human activities have increased the concentrations of some, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Among these, CO2 produced by human activities is the largest contributor to global warming, with its concentration in the atmosphere rising to 48% above pre-industrial levels by 2020.

While other greenhouse gases like methane have a more potent warming effect than CO2, they exist in smaller quantities and have varying atmospheric lifetimes. Nitrous oxide, like CO2, is a long-lived greenhouse gas that accumulates in the atmosphere over decades to centuries.

Additionally, non-greenhouse gas pollutants, such as aerosols like soot, have different warming and cooling effects and are associated with other issues like poor air quality.

Natural causes, such as changes in solar radiation or volcanic activity, have contributed minimally to total warming between 1890 and 2010, estimated to be less than plus or minus 0.1°C.

Causes for emission

• Burning coal, oil, and gas results in the emission of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.
• Deforestation leads to the removal of trees that play a vital role in regulating the climate by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. When trees are cut down, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.
• The expansion of livestock farming contributes to increased methane emissions, as cows and sheep produce significant amounts of methane during digestion.
• The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers leads to the production of nitrous oxide emissions.
• Fluorinated gases, emitted from equipment and products that utilize these gases, have an incredibly strong warming effect, up to 23,000 times greater than CO2.

Mitigation and Adaptation to climate change

Mitigation, which aims to lessen climate change's impact, involves reducing the emission of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This can be achieved by decreasing the sources of these gases, such as cutting back on burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, or transportation. Alternatively, it involves enhancing the "sinks" that absorb and store these gases, such as oceans, forests, and soil. The ultimate objective of mitigation is to prevent significant human interference with the Earth's climate, stabilize greenhouse gas levels within a timeframe that allows ecosystems to naturally adapt to climate change, safeguard food production, and support sustainable economic development.

Adaptation, which involves adjusting to a changing climate, is aimed at reducing risks from the adverse impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, intensified extreme weather events, and food insecurity. It also includes harnessing potential beneficial opportunities associated with climate change, such as longer growing seasons or increased yields in certain regions.

Throughout history, societies have faced varying degrees of success in coping with climate changes and extremes. Climate change, particularly drought, has played a role in shaping the rise and fall of civilizations. For the past 10,000 years, Earth's climate has remained relatively stable, allowing for the development of modern civilization and agriculture. However, our current way of life is tailored to this stable climate and not to the much warmer climate expected in the coming centuries. As climate changes, adaptation becomes essential, with the speed of change determining its difficulty.

While climate change is a global challenge, its impacts are strongly felt at the local level. Local governments are at the forefront of adaptation efforts, with cities and communities worldwide focusing on addressing their specific climate-related issues. Initiatives include constructing flood defenses, planning for heatwaves and higher temperatures, implementing improved drainage systems to manage floods and storm water, and enhancing water storage and usage.

Governments at various levels are increasingly incorporating climate change into development plans. This includes managing extreme disasters, protecting coastlines from sea-level rise, implementing sustainable land and forest management, planning for drought, developing resilient crop varieties, and safeguarding energy and public infrastructure.

In summary, adaptation is a crucial response to climate change, as it helps communities and governments prepare for the challenges and opportunities brought about by a changing climate.