Causes, Impacts & Solutions: An Analysis of Climate Change

This essay explores the multifaceted issue of climate change, detailing its causes, impacts, and potential solutions. It begins by establishing the historical context of climate change, tracing significant changes back to the industrial revolution and highlighting the role of human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, in releasing greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane into the atmosphere. The essay discusses the disruption of natural carbon sinks due to deforestation and other land-use changes, further exacerbating the problem. The impacts of climate change, such as rising global temperatures, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and increased frequency of extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and heat waves, are examined in detail. The essay also addresses the consequences of these changes on ecosystems, food production, and human populations, including potential displacement and famine. Finally, the essay explores various strategies to combat climate change, including international cooperation through initiatives like the UNFCCC, the use of alternative fuels, carbon capture and storage technologies, afforestation programs, and the adoption of green technologies. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for continued efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and promote a more sustainable future. Desklib offers a range of resources, including similar essays and study materials, to support students in understanding and addressing this critical global issue.

ART AND SCIENCE
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Climate Change and its impacts
The changes in the statistical properties or variations in the patterns of weather which persist
several decades or longer are referred to as the climate change. The change of climate, therefore,
begins as soon as the patterns of weather shift. The significant changes in climate can be dated
to the year 1880s when then industrialization began in various parts of the world. Prior to this
date i.e. pre-industrial period, there was very little impact or changes in the weather pattern. This
basically implies that the pre-industrial period was characterized by a stable climate. After this
period the world has been slowly warming up with industrial revolution setting a pace of
1°C above the pre-industrial levels.
The main causes of climate change
The changes in climate in the world are attributed to various human activities. When such
changes occur, there is a dramatic increase in temperatures. The human activities like the burning
of fossil fuels from the industrial plants which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
These are gases that trap heat from the ground instead of allowing it to escape into the
atmosphere. The ground below this blanket which is formed by these gases results into
temperature increase. The most commonly known greenhouse gases are (CO2) and methane
(CH4).
The research work by scientists has linked human activities directly to climate change. This was
confirmed after the famous experiment by a British scientist called Guy S. Callendar that
involved around the impacts of the greenhouse gas to the surrounding (Fleming 2013). Although
the experiment has singled out two gases as the key contributor to the changes in climate, there
are that are yet to be discovered(Hawkins & Jones 2013). These gases are produced from the

burning of fossil fuels including oil, natural gas, and coal. The idea is the ever increasing
quantity of carbon in the atmosphere. The changes in the use of land like deforestation by human
beings have lowered the rate of absorption of these gases from the atmosphere. This implies that
there exists a natural system of balance of these gases through natural carbon sinks like sea, soil,
and trees. By definition, carbon sink refers to the technological or natural process which aids in
the absorption of carbon which is in the atmosphere. This kind of equilibrium is what has been
disrupted by human activities.
Impacts of the climate changes
The rise in the global temperature is again associated with several consequences including more
floods, intense rain, drought as well as more frequent heat waves. The slow but steady increase
in the global temperatures of the earth as a result of the greenhouse gases is called global
warming. The oceans and glaciers have also undergone through these changes with some of them
warming up and turning to be acidic. There is melting of the glaciers as a result of the rise in
temperature which has subsequently led to the rise in the sea level. These are some of the
evidence that this is something wrong with our environment.
Although scientists have predicted an increase in the global temperature to almost 4°C by 2100
with half of this value being experienced by 2050, more consequences should be expected. This
is because the projection model is just but indicators that may not give the exact occurrence.
While the expected drought in Alberta can be pointed out as one of the best examples to illustrate
the effects of climate change, there are several parts of the world that are probably suffering in
silence. The rise in temperature has led to the melting of the glacier-like in the case of Western
Canada as well as prolonged rainfall that has resulted in the rise in sea level (Mitsch et al.2013).

This is likely to affect the lives of those living around the coastal areas including Vancouver. In
addition, plants and animals around this place will surely face extinction with regions of islands
being inhabitable at all.
There has been variation of the stormy weather in various places. Some areas are currently
characterized by endless storm that has resulted into flooding. This has also led to the occurrence
of frequent thunderstorm strikes is some areas. The productive areas of mining bitumen have
been covered with the flooding water. Also some of the oilsand deposits are drying up already
The displacement of the coastal residents through flooding effects is likely to strain the
government’s budgets through relocation programs. Other than the Polar Regions with a glacier,
the tropical land is likely to experience extreme heats waves, droughts and storms. These
extreme changes in the pattern will results in the failure of the crops hence affecting food
production. The end result is likely to be famine and finally death. Extreme heat waves will
possibly result in the wildfires that destroy massive forests thereby affecting natural habitats and
the tourism industry at large through migration patterns (Clode & Stasiak 2014)
How to combat the changes
The adverse consequences in the climate change in various parts of the world have compelled
various bodies both non-governmental and governmental authorities to generate a solution. Some
of this solution is considered to be remedial to the already bad situation while others are just
preventive for future occurrence. Despite the slow pace of the changes in the climate, there is no
instant solution. The suggestions that have been put forward will equally take time for the
positive results to be realized (Mitsch, et al.2013).

There has been enhanced corporation between different states to combat the emission of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through industrialization programs at the international
levels. Some of these initiatives led to the formation of United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 whose main aim has been stabilization of the
concentration of greenhouse green(Hansen & Sato 2016). In such agreements, the rich states or
nations are expected to fund the developing nations in the implementations of the same policies.
The implementation of such policies of international standards includes activities like:
 Use of alternative sources of fuel other than fossil fuels which emit very little carbon into
the atmosphere.
 Using the modern technology of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) ineffective capturing
of carbon from the industrial section before it escaping to the atmosphere like for the case
of Saskatchewan.
 Encouragement of afforestation programs to produce trees that will provide a natural
carbon sink.
 Embracing green technology and reengineering that is not destructive to the environment.

References
Clode, D., & Stasiak, M. (2014). Fictional depictions of climate change. International Journal of
Climate Change, 5(4), 19-29.
Fleming, J. (2013). The calendar effect: the life and work of Guy Stewart Callendar (1898-1964).
Springer Science & Business Media.
Hansen, J., & Sato, M. (2016). Regional climate change and national
responsibilities. Environmental Research Letters, 11(3), 034009.
Hawkins, E., & Jones, P. D. (2013). On increasing global temperatures: 75 years after
Callendar. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 139(677), 1961-1963.
Mitsch, W. J., Bernal, B., Nahlik, A. M., Mander, Ü., Zhang, L., Anderson, C. J., ... & Brix, H.
(2013). Wetlands, carbon, and climate change. Landscape Ecology, 28(4), 583-597.