The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in 2019 was the highest in the last 2 million years, and the global surface temperature of the earth has increased faster since 1970 than any other fifty-year period in history in the last 2 thousand years.

The past 5 years have been the hottest on record since 1850. And literally on August 11, 2021, Europe recorded the highest temperature for the entire time of observations. On the Italian island of Sicily, the air temperature rose to + 48.8 °C.

Every year, about 5 million people in the world die due to extremely high temperatures caused by global warming.

Humans began burning large amounts of fossil fuels to generate energy, leading to a rapid increase in CO2 emissions.

When we burn fossil fuels, carbon dioxide is released into the air, which is the most common of all greenhouse gases. However, this gas is not the only source. Another main source is the rotting of plant matter and livestock waste from agricultural activities. In this case, the greenhouse gas methane is formed. It is not as common as carbon dioxide, but it is 84% stronger.

Also, CO2 emissions are caused by fires, for example, in Siberia, there was an unusually active forest fire season, which led to a third increase in CO2 emissions in 2020 compared to 2019.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the global temperature of the planet has increased by almost 1 °C. Even this seemingly insignificant warming has caused serious problems— the area of glaciers is decreasing, the sea level is rising, strong storms, tornadoes, abundant floods, and droughts have become more frequent. Maintaining the current rate of increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases may lead to an increase in the average temperature of the planet to 4.0 °C in 2100. If countries do not take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the projected rise in sea levels could reach almost 1 meter and the loss of snow cover, the reduction of glaciers in the Arctic. There will also be frequent inflows of warm currents, which will be reflected in the ocean ecosystem.

The increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere leads to another problem - ocean acidification. Even the smallest change in ocean pH is enough to devastate an ecosystem. About 30% of the CO2 released into the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans, mitigating global warming, but producing enough carbonic acid to kill and dissolve corals. Shellfish and fish also suffer from the oxidation of ocean water. This can lead to the reduction of fish stocks or their complete extinction, which can threaten fisheries and the well-being of coastal communities.

During the signing of the Paris Agreement, scientists emphasized that to ensure human existence on the planet and preserve biodiversity, it is necessary to keep global warming within 2 °C, and ideally within 1.5.

It is necessary to give up cars because compared to walking, cycling or public transport, car pollutes the environment much more. For the same number of people, you need several dozen cars or 1 public transport.

Also, giving up car trips reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 2.5

tons.

You can still use trains, because, taking into account the high degree of electrification, the railway accounts for only 1.6 percent of carbon dioxide emissions among all types of transport in the European Union.

Reducing the demand for energy and increasing the efficiency of food production, changing the diet, and reducing losses and waste in the food industry has a significant potential to reduce harmful emissions. It is necessary that by 2050 renewable energy sources supply 70-85 % of electricity.

Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere as soon as possible, despite the fact that it can be expensive and

inconvenient because, without it, we and our descendants will have a terrible life.

References:

1. Diego Arguedas Ortiz, A. (2018, November 7). Global warming: what can I do? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/vert-fut-46116443
2. Julia Horban, A. (2022, November 2). Do you still not believe in global warming? Retrieved from https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/3297755-vi-dosi-ne-virite-u-globalne-poteplinna-os-so-vas-cekae.html
3. Kelly Levin, A. (2018, October 7). 8 Things You Need to Know About the IPCC 1.5°C Report. Retrieved from https://www.wri.org/insights/8-things-you-need- know-about-ipcc-15c-report