Climate warming is one of the biggest problems today. The growing amount of greenhouse gases and CO₂ has made the planet warmer, which has led to melting ice, rising sea levels, and more extreme weather. Understanding the reasons behind these changes and finding solution to deal with them is important for everyone, because the planet can leave without us, but we cannot leave without our planet.

The observed amount of atmospheric CO₂ rose by about 40% as a result of human activity, as well as other greenhouse gases, such as nitrous oxide and methane, also increased between 1800 and 2019 (National Research Council, 2020).

Human activity is more detrimental to the earth than natural factors like volcano eruptions and internal climate system changes. According to computer simulations, the surface will become little warmer or even cooler over the 21^st century.

Increased temperature has the potential to change climate zones and impact phenology, causing a rise in invasive species and pests. Moreover, a temperature increase can raise the number of certain human diseases.

Droughts are becoming more common, severe, and lasting longer in various parts of Europe. Prolonged climate warming is expected to cause more severe droughts and worsen water quality (Causes of climate change, n.d.).

In addition to more frequent extreme droughts, climate warming can increase the number of floods across Europe. The melting of mountain glaciers worldwide and mass losses from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are expected to cause the sea level to rise by at least 0.4 to 0.8 meters (1.3 to 2.6 feet) by the end of the century (National Research Council, 2020).

Extreme temperature fluctuations can affect soil structure and stability, increasing the risk of soil erosion, compaction and salinization. The change in precipitation patterns, such as frequency, intensity and distribution of rainfall can cause soil erosion, nutrient leaching and waterlogging, while drought can lead to soil moisture depletion, increasing susceptibility to erosion and desertification (Publications Office of the EU, 2024).

The state of seawater has shifted to a more acidic state (lower pH), according to research on ocean chemistry. Because shells for some creatures, such as corals and some shellfish, are formed of calcium carbonate, which dissolves more easily in acid, this pH shift makes it difficult to create or maintain their shells.

Facing climate warming will require a big change in producing and using energy, such as reduction in usage of fossil fuel, improving energy efficiency, and the integration of alternative fuels (e.g., hydrogen).

Reducing energy use (e.g., by building compact, walkable cities), electrifying transportation alongside with low-emission energy sources are important to reduce emissions in cities and other urban areas. There are choices for new and quickly expanding cities (Technical summary, 2023).

Emissions can also be lowered within industries by trimming waste, reusing products, recycling, and efficiently using resources. For fundamental products like steel and chemicals, as well as building materials, manufacturing techniques that produce little to no greenhouse gases are in the works and nearing commercial deployment (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2022).

Climate warming is already affecting nature and health of people all over the world. Some of the changes happen naturally, but most of the reasons behind climate warming is due to human activities. By cutting the energy use, reducing pollution, people can slow down the processes of climate warming and keep the planet save for our future.

References:

1. National Research Council. (2020). Climate Change: Evidence and Causes: Update 2020. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25733.
2. Publications Office of the EU. (2024). The state of soils in Europe. Publications Office of the EU. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/7007291
3. Technical summary. (2023). Climate Change 2022 - Mitigation of Climate Change, 51–148. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157926.002
4. Causes of climate change. Climate Action. (n.d.). https://climate.ec.europa.eu/climate-change/causes-climate-change_en
5. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2022, April 4). Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/resources/press/press-release/