Climate change, once driven by natural phenomena such as shifts in the sun’s activity and volcanic eruptions, is now predominantly caused by human activities. Over the past two centuries, the impact of these natural events on global temperatures has been minimal. Instead, the primary culprits of today’s climate change are human-induced, mainly through the relentless burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. This combustion releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants, creating a blanket of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere that drives global warming.
The accumulation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has a profound impact on the Earth’s climate. This “blanket” effect traps the sun’s heat, leading to a rise in global temperatures. The consequences of this warming are far-reaching and severe, triggering a cascade of environmental changes. These include increased frequency and intensity of droughts, water scarcity, severe wildfires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, intense storms, and a dramatic decline in biodiversity. As the level of CO2 in the atmosphere continues to climb, so does the Earth’s temperature, underscoring a clear and direct relationship between cumulative CO2 emissions and global surface temperature increases.
Since the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has surged at an unprecedented rate, driven by the shift from manual labor to machine-powered industries fueled by fossil fuels. Today, atmospheric CO2 levels are approximately 50% higher than they were in 1750, far exceeding natural fluctuations observed over the past 800,000 years. This dramatic increase highlights the urgent need for a global transition to sustainable energy sources and practices to mitigate the ongoing climate crisis and safeguard the planet for future generations.
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