Climate Change

The biggest threat that we are facing today is Climate change. It’s very dangerous if we don’t tackle it then its consequences are deadly. Also, we need to pay attention to some important things, activities that cause it; enhance our resilience to its effects; and talk about it. Over the last several decades the global temperature has rapidly risen.Scientists agree that a rise in greenhouse gas emissions is happening due to human activities. However, some people say that climate change is natural and we shouldn’t worry about it. But is it only natural or anything more?The answer will probably be, it’s more than just natural as in the last two hundred years the emission from fossil fuels is only caused by human activities. Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, the percentage of carbon dioxide has increased by 30% in our atmosphere.The global warming is speeding up and the 20 warmest years on record have all come since 1995. Furthermore, the last 2010s decade has five warmest years. Due to global warming many species, birds, habitats, trees, and aquatic life are badly hurt. Also, the hot conditions increased the demand for water.Moreover, the environmental agency responded to a 330% increase in incidents relating to drought. Besides, this type of thing won’t happen every year. However, they will occur more often and will be worse every year. According to scientists’ estimates, by 2040 there won’t be anything except the summer season.Over the last 20 years, the sea level has risen at roughly twice the speed of the preceding 80 years. In addition, the international community has sworn to avoid a rise of more than 2oC in the average global temperature by 2100 in comparison to pre-industrial levels. But many scientists believe that the figures will be higher. Fortunately there are many ways to stop climate change.

Keep fossil fuels in the ground. Fossil fuels include coal, oil and gas – and the more that are extracted and burned, the worse climate change will get. All countries need to move their economies away from fossil fuels as soon as possible.

Invest in renewable energy. Changing our main energy sources to clean and renewable energy is the best way to stop using fossil fuels. These include technologies like solar, wind, wave, tidal and geothermal power.

Switch to sustainable transport. Petrol and diesel vehicles, planes and ships use fossil fuels. Reducing car use, switching to electric vehicles and minimizing plane travel will not only help stop climate change, it will reduce air pollution too.

Help us keep our homes cozy. Homes shouldn’t be drafty and cold – it’s a waste of money, and miserable in the winter. The government can help households heat our homes in a green way – such as by insulating walls and roofs and switching away from oil or gas boilers to heat pumps.

Improve farming and encourage vegan diets. One of the best ways for individuals to help stop climate change is by reducing their meat and dairy consumption, or by going fully vegan. Businesses and food retailers can improve farming practices and provide more plant-based products to help people make the shift.

Restore nature to absorb more carbon. The natural world is very good at cleaning up our emissions, but we need to look after it. Planting trees in the right places or giving land back to nature through ‘rewilding’ schemes is a good place to start. This is because photosynthesising plants draw down carbon dioxide as they grow, locking it away in soils.

Protect forests like the Amazon. Forests are crucial in the fight against climate change, and protecting them is an important climate solution. Cutting down forests on an industrial scale destroys giant trees which could be sucking up huge amounts of carbon. Yet companies destroy forests to make way for animal farming, soya or palm oil plantations. Governments can stop them by making better laws.

Protect the oceans. Oceans also absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps to keep our climate stable. But many are overfished, used for oil and gas drilling or threatened by deep sea mining. Protecting oceans and the life in them is ultimately a way to protect ourselves from climate change. These are the ways we can prevent climate change. Thank you.