Problem
The current scale of global efforts to reduce climate impact and adapt to its consequences does not allow for avoiding damage to human civilization and nature. This is because an average temperature increase of 1.5 °C will lead to rising sea levels, with economic, political, and social consequences(Bonneuil et al., 2021, p. 12). Climate change can increase migration, oxidize the oceans, and make them less habitable.
Accordingly, vast areas of the Earth will face drought and reduced productive land, leading to a food crisis. It is worth noting that Dance (2023) states that the first manifestations of the adverse effects of global warming, such as extreme heat and storms, are already occurring. Thus, if the temperature continues to rise and humanity does not address it, the planet will experience catastrophic consequences that will reduce the Earth’s habitability.
Background
The climate change crisis, which manifests as global warming, has appeared on the planet many times before. The rate of global warming observed over the last few decades is unprecedented in the last 2000 years (Bonneuil et al., 2021, p. 10). However, even the Little Ice Age, which occurred on Earth from the 14th to the 19th centuries, cannot be compared to the scale of current climate change.
It is significant to recognize that over the past 140 years, the average annual temperature has risen by about 1°C (Peng et al., 2020, p. 3). Scientists estimate that in 20 years, the world could be 1.5°C warmer than before industrialization. Every decade, they record a 0.2°C increase in global temperature (Peng et al., 2020, p. 5). This phenomenon is explained by the explosion of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, driven by burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and other activities.
To explain this fact, it should be emphasized that the Earth’s atmosphere is a thin layer of gases, some of which are greenhouse gases. They trap thermal radiation, making the Earth a comfortable place to live without greenhouse gases; the average temperature on the planet would be about -18 °C (Storto et al., p. 5977). However, since the beginning of the industrial revolution, humanity has significantly increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere: carbon dioxide by 47% and methane by 159% (Storto et al., p. 5978). Consequently, this gradually affects the planet’s temperature, which is rising and may become uncomfortable for human habitation in the future.
Personal Impact
It is critical to note that the effects of climate change, including natural disasters, pollution, and environmental degradation, will negatively influence health. Meanwhile, climate change, which can manifest in heat waves, will exacerbate the world’s food crisis. Therefore, like other people on the planet, I will suffer from global warming due to food shortages and the emergence of new diseases due to high temperatures.
Moreover, global warming appears to affect the world’s population differently. This is because countries currently implementing programs to combat climate change will experience fewer abnormal natural phenomena (Storto et al., p. 5978). In contrast, populations in developing countries will be more vulnerable to such changes. It is explained by the fact that they cannot take action to prevent global warming now, and their industry continues to harm the environment.
References
Bonneuil, C., Choquet, P. L., & Franta, B. (2021). Early warnings and emerging accountability: Total’s responses to global warming, 1971–2021. Global Environmental Change, 71, 10-24.
Dance, S. (2023). A new climate reality: Less warming, but worse impacts on the planet. The Washington Post, 1-5.
Peng, W., Ma, N. L., Zhang, D., Zhou, Q., Yue, X., Khoo, S. C.,… & Sonne, C. (2020). A review of historical and recent locust outbreaks: Links to global warming, food security and mitigation strategies. Environmental Research, 191, 1-10.
Storto, A., Balmaseda, M. A., De Boisseson, E., Giese, B. S., Masina, S., & Yang, C. (2021). The 20th century global warming signature on the ocean at global and basin scales as depicted from historical reanalyses. International Journal of Climatology, 41(13), 5977-5997.