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What is Climate change ? Climate change refers to long term changes in climate including average temperature and precipitation. The greenhouse effect plays an important role in regulating the climate of the earth. The ability of certain trace gases to be relatively transparent to the incoming visible light from the sun yet opaque to the energy radiated from earth is one of the best understood processes in atmospheric sciences. This phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect because the trace gases trap heat similar to the way the greenhouse’s transparent covering traps heat. And without our atmospheric greenhouse effect, earth’s surface temperature would be far below freezing. On the other hand, an increase on the atmospheric trace gases could result in increased trapped heat and rising global temperatures.
To stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere, a sea change is needed in the energy systems. Besides a policy, there is a need to use cleaner technologies, use energy more efficiently and efficient mass transit options for better fuel efficiency. Changes in lifestyle and behavior patterns can contribute to climate change mitigation across all sectors.
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Earth’s
climate is changing and this is causing grave concern. The changes
taking place in the atmosphere have become one of the serious threats
the world faces today. Manifestations of adverse climate change due
to anthropogenic interference are now discernible and might result
in irreversible adverse impacts in a few decades. Human activities
have the potential to disturb the balance of natural systems and cause
warming of the planet to an unprecedented extent. Some of the activities
that have dramatically increased GHG emissions are burning of fossil
fuels, industrial practices and consumerism, deforestation and agriculture.
These activities have increased emissions to the extent that far exceeds
the ability of natural systems to assimilate these gases. Of all the
gases, carbon dioxide is the main contributor being released in great
volumes since the industrial revolution. As a result, climate change
has started endangering biodiversity, human health and food and fresh
water supplies, coastal and low lying system, impacting people worldwide,
especially in developing countries like ours due to low adaptive capacities.
