Climate Change (Essay)

Essay: Climate Change

After the industrial revolution, human activities, basically inclined to environmental pollution are accelerating. Excessive use of fossil fuels, deforestation, industrialization, emission of greenhouse gases, etc. are the major activities which contribute to the undesired change in a climatic pattern called climate change. The climate change has a heavy effect on earth declining the existence of all living organisms. 

The first effect of climate change is melting of glaciers and polar ice. As the climate warms glacier is melting. Yet millions of people living on the planet depend on 190,000 glaciers which supply water during dry season. Arctic sea ice is melting rapidly, this process further speeds up climate change. In the Waste Antarctic Peninsula, massive ice shelves have crumbled into the ocean. Ice melting happens as the average temperature of the earth increases. 

Another impact of climate change is the rise on the level of the sea. As glaciers and land- based ice sheets melt, there happens to rise on the sea level. This increases flood risk for millions of people on coasts, where population and cities are growing fast. A huge mass of arable land is devastated by the flood when untimely rain is received. The people who rely on the farming land have to face starvation. For the rise on the sea level, climate change is responsible. 

Finally, both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem are interrupted because of climate change. Degradation of aquatic ecosystem makes all the water animals lose their life. Because of the disturbance in the source of food and shelter, the terrestrial animals and plants which are the important components of our environment become extinct. Ecosystems degrade as changes occur in our natural climate. 

To sum up, all living things on earth are affected by dint of climate change because it is the cause of melting of ice, the rise in the sea level and degradation of the ecosystems.

Study Note: Climate Change

Climate change refers to the change in long-term weather patterns. In other words, it is a significant change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. The climate may become either warmer or colder with significant change in atmospheric conditions. The change in climate pattern has occurred over the last century. When scientist discovered coal, petrol, natural gas and minerals, they were excessively used in large industries. Industrial revolution started in European countries. Since then, the temperature of the earth gradually increased resulting global warming.

British scientist John Tindal made a research on Green House Effect in 1895 AD. The atmosphere is enveloped by different gases and has four layers like troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. The gaseous composition of the troposphere acts like Green House Gases which trap the heat radiated by the earth. The major Green House gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, Sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons.

Global warming refers to an average increase in the earth’s temperature which in turn causes a change in climate. The overall heating of the earth’s surface by natural process increased rapidly since 1950 AD. This is because the air pollutants in the atmosphere trap more heat and increase the temperature of the earth. Thus, gradual increment in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere due to the Green House Effect caused by pollutants is called global warming.

Nowadays, climate change has taken place over a long period of time owing to mainly human activities and other factors. There have been adverse effects on plant life, animals and land features due to climate change. Flood during the winter season, drought in the Tropical region, increasing air temperature during winter, heavy rainfall in the inner Himalayas, ripening of fruits and crops before time, etc. are the effects of climate change.

Human beings are mostly responsible for climate change. They destroy the forest to build houses and collect timber and firewood. They burn down plastic goods and rubber which can generate poisonous gases. They have also established many factories and industries which always emit poisonous gases and smoke in the atmosphere. Since harmful gases and smoke trap more solar radiation from the earth. They cause negative impacts in the atmosphere.

Due to heavy accumulation of Green House Gases, there is negative change in the climatic pattern. When global warming increases in the atmosphere, there is adverse effect in the climatic pattern. Human beings should control themselves in utilizing the natural resources without affecting environment.

Effects of Climate Change:

a.    The snow in the high mountains is expected to melt rapidly.

b.    Many low - lying island and coastal plains will go under the sea as a result of rising sea level.

c.    Rivers, streams and lakes that originate from the high mountains will dry up.

d.    Ripening of vegetables, fruits and crops before time.

e.    Decrease in the suitable habitat of human beings due to long droughts.