Global warming and climate change are commonly confused concepts, since although global warming is only one of the aspects collected by climate change, this is also used to refer to the evolution of the climate tendency throughout geological history. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the oceans and the earth’s atmosphere, in summary, of the planet.
In ecology, we deepen this great environmental problem that affects us today throughout the world, and that will continue to do so it seems that for many more years. In this article we tell you everything about the What is global warming, its causes and consequences.
What is global warming
The definition of global warming refers to Increase in the average temperature of the oceans and the Earth’s atmosphereand has currently been alarming worldwide in recent decades. As we said in the introduction of this article, it is usually confused with climate change because they are terms that are roughly You could say that they go hand in hand because their causes and consequences coincide mostly. But it is very important to differentiate them, so we explain more details about what global warming is.
Causes of global warming
Increase in the greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is a Natural process of heat retention from the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere thanks to the GHG layer found in it. These gases in normal quantities maintain the temperature of the planet at approximately 33 ºC above what could have if they did not exist, so the planet would be too cold to develop life in it. However, currently, The greenhouse effect has increased too much And it is becoming so intense, because of our emissions, which begins to have serious repercussions in the middle.
In this other link you can learn more about the greenhouse effect: causes, consequences and solutions.
Increased greenhouse gases
Global warming and climate change are coinciding in the main cause, the mass emission of the different greenhouse gases or Gen that retain heat inside the atmosphere and on the earth’s surface through the so -called greenhouse effect, which we have mentioned before.
Here you can read about what are the greenhouse gases and where they come from.
Increase in contaminating human activities
The Intergovernmental Expert Group on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in the fifth Evaluation Report (AR5) of 2013 that human influence had been the dominant cause of this warming produced since the middle of the twentieth century through the Issue of Greenhouse gaseswhich is increasing evidence. Among the main gases emitted are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone.
Exist various human activities linked to these greenhouse gas emissions that have increased in the atmosphere since the Industrial revolution. The first of them is an unsustainable lifestyle due to the great exploitation suffered by nature by considering a mere raw material. Highly polluting energy sources are used due to the great requirements of the great demographic and economic growth.
The great emission of gases that occurs through the burning of fossil fuels. It is estimated that three quarters of the increase in CO2 due to human action is associated with this activity, the rest of those responsible being the changes of use that are given to the soils and Deforestation. The latter is more relevant than it seems, since through vegetation The imbalance caused by these gas emissions could be balanced naturally. In these links you can read on the environmental impact of fossil fuels and the causes of deforestation.
In this video you can deepen the information about the problem of increasing the greenhouse effect.
Consequences of global warming
Among the multiple consequences of global warming and climate change, those linked to the temperature increase. Today there are numerous scientific evidence that our planet is heating, showing unprecedented changes in climatic records.
- In the first place, since it seems an obvious consequence, climatic changes include that the frequency with which they occur Extreme weather phenomena as strong droughts, heat waves or torrential rains.
- Throughout the twentieth century there has been an increase in the temperature of 0.6ºC. For researchers this is the cause of The ocean temperature rises, causing its expansion and the increase in sea level from 10 to 12 centimeters.
- Although the impacts that can be associated with global warming and climate change are different depending on land regions, the clearest sign is the Ice fusion Or thaw of polar caps, especially in the Arctic, which contributes to this increased sea level and habitat loss for many species, such as the polar bear.
- This concludes that global warming therefore has serious consequences on fauna and flora species that they are not able to adapt to the new climatic conditions or that see the ecosystems where they live, which causes an acceleration of some of the species extinctions.
- Other effects of global warming are jungle desiccation because of the variations in the rainfall regime and the Increased distribution area of arid areaslike subtropical deserts.
How can we avoid global warming
These are some ideas to mitigate the increase in temperatures or global warming.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Improve energy efficiency
- Reforest and conserve forests
- Change consumption habits
- Promote a more sustainable diet
- Recycle and reduce waste
- Use sustainable transport
- Support green policies
- Improve education and awareness
- Invest in research and development
In these other article you can discover much more about how to avoid global warming and possible solutions for global warming.
If you want to read more articles similar to Global warming: What is, causes and consequenceswe recommend that you enter our category of climate change.
