Climate

World Health Organization (WHO) defines Climate change as the long term changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, which can have significant impacts on human health, particularly in vulnerable populations.

Primary causes of Climate Change –

1. Volcanic eruptions release ash, sulfur dioxide and aerosols into the atmosphere, reflecting sunlight, cooling global temperatures and altering climate patterns.
2. Changes in Earth’s orbit alter the amount of solar energy received, affecting global temperatures and triggering ice ages or warming.
3. Changes in ocean currents and cycles shift heat distribution by impacting regional temperatures, weather patterns and global climate conditions.
4. Plate tectonics reshape Earth’s surface, altering ocean currents, continent positions and greenhouse gas release, influencing long term climate patterns slowly.

Human activities contribution to the causes of Climate Change –

1. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, driving global warming rapidly.
2. Deforestation and land use changes release carbon, disrupt ecosystems and exacerbate global warming significantly.
3. Agriculture contributes to climate change through methane emissions, nitrous oxide release and deforestation.
4. Consumer demand for resource intensive goods fuels carbon emissions, deforestation and unsustainable production practices.
5. Waste decomposition releases methane and nitrous oxide, potent greenhouse gases fueling climate change.
6. Industrial processes and manufacturing release greenhouse gases, driving climate change through emissions growth.
7. Transportation emissions from vehicles, ships and planes release CO2, fueling global warming rapidly worldwide.

Climate change threatens our planet, but collective action, sustainable living and renewable energy can mitigate its impacts by  securing a safer and healthier future for all.