Global warming and climate change are two of the most talked-about and important issues of our time. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to two different processes that are both essential in our understanding of the state of the environment. Underlying both global warming and climate change is the rise in temperature due to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.
Global warming is the gradual increase of the average temperature on Earth. It is caused primarily by trapped heat from these greenhouse gases, which create an atmospheric ‘blanket’ that prevents the escape of heat from the Earth’s surface. Climate change, meanwhile, is the resulting transformation of the Earth’s climate that these temperatures produce. This can be observed through certain phenomena such as changes in precipitation, melting sea ice, and more frequent extreme weather events.
The effects of global warming, however, go beyond climate change. Over the past century, the level of the Earth’s oceans has risen by about 8-inches due to the thermal expansion of water, and the snow and ice that comprise the majority of Earth’s glaciers and ice caps have melted at a faster-than-average rate. This has resulted in unprecedented levels of sea-level rise, along with an array of other long-term effects, like higher temperatures, increased acidity in the oceans, and an increased abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
In addition, global warming has had a noticeable effect on global weather patterns. Warming temperatures have disrupted migratory patterns, disrupted crop cycles and vegetation growth, reduced access to fresh water sources, and damaged coral reefs. Furthermore, the resulting climate change has consequentially led to a rise in extreme weather events, including heat waves and consecutive droughts, raging forest fires, and more severe hurricanes and typhoons. All and all, it is evident that changes in the Earth’s average temperatures due to global warming can have far-reaching, devastating effects on both our planet’s environment and human life.
Although it is impossible to reverse the damage that has already been done to the environment, there are measures that can be taken to minimize the impact of global warming. These include conserving energy, investing in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, reducing air pollution, and most importantly, throwing our support behind government policies and regulations that recognize and attempt to take action against global warming and climate change. By taking decisive action now, we can ensure that the harms brought on by global warming will not continue to have such drastic consequences on our planet.
