Climate change has been a subject of incredibly serious concern all over the world, with nearly all nations, research institutions and environmental organizations aiming to find solutions to the global warming problem. While there is much disagreement all over when it comes to what are the most influential human activities that contribute to the problem, most experts agree that the major natural causes responsible for global warming can mostly be traced back to the following: solar radiation, El Nino, and volcanic activity.
Solar radiation, or the energy received from the Sun in the form of rays, is believed to be the most prominent contributor to global warming, as roughly half of its energy is re-emitted back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation. This radiation then reaches the Earth’s surface and its oceans, raising the global average temperature. While earlier theories proposed that this mechanism is mainly responsible for climate change, more recent studies estimate solar radiation’s contribution to be around 26%.
The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, which consists of periodic fluctuations of water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, also has a significant impact on the Earth’s temperature. ENSO refers to the warming of the ocean waters around the Equator, which can produce a cascade of effects, including alterations of rainfall patterns, melting of sea ice, changes to ocean circulation, and alterations of the Earth’s average global temperature. This shift in oceanic temperatures is the second most frequent natural cause of global warming.
Volcanic eruptions are widely considered the third major natural cause of global warming, as the ash and other materials expelled during volcanic activity reflect the Sun’s energy and prevent it from reaching the Earth’s surface. This leads to a shift in the Earth’s albedo, which is the percentage of sunlight reflected from a planet’s surface. Increased albedo, combined with the higher level of gases and aerosols emitted by a volcano, work together by blocking much of the energy of the Sun and lowering temperatures overall.
Despite being widely attributed to human activities, especially related to the excessive consumption of carbon-based substances, some natural causes can also be linked to global warming. Solar radiation, ENSO, and volcanic activity are all important elements that should be taken into consideration when trying to solve the global warming problem. However, they are greatly related to each other, which leads to the conclusion that a holistic approach is necessary to find a balanced solution that would be conducive to stabilizing the planet’s temperature.
