Since the late 19th century, the average global temperature has increased by approximately one degree Celsius. Much of the rise has occurred since the early 1970s, and while some of it can be attributed to natural climate variability, the vast majority is due to human activity. In fact, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that the current level of global warming is unequivocally attributable to human influences, in particular greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Although scientists disagree about how much of the warming can be attributed to humanity, virtually all agree that human activity is the primary factor in current global warming trends.
There is an ongoing debate about when global warming first started, with some sources claiming that it has always been part of the Earth’s climate patterns. However, thousands of research studies have strongly indicated that the rising temperatures are the result of human-induced climate change. One study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research found that human-related activities have caused a significant increase in the global surface temperature since 1850, when records first started being kept.
The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, which has increased by more than 45% since the start of the Industrial Revolution, is also a major contributing factor. Since 1880, the global average temperature has increased by 0.85 °C, with much of the rise since the 1950s. This increase is primarily attributed to human activities – primarily the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, transportation and industrial production. In recent decades, scientists have observed the trend continuing with no signs of abating.
Another study from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also confirmed that since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, around 1750, global average temperatures have risen. They also found that it is “extremely likely” that more than half of the observed increase in global surface temperatures since 1951 can be attributed to human activities. There are also some natural factors such as changes in solar radiation, volcanic activity, and changes in the Earth’s orbit, that are thought to have contributed to the warming trend.
In addition, the current rate of warming is also unprecedented. According to the International Panel on Climate Change, the current rate of global warming is at least 10 times faster than at any time in the past 600 years. This means that the rate of warming is happening much faster than natural processes alone can explain. As a result, the impacts of global warming are already being felt, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, droughts and floods, and the extinction of some species.
In conclusion, it is clear from the evidence presented that global warming started in the late 19th century, driven primarily by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and the emission of other pollutants into the atmosphere. Although natural climate variability also plays a role, humans are the primary cause of the current warming trend, and the impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world. As a result, it is imperative that we all take action to reduce our carbon footprints and slow the rate of climate change.
