Climate change is one of the most pressing environmental issues of the time. It is caused by a variety of factors, but one of the most important is solar output. The sun is the primary source of energy for the planet. It emits light and heat that powers all life on earth. But its energy output varies over time, and this can have a big impact on the climate. Global warming is when the sun emits more energy that causes the planet to warm up. Conversely, when the sun emits less energy, it can cause the planet to cool down, which leads to global cooling. Climate change can be a result of geological factors such as volcanic activities. Volcanic eruptions release large amounts of heat and gas into the atmosphere, which can lead to global climate change.
Volcanic eruptions emit particles and gases into the atmosphere; some of these, such as sulfur dioxide gas, react with water in the air to form sulfate aerosols. Sulfate aerosols reflect sunlight back out into space, causing a cooling effect on the earth’s climate. Volcanoes also release carbon dioxide gas (CO2) into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that causes global warming. The net effect of volcanoes on the earth’s climate depends on how much sulfur dioxide they emit and how much carbon dioxide they release. If more sulfur dioxide is emitted than carbon dioxide, then the eruption has a cooling effect. On the other hand, if more carbon dioxide is emitted than sulfur dioxide, then the eruption has a warming effect.
Global Climate Distribution
Global climate distribution is the study of how the earth’s climate has changed over time and how it varies from place to place. There is a great deal of evidence that the earth’s climate has varied considerably over its long history. Global climate distribution is determined by a variety of factors, the most important of which are precipitation patterns, sea levels, and the effects of global warming on the polar region and its ecosystems. Precipitation patterns are determined by the earth’s tilt and orbit around the sun. As the earth moves closer to the sun, there is more solar radiation and warmer temperatures, which leads to increased evaporation rates and more rainfall. Conversely, when the earth is farther from the sun, there is less solar radiation and cooler temperatures, which leads to decreased evaporation rates and less rainfall. Sea levels are determined by a number of factors, including ocean currents, tectonic activity such as earthquakes, and melting glaciers.
Climate Change as a Result of Human Activity
Some of the human activities that lead to climate change include the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, farming livestock, plastic pollution, and ocean acidification. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, are releasing large quantities of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. This gas is a potent greenhouse gas, and its presence in the atmosphere is contributing to climate change. Nitrous oxide is also very effective at trapping heat; it is about more times effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Therefore, even a small amount of this gas can have a significant impact on global warming.
Deforestation and farming livestock lead to climate change because they both release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Deforestation releases carbon dioxide, while farming livestock emits methane and nitrous oxide. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming. Deforestation happens when trees are cut down and not replaced. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen back into it. When there are fewer trees, less carbon dioxide is removed from the air, leading to an increase in greenhouse gases and global warming. Farming livestock also contributes to climate change; cows, for example, emit methane gas as part of their digestive process. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming.
Ocean acidification occurs when the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This increases the acidity of the water, making it harder for marine life to thrive. Another way human activities are causing climatic change is through plastic pollution. Plastic pollutes oceans and land, which contributes to climate change by releasing harmful greenhouse gases into the environment when heated by the sun. Plastics are even more dangerous because they take longer to decompose, around 450 years.
Past Climates
Ancient climates were probably very different from today; compared with today, the earth was warmer, which led to the absence of glaciers or ice caps. After 10 million years cooling trend started, ice polar started forming millions of years later. After another few years, large ice sheets were confirmed in the Antarctic; at the same time, the accumulation of ice and snow was spotted in the mountains. The warming started 11,700 years ago; the earth started warming, the cooling started that led to alpine glacier formation.
The northern hemisphere became cooler than the average temperature in the last sixty years. There was cold winter, large droughts, and floods during the 11th century but ended in the 14th century. The cooling increased again between the 19th and 15th centuries, and glaciers sizes increased. Warming trends again stated from the 1970s till to date, 2020 and 2016 warmth could only be compared to that which existed in 1880, and it only affected mid-latitude and Arctic continents. In the recent global perspective, a warmer climate has been experienced due to the emission of greenhouse gases. The production of these gases, especially carbon dioxide, is facilitated by human activities such as deforestation and natural events.