Why does global warming affect everyone? And can it be stopped?

Is warmth bad?

In 30 years, the temperature in European capitals could rise by about 3 degrees, according to a study by the Crowther Lab in Switzerland. This means that the climate of Berlin will be comparable to that of Detroit in the United States, and the climate of Helsinki to that of Sofia in Bulgaria. It sounds tempting  —  Scandinavians are tired of winter, and the cool summers too. But in reality, it is a disaster.

From 1880 to 2012, the average temperature on Earth increased by 0.85 °C. The temperature of the world’s oceans has become higher, and eternal snow and ice are melting. Industrial emissions, in addition to heating the atmosphere, are harmful to human health. Extreme natural phenomena  —  droughts, floods, hurricanes, and fires  —  are occurring more and more often. They lead to the destruction of infrastructure, hunger, and a shortage of clean water.

The habitat of wild animals is changing  —  the melting ice in the Himalayas has reduced the population of snow leopards, and rising ocean temperatures are killing corals, and then the living organisms that feed on them. A million species of animals and plants are now at risk of extinction. Entire glaciers are disappearing  —  in August 2019, the Okjokull glacier was officially buried in Iceland. In the next few decades, there may be almost no ice cover left in the Arctic.

The Arctic and Antarctic are very far away. Does this concern me?

The North and South Poles of the Earth are of great importance to the planet’s climate and are especially vulnerable to global warming. Due to the fact that temperatures are gradually rising, the ice of the Arctic and Antarctic is melting. Because of this, the sea level rose by 19 cm from 1901 to 2010. In 2019, 90% of the Greenland ice sheet began to melt. According to a study published in the scientific journal PNAS, if the Greenland ice sheet continues to shrink at the same rate as now, the world ocean level will rise by 48–160 centimeters in 200 years. This will lead to frequent floods and hurricanes, and the population of coastal areas and island states will begin to migrate to regions with a more stable climate.

What causes global warming?

The main cause of global warming is human activity. People burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), resulting in gases being emitted into the atmosphere  —  carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, and fluorinated gases. They lead to the greenhouse effect because they are able to absorb a lot of solar heat. Carbon dioxide accounts for 64% of anthropogenic causes of global warming. Its concentration in the atmosphere is now 40% higher than in the pre-industrial era.

Forests regulate the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide, but this effect is minimized due to deforestation. From 1980 to 2000, 100 million hectares of tropical forests were destroyed for the construction of cities, grazing cattle, plantations, and fields. More than half of the growth in global agricultural production was achieved due to deforestation.

Agriculture is one of the main causes of methane and nitrogen oxide emissions: cows and sheep release methane during digestion, and the increase in the concentration of nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere occurs due to the use of many fertilizers.

Why is everyone suddenly concerned about the problem of global warming?

The scientific community has been talking about global warming for a very, very long time. But it was only in 2015 that representatives of 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement, which requires keeping global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. According to scientists, this is the only way to prevent a climate catastrophe.

However, at the end of 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a report stating that addressing climate change issues cannot be postponed. The main conclusion is that irreparable damage to the planet could be caused by 2030. The participants in the Paris Agreement promised to keep the atmosphere from warming by more than 2°C by 2100, but humanity is now moving towards 3°C. According to experts, people have reached a critical point in their influence on the planet, so immediate global changes are needed in all areas of society.

Is it really possible to stop global warming?

Global warming can be stopped, but it will cost a lot of money and will require political will. According to the IPCC, it is not enough to simply reduce emissions into the atmosphere  —  they must be stopped. This will require a complete cessation of fossil fuel combustion, a rethinking of land use, agriculture, and urban planning. A way will have to be found to extract excess greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This means that the global economy must be transferred to fundamentally new operating mechanisms. So far, government leaders are not ready to take such measures because, firstly, citizens and voters will have to be convinced of the need for change, and secondly, reforming the energy system will require $2.4 trillion annually for 20 years.

What if the Earth’s temperature continues to rise?

A temperature increase of just 2°C will lead to frequent storms and floods in many areas, especially coastal areas. Droughts will become common in warm regions. The world’s oceans will become more acidic  —  corals and many species of marine animals simply cannot exist in such conditions. Food chains will begin to collapse. This is a tragedy not only for wildlife, but also for humans, for more than half a billion people, the fish that live among and feed on coral reefs are the main source of protein.

The melting of the Arctic ice will mean not only the destruction of the polar bears’ habitat, but also an even higher rate of global warming: the Arctic, as the planet’s main “refrigerator”, will no longer be able to cool the Earth.

If global warming reaches 3°C, there will be a catastrophic melting of the ice of Greenland and Antarctica. The level of the World Ocean will rise sharply, and coastal areas and countries will be under water. Many species of plants and animals will cease to exist, and mass migration of people will begin.

Can I personally somehow influence the situation?

To at least slightly slow down the rate of global warming, each of us should start with ourselves. Sort garbage  —  recycling reduces the area of ​​landfills that emit methane into the atmosphere. Save water and electricity. Try to drive less if possible and more on environmentally friendly transport — bicycles or electric buses.

The food industry is the source of 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions, and livestock — 15%. So if you are seriously concerned about the state of the planet, try to eat less meat, cheese, butter, and drink less milk.

illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.