The Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change Essay Example for Free

The Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change Essay To begin with, climate change is a tangible problem and its existence can no longer be denied. It would be self-deception to believe that humans had nothing to do with it. Human activities along with natural influences continuously alter the climate of the Earth. However, the fact that near-surface temperature has rapidly increased on the global scale in the past few decades can hardly be accounted for by natural processes. In reality global warming is to a great extent caused by human activity, which has been proven by extensive scientific research (UN Environment Program). By burning coal, natural gas and oil, introducing harmful agricultural practices and destroying forests people make a significant negative impact on the state of the atmosphere, altering its composition irreparably. Reckless and irrational human activities caused the increase in the concentration of the so-called greenhouse gases, such as methane, carbon dioxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere (AGU Statement). Nowadays, the humanity fully depends on the energy provided by fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal. This energy feeds the industries, the transportation, generates electricity. However, obsequious use of fossil fuel leads to substantial emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Agricultural needs condition changes in the landscape, deforestation, which in its turn leads to more carbon dioxide being emitted, as dead vegetation is never replaced by new growth that would counteract the emission. Currently deforestation is mostly characteristic of the tropical regions whereas re-growth in the northern hemisphere decreases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (UN Environment Program). There is reliable evidence of the fact that carbon dioxide buildup is due to human influences. Naturally emitted carbon dioxide differs in the nuclei structure from that produced by burning natural gas, oil and coal. Moreover, non-radioactive carbon dioxide emitted as a result of burning fossil fuels dilutes radioactive carbon dioxide naturally present in the atmosphere. Scientific research clearly shows that total carbon dioxide emission has increased steadily each year and is in direct relation with the human activities. The fact that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is greater in the Northern hemisphere can serve as evidence of it being human-induced, as most of the activities involving carbon dioxide emission are conducted in the Northern hemisphere. The fact that a certain amount of carbon dioxide has been added into the atmosphere every year has led to its present concentration, which exceeds pre-industrial level by 30% (AGU Climate Change Position). Besides carbon dioxide, human activities lead to the emission of another greenhouse gas – methane. Its emission results from cattle ranching, rice cultivation and decay in the landfills. An alarming 145% increase of methane content in the atmosphere was caused by human activities. The emission of chlorofluorocarbons used to be triggered by air conditioning and refrigeration, but since it was proved that these gases deplete the ozone layer of the stratosphere, their usage was nearly eliminated. Industrial and agricultural activities lead to the production of nitrous oxide, the concentration of which is currently 15% over the norm. Tropospheric ozone, formed naturally as a reaction to the greenhouse gas emissions, enhances the greenhouse effect dramatically (BBC News). The abovementioned human activities are extremely detrimental to the atmosphere as they create a multitude of tiny airborne particles, which change the energy absorbing and reflecting properties of the atmosphere. Unfortunately, according to the scientific research the increased concentration of carbon dioxide is likely to stay in the atmosphere for many years or even centuries.   Human-induced climate change is reality and the predictions of the scientists are such that it will produce a substantial impact on the climate system, being reflected in the melting of polar ice, changing of the sea levels as well as drought patterns (UN Environment Program). Anthropogenic interference seems to have reached unprecedented extent in the past few decades. According to AGU, the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere enhanced by negative influence of other human activities presents serious grounds for concern (AGU Statement). The positive tendency nowadays is such that climate scientists possess deeper knowledge of the climate system, which allows to take more effective climate policy decisions.   Profound climate research, objective observations, improved modeling and computation have led to tangible progress in addressing the problem of climate change. The communication of scientific discoveries to organizations authorized to make decisions regarding climate change and their wise implementation are sure to decrease the adverse effects of human-induced disaster. In conclusion, there’s no denying the fact that climate change is largely due to human influences. The following human activities have contributed greatly to the alternation of the climate: air pollution, usage of fossil fuels and land alteration. However, now that the problem is obvious and so is its detrimental effect on the humanity, various measures are taken in order to decrease negative impact produced on nature and alleviate its harmful consequences. It is within the human powers to mitigate the climate change effects by cutting emissions of greenhouse gases, introducing rational land management and environmentally friendly technology. Works Cited How Do We Know that the Atmospheric Build-up of Greenhouse Gases Is Due to Human Activity? Common Questions about Climate Change. United Nations Environment Program World Meteorological Organization, 1997 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/05.html Human Impacts on Climate. Adopted by Council December, 2003 http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climate_change_position.html Statement supporting AGU statement on human-induced climate change, American Astronomical Society, 2004 http://www.aas.org/governance/council/resolutions.php#climate Warming â€Å"very likely† human made. BBC News, BBC, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6321351.stm What Human Activities Contribute to Climate Change? Common Questions about Climate Change. United Nations Environment Program World Meteorological Organization, 1997 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/04.html