Climate Change
“Climate change is the single greatest threat to a sustainable future but, at the same time, addressing the climate challenge presents a golden opportunity to promote prosperity, security and a brighter future for all.”
Definition: Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global weather patterns, primarily caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. High levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase the “greenhouse effect”, causing noticeably higher global temperatures. In fact, the past few years have each been the hottest years on record, and it’s only getting hotter.
But skeptics worldwide still doubt that climate change is real. Their arguments?
Natural cycles - Some skeptics argue that global warming is part of a natural cycle and not caused by human activity. But in fact, the rate of change is much faster than has been recorded throughout history, with recent warming occurring “about 10 times faster than warming at the end of an ice age.” (source).
Weather vs. Climate - Skeptics might point to a cold winter as evidence against global warming, but this is due to confusing short-term weather events with long-term climate trends. Weather =/= Climate.
Data Issues - some skeptics express doubt about the accuracy of climate data or the methodologies used in climate science. For a trusted source of data, follow recognized organizations like the United Nations IPCC — Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and UNFCCC.
Climate change is one of, if not the most important challenge facing our world today, with unprecedented environmental changes that have widespread social and economic impacts of our societies.
Although the longer summers and unbearable heatwaves are a very obvious symptom of climate change, it’s not just about heat. Even with higher average global temperatures, some places are experiencing colder temperatures and unexpected cold fronts. Seasons are shifting and precipitation patterns are off, with unexpected flooding and prolonged droughts.
And humans are not the only ones affected by this. Entire ecosystems are struggling to adjust to these climatic changes: coral reefs are experiencing major bleaching events, and some animals are expanding their range while others are even more restricted than before.
Because everything on Earth is connected, from the land to the oceans to the atmosphere, and all the living things in between, whatever affects one component of this system affects them all.
