Causes and Effects of Climate Change

Causes of Climate Change

Primarily driven by human activities, specifically the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, resulting in a substantial increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), trap heat from the sun, preventing its escape back into space - a phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect.
Other contributors include deforestation and the clearance of land for agriculture, which reduces the Earth’s capacity to absorb CO2, thereby causing a rise in atmospheric carbon levels.
Natural factors like volcanic eruptions, changes in solar radiation and variations in the Earth’s orbit also play a role in climate change, but their contributions are currently overshadowed by human activities.

Effects of Climate Change on Ecological Systems

Climate change can drastically alter and destruct habitats for various species, leading to significant shifts in biodiversity patterns.
Changes can compel species to adapt, relocate, or face extinction depending on the severity of altering conditions and the species’ adaptability.
Phenomena like ocean acidification, induced by the absorption of excess CO2, can have particularly destructive impacts on marine ecosystems, endangering coral reefs and other marine lifeforms.
Climate change can adversely impact intricate ecological interactions such as pollination, predation, and competition.

Effects of Climate Change on Human Society

The consequences on human health are significant, with climate change expected to exacerbate threats from heatwaves, forest fires, and episodes of extreme weather.
Changes can shift disease vectors, promoting the spread of vector-borne illnesses such as malaria and dengue.
Crucial areas like agriculture and food security are also at risk from alterations in rainfall patterns, increases in pest and disease prevalence, and reductions in crop yields.
Climate refugees will become increasingly common as regions become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels or intense drought and heat.

Effect of Climate Change on Evolution

Climate change can be a potent driver of evolution, modifying the environments that species must adapt to.
Rapid climate change can instigate mass extinctions since not all species are capable of adapting or migrating quickly enough.
Species might evolve qualities that enable them to tolerate altered conditions, exhibiting the principle of natural selection encapsulated within Darwin’s theory of evolution.