Answer to Question #170264 in Management for Patricia

Question

Causes of climate change and it's impact on the environment

Answer 1

Some of the causes of climate change globally include:

·        Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission – GHG from human activities are the largest contributor to climate change, comprising of mainly carbon dioxide and methane. The gases absorb radiation and trap heat in the atmosphere, thus elevating the Greenhouse Effect and leading to global warming. These gases are reduced mainly from combustion processes. The main source of these emissions is burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas for energy consumption.

·        Deforestation – Trees store carbon, thus are valuable carbon sinks in the environment. When standing forests are cut down or burned, the stored carbon is potentially released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, contributing to elevated greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

·        Agricultural activities – Land use changes associated with farming, such as plowing and clearing vegetation, are contributing to the greenhouse gas emission by interfering with the carbon cycling process. Methane is produced in anaerobic decomposition, and thus livestock manure, flooded rice paddies and digestive processes in cattle favor methane production. Application of fertilizers rich in nitrogen to soil leads to nitrous oxide formation.

Impact of climate change on the environment:

·        Extreme heat – Global warming has resulted in alarming rise in temperature on the planet. As a result, there has been increased humidity, amplified pattern of heat waves, wildfires, rising sea levels and ocean temperatures as well as glacial retreat, permafrost, decline in sea ice extent and increasing rates of evaporation in the Arctic.

·        Extreme weather events – There has been extreme climate events witnessed in the recent decades due to anthropogenic climate change. Changing precipitation patterns have caused worsening droughts, flooding and landslides, Supercell Storms, increased tornados, increased tropical cyclones, heat waves and cold waves. Resultantly, extreme weather events have led to detrimental impact on farming, health risks for humans, rise in infectious diseases, famine, damage to animal habitat and manmade structures and human and animal displacement.

·        Interference with ecosystems – Climate change has led to extinction or decline of terrestrial and marine species as well as behavior change within ecosystems. Environmental changes have forced relocation of species, most immediately being coral reefs, the Arctic and mountains. Ocean acidification arising from extreme CO2 uptake in sea water has resulted in coral bleaching, threat to ocean life, loss of aqua-life due to depressing metabolic rates and displacement of marine life to colder ocean waters. Climate change has resulted in reduction of fresh water supply due to depletion of fresh water sources, pollution of water sources arising mostly from industrialization activities and eutrophication.