Climate Change

Climate change refers to the long-term variations observed in weather conditions due to the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. These variations include changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns and other aspects of the climate system. Although natural processes, such as the solar cycle or massive volcanic eruptions, can contribute to these changes, human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, have become the main driver of climate change since the 1800s. The clearing of land and forests can also lead to the release of carbon dioxide. Emissions of these gases contribute to the greenhouse effect, warming the planet at an unprecedented rate over the past 2000 years.

It’s common to think of climate change as manifesting itself primarily in higher temperatures, but this is only the visible part of the problem. Because the Earth is an interconnected system, a change in one region can have global repercussions.

Currently, the consequences of climate change include phenomena such as severe droughts, water shortages, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms, and declining biodiversity. These changes can affect our health, food production, habitat, security and employment. Some populations, particularly those living in small island states and developing countries, are already more vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Climate Change