Climate change is a reality. It’s happening right now and will worsen in the coming years. If you want to ensure your business is ready for this future, you must be aware of climate change facts. This post will explore climate change, why it’s happening, and what businesses can do to prepare for it. This information will help you make informed decisions about better managing your company’s future in this changing environment.
What is climate change?
Climate change results from natural, human-caused fluctuations in the Earth’s atmosphere and surface. The name refers to the fact that global temperatures have risen since the mid-20th century, which is expected to continue. Rising temperatures cause physical changes in Earth’s climate system, contributing to increased frequency and severity of weather phenomena such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and temperature extremes.
The most important driver of climate change is the release of greenhouse gases (GHG) from human activities, including burning fossil fuels and land use change. These GHG emissions trap energy from the sun in Earth’s atmosphere. Over time, this trapped energy has caused Earth’s average surface temperature to increase by about 1°F (0.6°C).
In 2013 President Obama announced a historic effort to reduce U.S. emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025 – a target known as the Clean Power Plan (CPP). Other countries have made similar commitments aimed at slowing or reversing climate change. But despite these efforts, significant GHG emissions continue to be released into the atmosphere daily, raising global temperatures even more.
The Causes of Climate Change
Climate change is a global problem that is caused by human activity. Human-caused climate change makes the Earth warmer than it would be otherwise. The leading cause of this warming is the release of greenhouse gases from factories, automobiles, and farms. These gases trap sunlight in the atmosphere, causing Earth to heat up.
The Earth has experienced climate change throughout its history. However, the rate of climate change we are experiencing now is unprecedented in terms of magnitude and speed. Scientists have observed increases in temperature and weather patterns all around the world that are consistent with a changing climate.
Scientists need to determine the future of the Earth’s climate. Still, they do know that if we don’t take action to reduce our emissions now, we will continue to see more extreme weather events, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels – all of which will impact people worldwide.
What are the Effects of Climate Change?
Climate change is the gradual increase in global temperatures we’ve seen over the past hundred years. This increase is primarily the result of human activity, like burning fossil fuels.
The effects of climate change are already being felt around the world. For example, more intense and frequent storms, droughts, and wildfires exist. Climate change also makes it harder for us to protect our environment because it causes sea levels to rise, harms coastal communities, and increases the spread of diseases like Lyme disease.
What can we do to address climate change? The most important thing we can do is reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We can also support solar energy and wind power, improve energy efficiency, and ensure companies aren’t releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Impact
There are several ways you can reduce your environmental impact. Some simple tips include using public transportation, conserving energy, and recycling. Here are some more detailed directions:
- Use public transportation: Taking the bus or train instead of driving your car can save you a lot of gas and conserve energy. Plus, it’s good for the environment since buses and trains produce less pollution than cars.
- Conservate energy: When you’re not using the air conditioning or heating, turn them off as much as possible. This will help to save energy and protect the environment.
- Recycle: Newspapers, cans, bottles, etc., can all be recycled to help reduce the amount of garbage going into landfills. All it takes is a little effort on your part!
Conclusion
We all need to be aware of climate change, and it’s one that we will have to deal with in the coming years. Whether you live in a city or on a small farm, climate change affects you and your environment. Educating yourself about what climate change is and how it affects us is essential so that you can make informed decisions about how we can address the problem.