Target audience: 18-25 years old
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is a broad topic and it is also a complex one. Human activities have played a significant part in what we now have as a global threat. The climate around the world has been adversely affected and if nothing is done about this global phenomenon called climate change, the earth will no longer be a place for humans to survive. There are many definitions of the term climate change but according to the United Nation definition, "climate change refers to the long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns." These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. Climate change is a very complex issue because all of these activities are done to cater to global needs and satisfy our wants. Even though climate change is destroying our environment and as large firms continue their thrust to build strong economies around the world, this global phenomenon will continue to have a potential impact on the environment. There are some key climate change terms such as 'greenhouse gases, greenhouse effect, human-induced greenhouse effect, and global warming. On a positive note, both companies and governments around the world have been implementing policies and laws to reduce the effects of climate change by reducing the amount of carbon that is released into the atmosphere. Citizens are also playing a major role in the reduction of the effects of climate change by using alternative energy sources and using the mitigation strategies outlined by their governments.
Questions
1. What is climate change in your own word?
2. Do natural variations in climate contribute to climate change?
References
United Nations. (n.d.). What is climate change? United Nations. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change
YouTube. (2021). Climate Change - A Short Film [4K]. YouTube. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAa58N4Jlos&t=8s.