By Asitha Jayawardena

The article What are the causes of climate change? Why scientists say humans are to blame was published in The USA Today. Battling the climate crisis, we should know for sure what are the causes of climate change.

This article looked like my piece In COP27? Let us reflect on the causes of climate change that appeared in Tired Earth on 19 November 2022.

Let us look at them.

Why climate change and who is responsible

The USA Today mentions that the continuous rising of air, water and ocean temperatures globally due to climate change has opened the way to a climate crisis that we are all undergoing now. But why is climate change happening now and who is responsible?

Climate change is happening now because of the rising concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. They will cause what is called the Greenhouse Effect.

Who is responsible? Primarily human beings. Manufacturing, mining and cutting down forests are given as the causes and there are many more. The El Niño Southern Oscillation as well as volcanic eruptions are given as the natural causes. 

How to stop climate change? Remove greenhouse gas emissions from the air through natural and mechanical means.

The causes of climate change: My story

In my article published in Tired Earth, at the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt (COP27), in November 2022, I looked at it this way.

First, I look at the energy budget on Earth. In nutshell, solar energy travels to the Earth easily and is absorbed by Earth’s surface and other objects. Then they radiate heat energy, which is absorbed by the greenhouse gases, preventing it from leaving the Earth.

Secondly, the Greenhouse Effect is looked at. The greenhouse gases absorbing energy as heat is called the Greenhouse Effect. It mirrors the plants grown inside a greenhouse in winter. Moreover, climate change is happening now because of the rising concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane or CH4, nitrous oxide or N2O and chlorofluorocarbons CFCs, including Ozone.

Thirdly, whether we need the Greenhouse Effect to be investigated. The Greenhouse Effect is essential to maintain our planet at a suitable temperature for life. Without that, all solar radiation coming to the Earth will exit the planet, leaving the surface temperature of the Earth as low as -20C. So, greenhouse gases are necessary but the rise of the level of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is too much to cope with. And the intensity of these gases is increasing.

Finally, when looking at whether the sun is responsible, it is not. It is not the cause of the ongoing climate crisis but the activities of human beings should change to keep the 1.5C global temperature level alive, not 2C.

We as human beings should change

In The USA Today or Tired Earth, one thing is clear. That we have to change as human beings to avert the climate crisis. There is no other way.

More…

What are the causes of climate change? Why scientists say humans are to blame. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/01/14/climate-change-causes-explained/10810663002/

In COP27? Let us reflect on the causes of climate change https://tiredearth.com/articles/467