Anna Posyniak‑Dutka Climate Change Is as Real as You and Me

Climate is a complex phenomenoncomplex phenomenoncomplex phenomenon but at the same time its elements can be easily described with the use of laws of physicslaws of physics [law of physics]laws of physics. Climate is not the same as weather, but they are strictly connected. Climate is a weather pattern observed over a long period of time in a given place. We know that climate changes and this is a natural process. However, since the end of the 1800s, apart from naturally occurringnaturally occurringnaturally occurring alternations in climate, we have been observing rapid changes which, we know it for sure now, are of anthropogenic originof anthropogenic originof anthropogenic origin.

We used to hear a lot about global warmingglobal warmingglobal warming, that is the increase in global temperatures. These days, we more often discuss climate change. Does it mean that the processes on the Earth have changed? Not quite. Primarily, our knowledge and understanding of the processes we’ve been observing are broader.  We know now that apart from the growing temperature resulting mostly from fossil fuels burningfossil fuels burningfossil fuels burning, the precipitationprecipitationprecipitation and wind patterns are also changing. As a result of that, the Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s and we more and more often witness numerous instances of extreme weather phenomenaextreme weather phenomena [extreme weather phenomenon]extreme weather phenomena in the parts of the world they have never been seen before. Climate change is a much more complex issue than just global warming.

Scientists have proven that concentrations of greenhouse gasesgreenhouse gases [greenhouse gas]greenhouse gases are at the highest levels in 2 million years. Carbon dioxidecarbon dioxideCarbon dioxide, methane,methanemethane, nitrous oxidenitrous oxidenitrous oxide, and water vapourwater vapourwater vapour are emitted into the atmosphere as a result of many natural and man‑caused processesman‑caused processes [man‑caused process]man‑caused processes. Since human activity increased significantly as a result of industrialisationindustrialisationindustrialisation, the emissions we observe currently have unprecedented valuesunprecedented values [unprecedented value]unprecedented values. Greenhouse gases concentrate in the atmosphere and create a barrier which traps heat from the sun and does not allow it to escape back into space.  This leads to abnormal warming of the planet. Since all systems on the Earth are interconnected, this triggerstriggers [trigger] (verb)triggers a lot of changes in many areas of life.

Then it’s a domino effectdomino effectdomino effect. Global warming changes rain patterns. This results in intense droughtsintense droughts [intense drought]intense droughts, water scarcitywater scarcitywater scarcity, wildfireswildfires [wildfire]wildfires, and rising sea levelsrising sea levels [rising sea level]rising sea levels, and on the other one, in floodingfloodingflooding, melting polar icemelting polar icemelting polar ice, catastrophic stormscatastrophic storms [catastrophic storm]catastrophic storms and declining biodiversitydeclining biodiversitydeclining biodiversity. The Earth is gradually losing its delicate state of equilibriumdelicate state of equilibriumdelicate state of equilibrium. There will be too much or too little of water. And we must remember that we are not talking about some remote futureremote futureremote future, it’s already happening. Flash floodsflash floods [flash flood]Flash floods happen in most major cities whose rain drain systemsrain drain systems [rain drain system]rain drain systems are not prepared to deal with such great amounts of rain falling in such short periods of time. On the flip side, regions such as Syberia, west coast of North America, or Australia experience wildfireswildfires [wildfire]wildfires which devastate both the natural environment and human householdshouseholds [household]households.

The International Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC for short,  is a UN body consisting of scientists of various specialisations who focus on perusingperusing [peruse]perusing all most current research published all around the world. They gather and study the findings from a great variety of sources and every couple of years publish an official report which outlines the combined knowledge on the subject as well as practical advice to be used by governments. The most recent one comes from 2022 and the vision it presents is bleakbleakbleak. The message that it conveys is clear - we are approaching the point of no returnpoint of no returnpoint of no return. If we are to do anything, it’s now or never. We have to cut our use of fossil fuels to the bonecut our use of fossil fuels to the bone [cut something to the bone]cut our use of fossil fuels to the bone, and turn to renewable energy sources immediately, or the changes we trigger will be irreversibleirreversibleirreversible and catastrophic.

1 Źródło: Anna Posyniak‑Dutka, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.