Global Warming: Who, What, When, Where, Why

Key Points

Global warming refers to the long-term rise in our planet’s temperature.
Every human, animal, plant, and element of this planet has a natural tendency to thrive and survive in a specific temperature range.
Global temperatures have risen around 0.18 degrees Celsius, or 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit, per decade in the last 40 years.
Businesses can do a lot from their end to combat global warming, like measuring their greenhouse gas emissions, offsetting their carbon emissions, and optimizing their supply chains.

What is Global Warming?

Global warming refers to the long-term rise in our planet’s temperature. The year 1880 saw the accurate and in-depth record-keeping of the planet’s temperature. Till 1980, the record showed that the planet’s temperature was rising around 0.07 degrees Celsius (0.13 degrees Fahrenheit) every 10 years. Unfortunately, this number has nearly doubled, and in the last 40 years, global temperatures have risen around 0.18 degrees Celsius, or 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit, per decade.

Every human, animal, plant, and element of this planet has a natural tendency to thrive and survive in a specific temperature range. This is why even a point increase in global temperatures can be hurtful and catastrophic to the inhabitants of the Earth. There have been a lot of studies on what causes the rise in temperatures, its effects, and what can be done to combat it. Unfortunately, we have become extremely set in our ways, and making intelligent choices for the sake of our planet comes as a later thought. However, there is still hope. Taking efficient individual, societal, and country-wise steps and initiatives may help our planet maintain its integrity.

Global Temperature | Vital Signs – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet (nasa.gov)

Causes of Global Warming

Since the Industrial Revolution, our human race has introduced innumerable inventions that have improved our being on this planet. But everything comes at a cost, and in this scenario, the cost is cutting trees to clear the land and burning fossil fuels for power generation. We explain both of these points in detail:

Deforestation

Deforestation is a term used to describe the cutting of trees for clearing land. With the increase in the global population rate, there is a need for more land for habitation, which results in the cutting down trees that are part of an intricate ecosystem. Trees and plants play the most crucial role in absorbing the carbon dioxide from the air produced by humans and releasing oxygen back into it. With fewer trees, the amount of carbon dioxide is rising. This sets in motion a cascade of events, and in the end, the sunlight which should be leaving the planet fails to do so, ultimately increasing the planet’s temperature.

Power Generation

We turned to fossil fuels for power generation as part of our civilization. To this day, we use natural gas, petroleum, and coal to generate energy that powers our industries. Over the years, renewable energy sources have been discovered, but they are less widely used than anticipated. Once we run out of natural fossil fuels, the whole world will need to utilize renewable resources.

In addition to deforestation and power generation, excessive production and consumption of products contribute the most to global warming.

Effects of Global Warming

Following are a few of the most apparent effects of global warming in the world today:

Severe Weathers

An increase in temperatures causes severe weather around the globe. Storms, tornados, floods, and droughts become more common and catastrophic. These natural disasters cannot be averted in most cases. They cause population displacements, deaths, and destruction of property and cattle. Because of the perfect weather, the lands that once grew vegetables and fruits refuse to grow anything. All because of global warming.

Loss of Animal and Plant Species

Animal and plant species are lost due to a broken ecosystem. The natural ecosystem is intricate and depends on the accuracy and timely working of many elements. If even one of the elements is disturbed or disrupted for a longer time, there are bound to be cracks in the system. Today, 44,000 animal and plant species are endangered worldwide.

Increased Health Risks

Global warming has a very big effect on our day-to-day lives and, consequently, our health. Changing temperatures are giving germs and pathogens new and better places to grow and expand, bad air quality is a source of various lung diseases,

FAQ

Is Global Warming and Climate Change the Same?

No, climate change results from global warming, so they are different but connected terms. Global warming is the rise in our planet’s temperature, whereas climate change is the sudden or gradual change in natural climate over time due to the increased temperature. Unless the global rise in temperatures is curbed, climate change will become even more catastrophic and unbearable. If we want future generations to call our planet their planet, we must take swift action.

Can Global Warming Be Reversed?

Yes, but the reversing of the havoc caused by humans on the global temperatures may exceed our normal age range. Simply put, even if we start making the necessary sustainable changes today and keep at it religiously, our future generations may be able to see a reverse action in global warming. This is because sustainability takes time. The natural balance has been hit too deeply by our actions, and it will take more than just our efforts and time to return to its normal state.

What Can Businesses Do to Combat Global Warming?

Businesses can do a lot from their end to combat global warming, like measuring their greenhouse gas emissions, offsetting their carbon emissions, and optimizing their supply chains. Fortunately, Clima helps businesses do exactly that. We also offer creative customer engagement tools that make it easy to show customers and team members your commitment to climate change.

Conclusion

Global Warming is the long-term rise in temperature. Every human, animal, plant, and element of this planet has a natural tendency to thrive and survive in a specific temperature range; therefore, changes in the temperature can be catastrophic. Taking efficient individual, societal, and country-wise steps and initiatives may help our planet maintain its integrity.