For our first post, we decided to present to you the state of the Earth. We have broken down this vast subject into three clear sections: climate change and its effects on a short and long term, how humans are impacting it and finally, what we all need to do individually and as a collective to stop this crisis.
What is climate change?
Climate change combines two different categories: global warming, caused by mankind and the natural variation between colder and warmer climates, which always existed from the creation of our planet.
How are we impacting it?
Nature is perfectly balanced: indeed, species have evolved for centuries, depending on the temperature, their habitat and their predators which is why there is such a vast biodiversity. However, this ecosystem is extremely fragile and this is where we come in. The sole reason there is a problem is because of our actions. We are considerably accelerating the natural process of heating up our planet through our enormous emission of greenhouse gases. These gases provoke two main problems. First of all, they are partially absorbed by the ocean, which leads to its acidification, disrupting and destabilising entire ecosystems. Secondly, they stop natural sunlight from bouncing off the surface of the earth, which instead is trapped in the atmosphere and heats it up, consequently increasing the temperature. Global warming is, of course, a gradual process, but as we constantly increase our emissions, it will continue to warm the earth up.
What are its short and long term effects?
Global warming will have an immense impact on our lives and on all of biodiversity. Wildlife for instance, is not able to cope with the speed of the rapidly changing climate. In other words, the less resistant and mobile species are not able to sustain their populations. As a result, the whole food-chain suffers from this.
Nevertheless, we are also going to suffer from global warming’s consequences. On a shorter scheme, the next decade will prove to be decisive. The Arctic (in the Northern part of our planet) will become ice-free in summer, and the rise of sea-levels will submerge many cities such as Venice but also Central London, Paris and Manhattan.
Unfortunately, if nothing is done, the effects will just get worse: by 2050, all coral reefs will die, due to the acidification of sea-waters. This will guide to a mass extinction of marine wildlife – from the simple salmon or tuna to strange and fascinating exotic species.
Finally, by 2100, due to the intense heat and lack of resources, a third of the globe will become uninhabitable. The populations living in these regions will become climate refugees: millions of people will be homeless.
What we all need to do individually and as a collective to stop this crisis?
There are many problems in this world. They are all different in their causes and consequences yet they all share one thing, their solution. These problems can all be solved only if we work together. In this case, if we all make a few key changes individually and are willing to sacrifice a little to benefit many others, then we will be able to stop this crisis. There is still hope but we must stop thinking about ourselves. If we don’t, there will be no way back.
In a nutshell, climate change can cause significant aftermath for future generations: the future of the Earth is now in our hands. Through our blog posts, we will be posting regular content to help you save our planet.
Written in March 2021 ©️Your Green Footprint