According to scientists, the year 2005 was the hottest year recorded since data on temperature started being collected in the late 19th century. This is a direct consequence of climate change. The definition of climate change is variations in regional weather patterns or global climate over a period of time. Climate change includes changes in temperature, wind patterns and precipitation. Our climate is changing because of global warming.
The main causes of global warming are destruction of forests, increase in transportation vehicles, industrial development and human activities. Destruction of forests through the burning of the forests and illegal cutting of trees is one of the most known reasons of climate change. People cut trees for basic necessities such as paper, furniture and timber for building materials. This cause of climate change can mostly be seen in the Asia Pacific region. In Indonesia, smoke from fires started for land-clearing in South Kalimantan (Borneo) and Sumatra are causing pollution levels to climb, not only in their country, but also in neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, thus resulting in mounting haze-related health problems, traffic accidents, and associated economic costs.
Industrial development plays a part as well. Industries and modern factories release gases in large amounts which enter the atmosphere and stay there. This can cause the thinning of the ozone layer which then allows the penetration of ultraviolet (UV) rays and heats up the ocean. The release of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) creates a blanket around the earth which causes what is known as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect occurs when heat gets trapped and cannot escape through the atmosphere. Result? Temperatures all over the world soar sky-high.
It is the sad truth that human activities are affecting the climate in a most negative way. There is a broad and overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is occurring rapidly, caused in large part by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, and if left unchecked will produce disastrous consequences. Most humans live in a throw-away culture, something that may seem irrelevant when in actual fact it is not. We use disposable objects like plates and cups instead of using something that is reusable. This problem can be overcome by using a simple method: recycle. We can recycle paper, plastic and glass instead of just throwing it away, because do bear in mind that recycling is a form of reusing.
Another factor of climate change is pollution. Pollution is also caused by human doings. Air pollution is mainly caused by the huge and ever-growing number of vehicles today. The emission by vehicles releases carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. As the vehicular traffic increases, the temperature will continue to rise and as that rises there will be an increase in sea-surface temperature. Hurricanes and typhoons have doubled over the past 30 years and this is due to the rise in sea-surface temperature. Today, climates are changing all over the world from Hawaii to Taiwan and from Houston to China.
Climate change is a threat to mankind. Deaths from global warming will double in 25 years to 300,000 people a year and in 20 years, the Earth’s temperature will increase by 3°C. We can make a difference if we try and work together as one. Remember, your contribution to help reduce climate change may be small but will make a big difference to the world.