What is Climate Change?
Many are familiar with the terms “Climate Change” and “Global Warming”. Whether it’s advocates pursuing greener initiatives to fight climate change or those resistant to the idea that our planetary environment is changing, Climate Change is happening and it’s important for us understanding what it is, how it’s going to affect our way of living, and what steps we can take to stop further damage to the place we call home.
What is Climate Change?
NASA’s definition of climate change is “a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional & global climates”. Unlike the weather, which we measure over short periods (day to day, week to week), climate change is measured over years & decades. When I was growing up, it was very evident when the seasons changed in the Northeastern part of the U.S. You knew that as soon September hit, fall was setting in with the changing of the leaves & cooler temperatures, and would last until December when winter would come. Now, the summer stretches into what should be fall, with more sporadic & dramatic swings in temperatures happening on a consistent basis keeping everyone on their toes. In short, climate change isn’t something we notice in our daily lives but rather something we wake up to one day in the future asking what the hell happened?
A few climate data records that provide evidence of climate change key indicators are:
Global land and ocean temperature increases
Rising sea levels
Ice loss at Earth’s poles and in mountain glaciers
Frequency and severity changes in extreme weather such as hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, floods and precipitation
Cloud and vegetation cover changes
How does it differ from Global Warming?
Commonly confused with Climate Change, Global Warming is the measurement of the long-term heating of the Earth’s climate system. Global Warming measurements go back to the pre-industrial period when scientists began tracking the average increase in the Earth’s global surface temperature due to human activities. What drives up the temperature of the Earth is increased levels of CO2. There are a lot of things that emit CO2, but some are more severe than others, like fossil fuel burning.
Here is a graph of Global Warming from NASA since 1880:
What impact will Climate Change have on our daily lives?
If you haven’t experienced it already, Climate Change will continue to bring major disruptions to our lives. In some areas across the globe, there has been an unprecedented number of natural disasters that are of greater magnitude than before. Places across the globe will eventually become unlivable due to major droughts or flooding. The people living in those areas will need somewhere to go, so we can expect to see mass migrations happening across all continents. Our food system will eventually be in danger if we are unable to grow crops. This is all likely to happen if we continue on the path we’re on with the high levels of CO2 emissions.
Why should we care?
Many climate change advocates would say you should care for future generations that will inherit this earth. Others would say you should care about how this will impact your own life & way of living. I agree with booth stances. I love this beautiful earth & all that live on it. In the same way that we should take care of our health & wellbeing, we need to do the same for our planet. We shouldn’t rely on technology to be our saving grace. We, collectively, can change our trajectory by making mindful changes in our daily lives to be more eco-conscious, volunteer for environmental non-profits, and participate in local elections to vote in candidates that want to put forth green initiatives.
