How humans are creating climate change

By Muqbil Ahmar, Tech Evangelist & Environmentalist

According to a massive report by the US government, it’s ‘extremely likely’ that human-induced activities are a ‘dominant cause’ behind climate change and global warming. This is the most comprehensive study done till date by climate scientists and US government researchers. The report points out that the last 115 years have been ‘the warmest in the history of modern civilization.’ Global temperatures have spiked by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit over this period. Greenhouse gases, emissions from industry as well as agriculture are the biggest contributors to global warming.

US President Donald Trump as well as his Cabinet members have been openly questioning the role that human beings have played in climate change. Their claims fall flat in view of the comprehensive report. In June 2017, Trump announced he will pull the USA out of Paris Climate Accord 2015. He argues Paris treaty puts the USA at disadvantage with respect to other countries. There has been growing opposition against Trump.

US study says global warming set to intensify

The 600-page Climate Science Special Report is part of a larger scientific review known as the fourth National Climate Assessment. The NCA4 is the most comprehensive climate science assessment. Authors include experts from prominent scientific agencies such as the NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as the Department of Energy, along with other academics and scientists.

The study says global warming will continue. Without big reductions in emissions, the increase in average global temperature may reach 9 degrees Fahrenheit with respect to pre-industrial times. It also says that reduction in emissions would slow warming.

Drastic increase in sea levels leading to coastal flooding: Report

The study is needed by an act of Congress. The previous one was published in 2014. According to experts, the report this year has delved deeper into warming, particularly extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes and wildfires. The report notes hiked temperature has contributed to rise in forest fires in West America and that the wildfires will keep intensifying in the future. Sea levels will also continue to rise. The study says sea levels have risen 7 to 8 inches since the year 1900, and 3 inches since 1993. It says heavy rainfall is increasing in frequency and intensity across the USA, particularly in the Northeast, and that is expected to keep increasing.

Climate change and global warming cost USA $350 billion: GAO report

According to another recent report by the US government, the government spent $350 billion for disaster relief. Hurricanes, wildfires, and floods are creating havoc. Extreme weather is costing America billions of dollars every year. The Government Accountability Office study has not included the damage caused by hurricanes and wildfires this year.

Massive increase in carbon dioxide or CO2 levels in atmosphere: United Nations

The findings are also corroborated by a recent report from the United Nations, which says that carbon dioxide or CO2 is at record level in the atmosphere and is increasing at an unprecedented speed. It is at a level not breached since millions of years. The report says that such drastic increase may lead to enhanced global warming and subsequently a dangerous rise in sea levels.

This could lead to increase of three degrees to global average temperature, UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has, in its report, said. The result could be high levels of global warming. It also says that CO2 level is increasing faster than ever before; in 2016, it rose by 50 percent over the average for the last decade. This never happened in history. The increase is 100 times faster than the time when the earth was emerging from the ice age.

First published on greenubuntu.com

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/linkedin-top-voices-2017-india-nirajita-banerjee-1

Author Bio: Founder of greenubuntu.com. I am an environmentalist, women's rights advocate, writer, editor, columnist, technology evangelist, blogger, film critic, theater activist, and journalist. However, I am just a storyteller at heart. My canvas is wide, including social issues, startups, SMEs, tech, environment, economy, and arts and culture. Please visit my blogs https://muqbilahmarwordpress.wordpress.com/ as well as https://muqbilahmar.blogspot.in/. Feel free to connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn as well as Facebook. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. :)?