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Essay on Global Warming

Updated on
Nov 23, 2023

Being able to write an essay is an integral part of mastering any language. Essays form an integral part of many academic and scholastic exams like the SAT , and UPSC amongst many others. It is a crucial evaluative part of English proficiency tests as well like IELTS , TOEFL , etc. Major essays are meant to emphasize public issues of concern that can have significant consequences on the world. To understand the concept of Global Warming and its causes and effects, we must first examine the many factors that influence the planet’s temperature and what this implies for the world’s future. Here’s an unbiased look at the essay on Global Warming and other essential related topics.

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What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century, primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by people burning fossil fuels . The greenhouse gases consist of methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapour, and chlorofluorocarbons. The weather prediction has been becoming more complex with every passing year, with seasons more indistinguishable, and the general temperatures hotter. The number of hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, floods, etc., has risen steadily since the onset of the 21st century. The supervillain behind all these changes is Global Warming. The name is quite self-explanatory; it means the rise in the temperature of the Earth.

Sample Essays on Global Warming

Here are some sample essays on Global Warming:

Global Warming is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere and is a result of human activities that have been causing harm to our environment for the past few centuries now. Global Warming is something that can’t be ignored and steps have to be taken to tackle the situation globally. The average temperature is constantly rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the last few years. The best method to prevent future damage to the earth, cutting down more forests should be banned and Afforestation should be encouraged. Start by planting trees near your homes and offices, participate in events, and teach the importance of planting trees. It is impossible to undo the damage but it is possible to stop further harm.

Digvijay Singh

Having 2+ years of experience in educational content writing, withholding a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Science and a strong interest in writing educational content for students enrolled in domestic and foreign study abroad programmes. I believe in offering a distinct viewpoint to the table, to help students deal with the complexities of both domestic and foreign educational systems. Through engaging storytelling and insightful analysis, I aim to inspire my readers to embark on their educational journeys, whether abroad or at home, and to make the most of every learning opportunity that comes their way.

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Essay on Global Warming – Causes and Solutions

500+ words essay on global warming.

Global Warming is a term almost everyone is familiar with. But, its meaning is still not clear to most of us. So, Global warming refers to the gradual rise in the overall temperature of the atmosphere of the Earth. There are various activities taking place which have been increasing the temperature gradually. Global warming is melting our ice glaciers rapidly. This is extremely harmful to the earth as well as humans. It is quite challenging to control global warming; however, it is not unmanageable. The first step in solving any problem is identifying the cause of the problem. Therefore, we need to first understand the causes of global warming that will help us proceed further in solving it. In this essay on Global Warming, we will see the causes and solutions of Global Warming.

Causes of Global Warming

Global warming has become a grave problem which needs undivided attention. It is not happening because of a single cause but several causes. These causes are both natural as well as manmade. The natural causes include the release of greenhouses gases which are not able to escape from earth, causing the temperature to increase.

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Further, volcanic eruptions are also responsible for global warming. That is to say, these eruptions release tons of carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. Similarly, methane is also one big issue responsible for global warming.

So, when one of the biggest sources of absorption of carbon dioxide will only disappear, there will be nothing left to regulate the gas. Thus, it will result in global warming. Steps must be taken immediately to stop global warming and make the earth better again.

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Global Warming Solutions

As stated earlier, it might be challenging but it is not entirely impossible. Global warming can be stopped when combined efforts are put in. For that, individuals and governments, both have to take steps towards achieving it. We must begin with the reduction of greenhouse gas.

Furthermore, they need to monitor the consumption of gasoline. Switch to a hybrid car and reduce the release of carbon dioxide. Moreover, citizens can choose public transport or carpool together. Subsequently, recycling must also be encouraged.

Read Global Warming Speech here

For instance, when you go shopping, carry your own cloth bag. Another step you can take is to limit the use of electricity which will prevent the release of carbon dioxide. On the government’s part, they must regulate industrial waste and ban them from emitting harmful gases in the air. Deforestation must be stopped immediately and planting of trees must be encouraged.

In short, all of us must realize the fact that our earth is not well. It needs to treatment and we can help it heal. The present generation must take up the responsibility of stopping global warming in order to prevent the suffering of future generations. Therefore, every little step, no matter how small carries a lot of weight and is quite significant in stopping global warming.

हिंदी में ग्लोबल वार्मिंग पर निबंध यहाँ पढ़ें

FAQs on Global Warming

Q.1 List the causes of Global Warming.

A.1 There are various causes of global warming both natural and manmade. The natural one includes a greenhouse gas, volcanic eruption, methane gas and more. Next up, manmade causes are deforestation, mining, cattle rearing, fossil fuel burning and more.

Q.2 How can one stop Global Warming?

A.2 Global warming can be stopped by a joint effort by the individuals and the government. Deforestation must be banned and trees should be planted more. The use of automobiles must be limited and recycling must be encouraged.

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What is global warming?

What causes global warming, how is global warming linked to extreme weather, what are the other effects of global warming, where does the united states stand in terms of global-warming contributors, is the united states doing anything to prevent global warming, is global warming too big a problem for me to help tackle.

A: Since the Industrial Revolution, the global annual temperature has increased in total by a little more than 1 degree Celsius, or about 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 1880—the year that accurate recordkeeping began—and 1980, it rose on average by 0.07 degrees Celsius (0.13 degrees Fahrenheit) every 10 years. Since 1981, however, the rate of increase has more than doubled: For the last 40 years, we’ve seen the global annual temperature rise by 0.18 degrees Celsius, or 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit, per decade.

The result? A planet that has never been hotter . Nine of the 10 warmest years since 1880 have occurred since 2005—and the 5 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015. Climate change deniers have argued that there has been a “pause” or a “slowdown” in rising global temperatures, but numerous studies, including a 2018 paper published in the journal Environmental Research Letters , have disproved this claim. The impacts of global warming are already harming people around the world.

Now climate scientists have concluded that we must limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040 if we are to avoid a future in which everyday life around the world is marked by its worst, most devastating effects: the extreme droughts, wildfires, floods, tropical storms, and other disasters that we refer to collectively as climate change . These effects are felt by all people in one way or another but are experienced most acutely by the underprivileged, the economically marginalized, and people of color, for whom climate change is often a key driver of poverty, displacement, hunger, and social unrest.

A: Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally this radiation would escape into space, but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These heat-trapping pollutants—specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic fluorinated gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse effect.

Though natural cycles and fluctuations have caused the earth’s climate to change several times over the last 800,000 years, our current era of global warming is directly attributable to human activity—specifically to our burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline, and natural gas, which results in the greenhouse effect. In the United States, the largest source of greenhouse gases is transportation (29 percent), followed closely by electricity production (28 percent) and industrial activity (22 percent). Learn about the natural and human causes of climate change .

Curbing dangerous climate change requires very deep cuts in emissions, as well as the use of alternatives to fossil fuels worldwide. The good news is that countries around the globe have formally committed—as part of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement —to lower their emissions by setting new standards and crafting new policies to meet or even exceed those standards. The not-so-good news is that we’re not working fast enough. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, scientists tell us that we need to reduce global carbon emissions by as much as 40 percent by 2030. For that to happen, the global community must take immediate, concrete steps: to decarbonize electricity generation by equitably transitioning from fossil fuel–based production to renewable energy sources like wind and solar; to electrify our cars and trucks; and to maximize energy efficiency in our buildings, appliances, and industries.

A: Scientists agree that the earth’s rising temperatures are fueling longer and hotter heat waves , more frequent droughts , heavier rainfall , and more powerful hurricanes .

In 2015, for example, scientists concluded that a lengthy drought in California—the state’s worst water shortage in 1,200 years —had been intensified by 15 to 20 percent by global warming. They also said the odds of similar droughts happening in the future had roughly doubled over the past century. And in 2016, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine announced that we can now confidently attribute some extreme weather events, like heat waves, droughts, and heavy precipitation, directly to climate change.

The earth’s ocean temperatures are getting warmer, too—which means that tropical storms can pick up more energy. In other words, global warming has the ability to turn a category 3 storm into a more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the frequency of North Atlantic hurricanes has increased since the early 1980s, as has the number of storms that reach categories 4 and 5. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season included a record-breaking 30 tropical storms, 6 major hurricanes, and 13 hurricanes altogether. With increased intensity come increased damage and death. The United States saw an unprecedented 22 weather and climate disasters that caused at least a billion dollars’ worth of damage in 2020, but, according to NOAA, 2017 was the costliest on record and among the deadliest as well: Taken together, that year's tropical storms (including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria) caused nearly $300 billion in damage and led to more than 3,300 fatalities.

The impacts of global warming are being felt everywhere. Extreme heat waves have caused tens of thousands of deaths around the world in recent years. And in an alarming sign of events to come, Antarctica has lost nearly four trillion metric tons of ice since the 1990s. The rate of loss could speed up if we keep burning fossil fuels at our current pace, some experts say, causing sea levels to rise several meters in the next 50 to 150 years and wreaking havoc on coastal communities worldwide.

A: Each year scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming , and each year we also gain new evidence of its devastating impact on people and the planet. As the heat waves, droughts, and floods associated with climate change become more frequent and more intense, communities suffer and death tolls rise. If we’re unable to reduce our emissions, scientists believe that climate change could lead to the deaths of more than 250,000 people around the globe every year and force 100 million people into poverty by 2030.

Global warming is already taking a toll on the United States. And if we aren’t able to get a handle on our emissions, here’s just a smattering of what we can look forward to:

Disappearing glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and continue to increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.
Rising sea levels will lead to even more coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.
Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests , heat waves, heavy downpours, and increased flooding . All of these can damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.
Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.
Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed , higher levels of air pollution , and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

Though everyone is affected by climate change, not everyone is affected equally. Indigenous people, people of color, and the economically marginalized are typically hit the hardest. Inequities built into our housing , health care , and labor systems make these communities more vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change—even though these same communities have done the least to contribute to it.

A: In recent years, China has taken the lead in global-warming pollution , producing about 26 percent of all CO2 emissions. The United States comes in second. Despite making up just 4 percent of the world’s population, our nation produces a sobering 13 percent of all global CO2 emissions—nearly as much as the European Union and India (third and fourth place) combined. And America is still number one, by far, in cumulative emissions over the past 150 years. As a top contributor to global warming, the United States has an obligation to help propel the world to a cleaner, safer, and more equitable future. Our responsibility matters to other countries, and it should matter to us, too.

A: We’ve started. But in order to avoid the worsening effects of climate change, we need to do a lot more—together with other countries—to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and transition to clean energy sources.

Under the administration of President Donald Trump (a man who falsely referred to global warming as a “hoax”), the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, rolled back or eliminated dozens of clean air protections, and opened up federally managed lands, including culturally sacred national monuments, to fossil fuel development. Although President Biden has pledged to get the country back on track, years of inaction during and before the Trump administration—and our increased understanding of global warming’s serious impacts—mean we must accelerate our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Despite the lack of cooperation from the Trump administration, local and state governments made great strides during this period through efforts like the American Cities Climate Challenge and ongoing collaborations like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative . Meanwhile, industry and business leaders have been working with the public sector, creating and adopting new clean-energy technologies and increasing energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, and industrial processes.

Today the American automotive industry is finding new ways to produce cars and trucks that are more fuel efficient and is committing itself to putting more and more zero-emission electric vehicles on the road. Developers, cities, and community advocates are coming together to make sure that new affordable housing is built with efficiency in mind , reducing energy consumption and lowering electric and heating bills for residents. And renewable energy continues to surge as the costs associated with its production and distribution keep falling. In 2020 renewable energy sources such as wind and solar provided more electricity than coal for the very first time in U.S. history.

President Biden has made action on global warming a high priority. On his first day in office, he recommitted the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement, sending the world community a strong signal that we were determined to join other nations in cutting our carbon pollution to support the shared goal of preventing the average global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. (Scientists say we must stay below a 2-degree increase to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.) And significantly, the president has assembled a climate team of experts and advocates who have been tasked with pursuing action both abroad and at home while furthering the cause of environmental justice and investing in nature-based solutions.

A: No! While we can’t win the fight without large-scale government action at the national level , we also can’t do it without the help of individuals who are willing to use their voices, hold government and industry leaders to account, and make changes in their daily habits.

Wondering how you can be a part of the fight against global warming? Reduce your own carbon footprint by taking a few easy steps: Make conserving energy a part of your daily routine and your decisions as a consumer. When you shop for new appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers, look for products with the government’s ENERGY STAR ® label; they meet a higher standard for energy efficiency than the minimum federal requirements. When you buy a car, look for one with the highest gas mileage and lowest emissions. You can also reduce your emissions by taking public transportation or carpooling when possible.

And while new federal and state standards are a step in the right direction, much more needs to be done. Voice your support of climate-friendly and climate change preparedness policies, and tell your representatives that equitably transitioning from dirty fossil fuels to clean power should be a top priority—because it’s vital to building healthy, more secure communities.

You don’t have to go it alone, either. Movements across the country are showing how climate action can build community , be led by those on the front lines of its impacts, and create a future that’s equitable and just for all .

This story was originally published on March 11, 2016 and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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Fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions. As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This leads to global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth.

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Home / For Educators: Grades 6-12 / Climate Explained: Introductory Essays About Climate Change Topics

Climate Explained: Introductory Essays About Climate Change Topics

Filed under: backgrounders for educators ,.

Climate Explained, a part of Yale Climate Connections, is an essay collection that addresses an array of climate change questions and topics, including why it’s cold outside if global warming is real, how we know that humans are responsible for global warming, and the relationship between climate change and national security.

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Climate Change Basics: Five Facts, Ten Words

Backgrounders for Educators

To simplify the scientific complexity of climate change, we focus on communicating five key facts about climate change that everyone should know.

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Having different perspectives about global warming is natural, but the most important thing that anyone should know about climate change is why it matters.

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ENVIRONMENT

How global warming is disrupting life on Earth

The signs of global warming are everywhere, and are more complex than just climbing temperatures.

Our planet is getting hotter. Since the Industrial Revolution—an event that spurred the use of fossil fuels in everything from power plants to transportation—Earth has warmed by 1 degree Celsius, about 2 degrees Fahrenheit.

That may sound insignificant, but 2023 was the hottest year on record , and all 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred in the past decade.

Global warming and climate change are often used interchangeably as synonyms, but scientists prefer to use “climate change” when describing the complex shifts now affecting our planet’s weather and climate systems.

Climate change encompasses not only rising average temperatures but also natural disasters, shifting wildlife habitats, rising seas , and a range of other impacts. All of these changes are emerging as humans continue to add heat-trapping greenhouse gases , like carbon dioxide and methane, to the atmosphere.

What causes global warming?

When fossil fuel emissions are pumped into the atmosphere, they change the chemistry of our atmosphere, allowing sunlight to reach the Earth but preventing heat from being released into space. This keeps Earth warm, like a greenhouse, and this warming is known as the greenhouse effect .

Carbon dioxide is the most commonly found greenhouse gas and about 75 percent of all the climate warming pollution in the atmosphere. This gas is a product of producing and burning oil, gas, and coal. About a quarter of Carbon dioxide also results from land cleared for timber or agriculture.

Methane is another common greenhouse gas. Although it makes up only about 16 percent of emissions, it's roughly 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide and dissipates more quickly. That means methane can cause a large spark in warming, but ending methane pollution can also quickly limit the amount of atmospheric warming. Sources of this gas include agriculture (mostly livestock), leaks from oil and gas production, and waste from landfills.

What are the effects of global warming?

One of the most concerning impacts of global warming is the effect warmer temperatures will have on Earth's polar regions and mountain glaciers. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. This warming reduces critical ice habitat and it disrupts the flow of the jet stream, creating more unpredictable weather patterns around the globe.

( Learn more about the jet stream. )

A warmer planet doesn't just raise temperatures. Precipitation is becoming more extreme as the planet heats. For every degree your thermometer rises, the air holds about seven percent more moisture. This increase in moisture in the atmosphere can produce flash floods, more destructive hurricanes, and even paradoxically, stronger snow storms.

The world's leading scientists regularly gather to review the latest research on how the planet is changing. The results of this review is synthesized in regularly published reports known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.

A recent report outlines how disruptive a global rise in temperature can be:

Coral reefs are now a highly endangered ecosystem. When corals face environmental stress, such as high heat, they expel their colorful algae and turn a ghostly white, an effect known as coral bleaching . In this weakened state, they more easily die.
Trees are increasingly dying from drought , and this mass mortality is reshaping forest ecosystems.
Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are making wildfires more common and more widespread. Research shows they're even moving into the eastern U.S. where fires have historically been less common.
Hurricanes are growing more destructive and dumping more rain, an effect that will result in more damage. Some scientists say we even need to be preparing for Cat 6 storms . (The current ranking system ends at Cat 5.)

How can we limit global warming?

Limiting the rising in global warming is theoretically achievable, but politically, socially, and economically difficult.

Those same sources of greenhouse gas emissions must be limited to reduce warming. For example, oil and gas used to generate electricity or power industrial manufacturing will need to be replaced by net zero emission technology like wind and solar power. Transportation, another major source of emissions, will need to integrate more electric vehicles, public transportation, and innovative urban design, such as safe bike lanes and walkable cities.

( Learn more about solutions to limit global warming. )

One global warming solution that was once considered far fetched is now being taken more seriously: geoengineering. This type of technology relies on manipulating the Earth's atmosphere to physically block the warming rays of the sun or by sucking carbon dioxide straight out of the sky.

Restoring nature may also help limit warming. Trees, oceans, wetlands, and other ecosystems help absorb excess carbon—but when they're lost, so too is their potential to fight climate change.

Ultimately, we'll need to adapt to warming temperatures, building homes to withstand sea level rise for example, or more efficiently cooling homes during heat waves.

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Responding to the Climate Threat: Essays on Humanity’s Greatest Challenge

A new book co-authored by MIT Joint Program Founding Co-Director Emeritus Henry Jacoby

From the Back Cover

This book demonstrates how robust and evolving science can be relevant to public discourse about climate policy. Fighting climate change is the ultimate societal challenge, and the difficulty is not just in the wrenching adjustments required to cut greenhouse emissions and to respond to change already under way. A second and equally important difficulty is ensuring widespread public understanding of the natural and social science. This understanding is essential for an effective risk management strategy at a planetary scale. The scientific, economic, and policy aspects of climate change are already a challenge to communicate, without factoring in the distractions and deflections from organized programs of misinformation and denial.

Here, four scholars, each with decades of research on the climate threat, take on the task of explaining our current understanding of the climate threat and what can be done about it, in lay language―importantly, without losing critical aspects of the natural and social science. In a series of essays, published during the 2020 presidential election, the COVID pandemic, and through the fall of 2021, they explain the essential components of the challenge, countering the forces of distrust of the science and opposition to a vigorous national response.

Each of the essays provides an opportunity to learn about a particular aspect of climate science and policy within the complex context of current events. The overall volume is more than the sum of its individual articles. Proceeding each essay is an explanation of the context in which it was written, followed by observation of what has happened since its first publication. In addition to its discussion of topical issues in modern climate science, the book also explores science communication to a broad audience. Its authors are not only scientists – they are also teachers, using current events to teach when people are listening. For preserving Earth’s planetary life support system, science and teaching are essential. Advancing both is an unending task.

About the Authors

Gary Yohe is the Huffington Foundation Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, Emeritus, at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He served as convening lead author for multiple chapters and the Synthesis Report for the IPCC from 1990 through 2014 and was vice-chair of the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment.

Henry Jacoby is the William F. Pounds Professor of Management, Emeritus, in the MIT Sloan School of Management and former co-director of the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, which is focused on the integration of the natural and social sciences and policy analysis in application to the threat of global climate change.

Richard Richels directed climate change research at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). He served as lead author for multiple chapters of the IPCC in the areas of mitigation, impacts and adaptation from 1992 through 2014. He also served on the National Assessment Synthesis Team for the first U.S. National Climate Assessment.

Ben Santer is a climate scientist and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellow. He contributed to all six IPCC reports. He was the lead author of Chapter 8 of the 1995 IPCC report which concluded that “the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate”. He is currently a Visiting Researcher at UCLA’s Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science & Engineering.

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Our Future Is Now - A Climate Change Essay by Francesca Minicozzi, '21

Francesca Minicozzi (class of 2021) is a Writing/Biology major who plans to study medicine after graduation. She wrote this essay on climate change for WR 355/Travel Writing, which she took while studying abroad in Newcastle in spring 2020. Although the coronavirus pandemic curtailed Francesca’s time abroad, her months in Newcastle prompted her to learn more about climate change. Terre Ryan Associate Professor, Writing Department

Our Future Is Now

By Francesca Minicozzi, '21 Writing and Biology Major

“If you don’t mind me asking, how is the United States preparing for climate change?” my flat mate, Zac, asked me back in March, when we were both still in Newcastle. He and I were accustomed to asking each other about the differences between our home countries; he came from Cambridge, while I originated in Long Island, New York. This was one of our numerous conversations about issues that impact our generation, which we usually discussed while cooking dinner in our communal kitchen. In the moment of our conversation, I did not have as strong an answer for him as I would have liked. Instead, I informed him of the few changes I had witnessed within my home state of New York.

Zac’s response was consistent with his normal, diplomatic self. “I have been following the BBC news in terms of the climate crisis for the past few years. The U.K. has been working hard to transition to renewable energy sources. Similar to the United States, here in the United Kingdom we have converted over to solar panels too. My home does not have solar panels, but a lot of our neighbors have switched to solar energy in the past few years.”

“Our two countries are similar, yet so different,” I thought. Our conversation continued as we prepared our meals, with topics ranging from climate change to the upcoming presidential election to Britain’s exit from the European Union. However, I could not shake the fact that I knew so little about a topic so crucial to my generation.

After I abruptly returned home from the United Kingdom because of the global pandemic, my conversation with my flat mate lingered in my mind. Before the coronavirus surpassed climate change headlines, I had seen the number of internet postings regarding protests to protect the planet dramatically increase. Yet the idea of our planet becoming barren and unlivable in a not-so-distant future had previously upset me to the point where a part of me refused to deal with it. After I returned from studying abroad, I decided to educate myself on the climate crisis.

My quest for climate change knowledge required a thorough understanding of the difference between “climate change” and “global warming.” Climate change is defined as “a pattern of change affecting global or regional climate,” based on “average temperature and rainfall measurements” as well as the frequency of extreme weather events. 1 These varied temperature and weather events link back to both natural incidents and human activity. 2 Likewise, the term global warming was coined “to describe climate change caused by humans.” 3 Not only that, but global warming is most recently attributed to an increase in “global average temperature,” mainly due to greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans. 4

I next questioned why the term “climate change” seemed to take over the term “global warming” in the United States. According to Frank Luntz, a leading Republican consultant, the term “global warming” functions as a rather intimidating phrase. During George W. Bush’s first presidential term, Luntz argued in favor of using the less daunting phrase “climate change” in an attempt to overcome the environmental battle amongst Democrats and Republicans. 5 Since President Bush’s term, Luntz remains just one political consultant out of many politicians who has recognized the need to address climate change. In an article from 2019, Luntz proclaimed that political parties aside, the climate crisis affects everyone. Luntz argued that politicians should steer clear of trying to communicate “the complicated science of climate change,” and instead engage voters by explaining how climate change personally impacts citizens with natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and forest fires. 6 He even suggested that a shift away from words like “sustainability” would gear Americans towards what they really want: a “cleaner, safer, healthier” environment. 7

The idea of a cleaner and heathier environment remains easier said than done. The Paris Climate Agreement, introduced in 2015, began the United Nations’ “effort to combat global climate change.” 8 This agreement marked a global initiative to “limit global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels,” while simultaneously “pursuing means to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.” 9 Every country on earth has joined together in this agreement for the common purpose of saving our planet. 10 So, what could go wrong here? As much as this sounds like a compelling step in the right direction for climate change, President Donald Trump thought otherwise. In June 2017, President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement with his proclamation of climate change as a “’hoax’ perpetrated by China.” 11 President Trump continued to question the scientific facts behind climate change, remaining an advocate for the expansion of domestic fossil fuel production. 12 He reversed environmental policies implemented by former President Barack Obama to reduce fossil fuel use. 13

Trump’s actions against the Paris Agreement, however, fail to represent the beliefs of Americans as a whole. The majority of American citizens feel passionate about the fight against climate change. To demonstrate their support, some have gone as far as creating initiatives including America’s Pledge and We Are Still In. 14 Although the United States officially exited the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020, this withdrawal may not survive permanently. 15 According to experts, our new president “could rejoin in as short as a month’s time.” 16 This offers a glimmer of hope.

The Paris Agreement declares that the United States will reduce greenhouse gas emission levels by 26 to 28 percent by the year 2025. 17 As a leader in greenhouse gas emissions, the United States needs to accept the climate crisis for the serious challenge that it presents and work together with other nations. The concept of working coherently with all nations remains rather tricky; however, I remain optimistic. I think we can learn from how other countries have adapted to the increased heating of our planet. During my recent study abroad experience in the United Kingdom, I was struck by Great Britain’s commitment to combating climate change.

Since the United Kingdom joined the Paris Agreement, the country targets a “net-zero” greenhouse gas emission for 2050. 18 This substantial alteration would mark an 80% reduction of greenhouse gases from 1990, if “clear, stable, and well-designed policies are implemented without interruption.” 19 In order to stay on top of reducing emissions, the United Kingdom tracks electricity and car emissions, “size of onshore and offshore wind farms,” amount of homes and “walls insulated, and boilers upgraded,” as well as the development of government policies, including grants for electric vehicles. 20 A strong grip on this data allows the United Kingdom to target necessary modifications that keep the country on track for 2050. In my brief semester in Newcastle, I took note of these significant changes. The city of Newcastle is small enough that many students and faculty are able to walk or bike to campus and nearby essential shops. However, when driving is unavoidable, the majority of the vehicles used are electric, and many British citizens place a strong emphasis on carpooling to further reduce emissions. The United Kingdom’s determination to severely reduce greenhouse emissions is ambitious and particularly admirable, especially as the United States struggles to shy away from its dependence on fossil fuels.

So how can we, as Americans, stand together to combat global climate change? Here are five adjustments Americans can make to their homes and daily routines that can dramatically make a difference:

Stay cautious of food waste. Studies demonstrate that “Americans throw away up to 40 percent of the food they buy.” 21 By being more mindful of the foods we purchase, opting for leftovers, composting wastes, and donating surplus food to those in need, we can make an individual difference that impacts the greater good. 22
Insulate your home. Insulation functions as a “cost-effective and accessible” method to combat climate change. 23 Homes with modern insulation reduce energy required to heat them, leading to a reduction of emissions and an overall savings; in comparison, older homes can “lose up to 35 percent of heat through their walls.” 24
Switch to LED Lighting. LED stands for “light-emitting diodes,” which use “90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and half as much as compact fluorescents.” 25 LED lights create light without producing heat, and therefore do not waste energy. Additionally, these lights have a longer duration than other bulbs, which means they offer a continuing savings. 26
Choose transportation wisely. Choose to walk or bike whenever the option presents itself. If walking or biking is not an option, use an electric or hybrid vehicle which emits less harmful gases. Furthermore, reduce the number of car trips taken, and carpool with others when applicable.
Finally, make your voice heard. The future of our planet remains in our hands, so we might as well use our voices to our advantage. Social media serves as a great platform for this. Moreover, using social media to share helpful hints to combat climate change within your community or to promote an upcoming protest proves beneficial in the long run. If we collectively put our voices to good use, together we can advocate for change.

As many of us are stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these suggestions are slightly easier to put into place. With numerous “stay-at-home” orders in effect, Americans have the opportunity to make significant achievements for climate change. Personally, I have taken more precautions towards the amount of food consumed within my household during this pandemic. I have been more aware of food waste, opting for leftovers when too much food remains. Additionally, I have realized how powerful my voice is as a young college student. Now is the opportunity for Americans to share how they feel about climate change. During this unprecedented time, our voice is needed now more than ever in order to make a difference.

However, on a much larger scale, the coronavirus outbreak has shed light on reducing global energy consumption. Reductions in travel, both on the roads and in the air, have triggered a drop in emission rates. In fact, the International Energy Agency predicts a 6 percent decrease in energy consumption around the globe for this year alone. 27 This drop is “equivalent to losing the entire energy demand of India.” 28 Complete lockdowns have lowered the global demand for electricity and slashed CO2 emissions. However, in New York City, the shutdown has only decreased carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent. 29 This proves that a shift in personal behavior is simply not enough to “fix the carbon emission problem.” 30 Climate policies aimed to reduce fossil fuel production and promote clean technology will be crucial steppingstones to ameliorating climate change effects. Our current reduction of greenhouse gas emissions serves as “the sort of reduction we need every year until net-zero emissions are reached around 2050.” 31 From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, politicians came together for the common good of protecting humanity; this demonstrates that when necessary, global leaders are capable of putting humankind above the economy. 32

After researching statistics comparing the coronavirus to climate change, I thought back to the moment the virus reached pandemic status. I knew that a greater reason underlay all of this global turmoil. Our globe is in dire need of help, and the coronavirus reminds the world of what it means to work together. This pandemic marks a turning point in global efforts to slow down climate change. The methods we enact towards not only stopping the spread of the virus, but slowing down climate change, will ultimately depict how humanity will arise once this pandemic is suppressed. The future of our home planet lies in how we treat it right now.

“Climate Change: What Do All the Terms Mean?,” BBC News (BBC, May 1, 2019), https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48057733 )
Ibid.
Kate Yoder, “Frank Luntz, the GOP's Message Master, Calls for Climate Action,” Grist (Grist, July 26, 2019), https://grist.org/article/the-gops-most-famous-messaging-strategist-calls-for-climate-action
Melissa Denchak, “Paris Climate Agreement: Everything You Need to Know,” NRDC, April 29, 2020, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-know)
“Donald J. Trump's Foreign Policy Positions,” Council on Foreign Relations (Council on Foreign Relations), accessed May 7, 2020, https://www.cfr.org/election2020/candidate-tracker/donald-j.-trump?gclid=CjwKCAjw4871BRAjEiwAbxXi21cneTRft_doA5if60euC6QCL7sr-Jwwv76IkgWaUTuyJNx9EzZzRBoCdjsQAvD_BwE#climate and energy )
David Doniger, “Paris Climate Agreement Explained: Does Congress Need to Sign Off?,” NRDC, December 15, 2016, https://www.nrdc.org/experts/david-doniger/paris-climate-agreement-explained-does-congress-need-sign )
“How the UK Is Progressing,” Committee on Climate Change, March 9, 2020, https://www.theccc.org.uk/what-is-climate-change/reducing-carbon-emissions/how-the-uk-is-progressing/)
Ibid.
“Top 10 Ways You Can Fight Climate Change,” Green America, accessed May 7, 2020, https://www.greenamerica.org/your-green-life/10-ways-you-can-fight-climate-change )
Matt McGrath, “Climate Change and Coronavirus: Five Charts about the Biggest Carbon Crash,” BBC News (BBC, May 5, 2020), https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/science-environment-52485712 )
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Global Warming Essay

Essay on Global Warming

The last few decades have been monumental when it comes to technological development. Humans have developed systems and machines that make our lives easier. Especially during the early modern period from the early 16th century to as far as the late 18the century, also commonly referred to as “The Scientific Revolution” or “The Enlightenment”, modern technology leapt ahead in development in such a short time frame compared to all of history.

However, with the development of society, there has been a severe detriment to the quality of Earth’s environment. One of the most massive threats to the condition of the planet is climate change. Inadequate research and reckless misuse of natural resources are some of the core reasons for the deteriorating condition of the planet.

To understand the concept of Global Warming and its causes and effects, we need to take an in-depth look into many factors that affect the temperature of the planet and what that means for the future of the world. Here is an objective look at the topic of Global Warming and other important related topics.

What is Climate Change?

Ever since the industrial and scientific revolution, Earth is slowly being used up for its resources. Moreover, the onset of the exponential increase in the world’s population is also very taxing on the environment.

Simply put, as the need for consumption of the population increases, both the utilisation of natural resources and the waste generated from the use of said resources have also increased massively.

One of the main results of this over the many years has become climate change. Climate change is not just the rise or fall of temperature of different areas of the world; it is also a change in the rain cycles, wind patterns, cyclone frequencies, sea levels, etc. It affects all major life groups on the planet in some way or the other.

What is Global Warming?

Global Warming is often considered an effect of Climate change. Global Warming is the rapid increase in the temperature of the Earth’s environment that is causing many life-threatening issues to arise.

Global Warming is a dangerous effect on our environment that we are facing these days. Rapid industrialization, increase in the population growth and pollution are causing a rise in Global Warming. Global Warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the earth's surface during the last century. One of the reasons why Global Warming is dangerous is because it disturbs the overall ecology of the planet. This results in floods, famine, cyclones and other issues. There are many causes and results of this warming and is a danger for the existence of life on earth.

The sign of Global Warming is already visible with many natural phenomena happening around globally, affecting each living species.

Here is some data that can help to give a more precise understanding of the reality of Global Warming in the last few years:

On average, the world’s temperature is about 1.5°C higher than during the start of the industrial revolution in the late 1700s. That may not seem a lot to you, but that is an average estimate. This number is only increasing. Many parts of the world face far more severe changes in temperature that affect the planet’s overall health.

In 1950, the world’s CO 2 emissions were at 6 billion tonnes which had quadrupled in volume until 1990, just 40 years later to 22 billion tonnes. Not only that, unchecked CO 2 emissions today have reached a whopping 35 billion tonnes.

The most evident causes of Global Warming are industrialization, urbanization, deforestation, and sophisticated human activities. These human activities have led to an increase in the emission of Greenhouse Gases, including CO₂, Nitrous Oxide, Methane, and others.

Causes of Global Warming

A variety of reasons causes Global Warming. Some of which can be controlled personally by individuals but others are only expected to be solved by communities and the world leaders and activists at the global level.

Many scientists believe the main four reasons for Global Warming, according to recent studies, are:

Greenhouse gases

Deforestation

Per capita carbon emissions

Global Warming is certainly an alarming situation, which is causing a significant impact on life existence. Extreme Global Warming is resulting in natural calamities, which is quite evident happening around. One of the reasons behind Global Warming is the extreme release of greenhouse gases stuck on the earth surface, resulting in the temperature increase.

Similarly, volcanoes are also leading to Global Warming because they spew too much CO₂ in the air. One of the significant causes behind Global Warming is the increase in the population. This increase in the population also results in air pollution. Automobiles release a lot of CO₂, which remains stuck in the earth.

This increase in the population is also leading to deforestation, which further results in Global Warming. More and more trees are being cut, increasing the concentration of CO₂.

The greenhouse is the natural process where the sunlight passes through the area, thus warming the earth's surface. The earth surface releases energy in the form of heat in the atmosphere maintaining the balance with the incoming energy. Global Warming depletes the ozone layer leading to the doom's day.

There is a clear indication that the increase in Global Warming will lead to the complete extinction of life from the earth surface.

Solution for Global Warming

Global Warming can not be blamed on individuals; however, it can be tackled and maintained from worsening starting at the individual level. Of course, industries and multinational conglomerates have higher carbon emissions levels than an average citizen. Still, activism and community effort are the only feasible ways to control the worsening state of Global Warming.

Additionally, at the state or government level, world leaders need to create concrete plans and step programmes to ensure that no further harm is being caused to the environment in general.

Although we are almost late in slowing down the Global Warming rate, it is crucial to find the right solution. From individuals to governments, everyone has to work upon a solution for Global Warming. Controlling pollution, population and use of natural resources are some of the factors to consider. Switching over to the electric and hybrid car is the best way to bring down the carbon dioxide.

As a citizen, it is best to switch over to the hybrid car and to use public transport. This will reduce pollution and congestion. Another significant contribution you can make is to minimize the use of plastic. Plastic is the primary cause of Global Warming taking years to recycle.

Deforestation is another thing to consider that will help in controlling Global Warming. Planting of more trees should be encouraged to make the environment go green.

Industrialization should be under certain norms. The building of industries should be banned in green zones affecting plants and species. Hefty penalties should be levied on such sectors contributing towards Global Warming.

Effects of Global Warming

Global Warming is a real problem that many want to prove as a hoax for their political benefit. However, as aware citizens of the world, we must make sure only the truth is presented in the media.

Various parts of the environment, both flora and fauna, are directly adversely affected by the damages caused by Global Warming. Wildlife being in danger is ultimately a serious threat to the survival of humanity as we know it and its future.

The effect of Global Warming is widely seen in this decade. Glacier retreat and arctic shrinkage are the two common phenomena seen. Glaciers are melting in a fast way. These are pure examples of climate change.

Rise in sea level is another significant effect of Global Warming. This sea-level rise is leading to floods in low-lying areas. Extreme weather conditions are witnessed in many countries. Unseasonal rainfall, extreme heat and cold, wildfires and others are common every year. The number of these cases is increasing. This will indeed imbalance the ecosystem bringing the result of the extinction of species.

Similarly, marine life is also widely getting affected due to the increase in Global Warming. This is resulting in the death of marine species and other issues. Moreover, changes are expected in coral reefs, which are going to face the end in coming years.

These effects will take a steep rise in coming years, bringing the expansion of species to a halt. Moreover, humans too will witness the negative impact of Global Warming in the end.

FAQs on Global Warming Essay

1. What Global Warming will Cause?

Global warming will have a massive impact on our earth in the end. Flood, extreme weather conditions, famine, wildfire and many more will be the result. There will be hotter days, which will also increase the wildfire and famine. In the past years, many meteorological bureaus have added purple and magenta to the forecast.

Another impact of global warming will be rising sea levels. Increased ocean temperatures will lead to the melting of glaciers and ice caps. Increase in the sea level will lead to floods in many low-lying areas.

The overall ecosystem of nature will be an imbalance. This will affect nature in the long-term.

2. Why Does Global Warming Happen?

There are many reasons for the cause of global warming. There are certain gases in the atmosphere called greenhouse gases. The energy then radiates from the surface; the greenhouse gases trap longwave radiation. We humans have added to the atmospheric blanket of greenhouse affecting the living species. Warming of air, oceans, and land is how global warming happens.

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Essay On Climate Change – 10 Lines, Short and Long Essay For Kids

Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On Climate Change For Lower Primary Classes

10 lines on climate change for kids, paragraph on climate change for children, short essay on climate change in 250 words for kids, long essay on climate change in english for children, interesting facts about climate change for kids, what will your child learn from the essay.

Climate change is described as a shift in weather conditions due to human and environmental factors. We are experiencing temperatures rising at substantial rates on earth, and because of this, icecaps are melting. Global warming is a significant concern which is why learning about various hazards such as air, water, and soil pollution, industrial waste disposal, contamination of resources, etc., is crucial. We are going to talk about how to write an essay on climate change for classes 1, 2, and 3 children. A climate change essay in English isn’t hard to comprehend and can be simple; we’ll show you below.

Climate change can be a big threat to our environment, and it affects every aspect of our lives and may cause global catastrophes if ignored. Here are some key points to remember for kids on how to write an essay on climate change.

Begin with an introductory overview of what climate change is. Describe how it works, impacts the environment, and what steps can be taken to analyse it.
Discuss the consequences of not addressing climate change concerns and how it may affect livelihood.
Go through steps on how to reduce waste, increase natural resources, and improve climate change.
Add a conclusion paragraph at the bottom and summarise your essay.

Intense bouts of famine and rainfall, sudden changes in weather conditions, and forest fires result from climate change. Kids can refer to these lines while writing an essay for classes 1 and 2 on climate change:

Climate change is bad for our planet and should not be underestimated.
The consequences of climate change are catastrophic. It can melt glaciers, cause deforestation, and deplete other non-renewable sources
Animals depend upon natural resources for survival, and climate change causes them to go extinct.
Climate and global warming negatively impact agriculture.
Greenhouse gases play a significant role in climate change.
The earth is heating up at an alarming rate, which is unnatural.
Ozone layer depletion is a major consequence of climate change.
We must start inculcating sustainable living practices and ensure our natural resources don’t get depleted.
Taking better care of our environment and planting many trees makes a big difference.
We should educate others about climate change and reduce non-biodegradable waste and plastic usage.

Frequent changes in weather conditions are not normal and should be prevented. Given below is a paragraph on climate change for more insight on the topic.

Global warming happens when the earth’s average temperature rises at exponential rates, thus contributing to climate change. We cannot fully control climate change as humans. Still, we certainly play a part by preserving natural resources and controlling air pollution by opting for public transport over private vehicles. Scientists are unclear whether global warming is solely responsible for climate change or whether other factors are involved. The main reason behind climate change is attributed to greenhouse gases, mainly consisting of carbon dioxide, CFOs, methane, and Chloro Fluro Carbons. Constant fluctuations in environmental temperatures can be stressful to wildlife, and nature is not used to going through such shifts. Humanity should join hands to tackle this serious environmental issue.

Climate change is not a good indicator and means that the earth is depleting rapidly. Kids can include this point in a short essay for classes 1, 2, and 3 kids and can write an amazing essay.

The change in the weather patterns over a long period of time is called climate change. These changes are sometimes necessary, while they may be unexpected on rare occasions. Climate change is causing a negative impact on all living beings. The overpopulation crisis makes surviving nearly impossible. People are facing difficulties procuring food and water due to untimely climate fluctuations. Climate change has existed for centuries and is not a recent threat. But it was not so severe or rapid as today. Rather than bring worries, it is imperative to take action and rectify it as soon as possible. The affluent countries can help poorer nations combat the crises and develop adequate funding for access to research and technology. Direct participation of local communities or the grassroots movement is one of the best ways to get to the heart of it. Understanding that climate change results from humanity’s unhealthy relationship with nature is crucial. The Paris Agreement is an example of the world doing its share to build a sustainable future and come together to fight the climate change crisis.

Writing a long-form essay on the topic will need your child to be aware of the existence of climate change and its issues at present, although it began generations ago with the Ice Age. Here is a sample essay for class 3 on climate change your child can read before drafting their own write-up.

Climate change is defined as the change that impacts our ecosystems. This can happen due to internal and external factors, sometimes the scale being large enough to affect communities. The earth has experienced several periods of drought, famine, and cyclical rainfall for more than 2 million years, and many species and wild animals have become extinct due to this reason.

Global warming depletes the ozone layer, impacts agriculture, and affects water supply. Various problems can be caused by climate change, such as transportation issues, natural disasters, water logging, and air pollution. There are various reasons for climate change including fossil fuel extraction, dumping of oils in oceans, industrial waste, and releasing other toxic contaminants such as radiation into the atmosphere, etc.

If we do not think about climate change now, a day will come when the planet may go extinct. There will be heavy damage to the environment, and land may become uninhabitable. Animals depend upon the environment to survive, but too many changes in weather conditions rob them of valuable natural resources. Deforestation and forest fires are also becoming a significant problem in this regard. Although humans are responsible for the adverse effects of climate change, it is not too late to start over or curb them. An excellent first step is planting as many trees as possible and caring for our neighbourhoods.

Rapid warming of the planet is not natural, and in history, it never happened at such unprecedented rates. Volcanos also contribute to climate change by releasing ash, molten lava, and debris into the environment, thus causing landslides and other natural disasters. If everyone takes responsibility for their actions and what they do for the environment, the planet would be a better place to live in.

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to the natural shifts in weather patterns and any changes made in solar cycles. Many changes in the climate are unprecedented, and humans have been noticing these changes for thousands of years.

What Are The Causes And Effects Of Climate Change?

Here is a list of the causes and effects of climate change on the planet.

Causes of Climate Change

A few major causes of climate change are:

The buildup of greenhouse gases
Industrial waste disposal
Soil erosion
Increased volcanic activity
Changes in solar cycles

Effects of Climate Change

The major effects of climate change are as follows:

Droughts and sandstorms
Destruction of various lifeforms and animal habitats
High rates of carbon emissions
Melting of glaciers and ice caps
Air, soil, and water pollution
Depletion of natural resources

Ways to Prevent Climate Change

Here are the different ways to prevent climate change:

Encourage biodiversity in ecosystems by planting more trees and reducing the global warming crisis
Promote sustainable living practices and recycle waste
Stop using plastic and do not dump industrial waste in soils and water bodies
Get active, stop using fossil fuels, and ride your bike more
Commute to work on foot and use public transportation
Control your electricity consumption for sustainable living.

Although the samples given above can help your child write a decent essay, some more knowledge on the topic will allow them to add more value to it or make it an interesting read. Read on to learn some interesting facts about climate change.

The earth was very cold around 600-800 million years ago and turned to ice.
As per many scientists, climate change is caused by humans these days.
The earth raised its temperature by 0.69 degrees Celsius between January to December 2014, which was recorded as the highest in history.
We are currently going through a phase known as the Holocene. The Holocene can be defined as the last 11,700 years of the earth’s existence.

Your child will learn a lot about the earth from writing an essay on the topic. They will understand how they can positively contribute to climate change, what can be done to improve it, and how to preserve our natural resources for a better life on this planet.

The amount of energy we get from the sun proves that life on earth can be perfect. But it’s more about how we use our natural resources and not deplete them. Hopefully, this climate change essay has shed some light on the subject.

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What’s the difference between climate change and global warming?

The terms “global warming” and “climate change” are sometimes used interchangeably, but "global warming" is only one aspect of climate change.

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Published: 04 April 2024

Climate chronicles

Global carbon emissions in 2023

Zhu Liu ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8968-7050 1 , 2 , 3 ,
Zhu Deng ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6409-9578 1 , 2 , 4 ,
Steven J. Davis ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9338-0844 5 &
Philippe Ciais ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8560-4943 6

Nature Reviews Earth & Environment volume 5 , pages 253–254 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Global CO 2 emissions for 2023 increased by only 0.1% relative to 2022 (following increases of 5.4% and 1.9% in 2021 and 2022, respectively), reaching 35.8 Gt CO 2 . These 2023 emissions consumed 10–66.7% of the remaining carbon budget to limit warming to 1.5°C, suggesting permissible emissions could be depleted within 0.5–6 years (67% likelihood).

Data from the Carbon Monitor indicate 35.8 Gt CO 2 were emitted globally in 2023.

Although the trend is upwards, the pace of growth has been slowing, suggesting global emissions might have plateaued.

India overtook the EU as the third highest emitter globally.

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Liu, Z. et al. Global patterns of daily CO2 emissions reductions in the first year of COVID-19. Nat. Geosci. 15 , 615–620 (2022).

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IPCC. Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2021).

Lamboll, R. D. et al. Assessing the size and uncertainty of remaining carbon budgets. Nat. Clim. Change. 13 , 1360–1367 (2023).

Crippa, M. et al. Fossil CO 2 and GHG Emissions of All World Countries - 2020 report . (Publications Office of the European Union, 2020).

Zhu, B. et al. CarbonMonitor-Power near-real-time monitoring of global power generation on hourly to daily scales. Sci. Data 10 , 217 (2023).

Ke, P. et al. Carbon Monitor Europe near-real-time daily CO 2 emissions for 27 EU countries and the United Kingdom. Sci. Data 10 , 374 (2023).

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Zhu Liu & Zhu Deng

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Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Alibaba Cloud, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA

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Two former BNP Paribas bankers have raised almost $100 million for a new fund which aims to unlock billions of dollars of funding for climate-aligned infrastructure projects in Africa.

Coral reefs bleach in the Great Barrier Reef as scientists conduct in-water monitoring during marine heat in Arlington Reef

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Global coral bleaching event called by US climate agency for the fourth time in history after year of extreme ocean heat

A drone image of coral formations on the Great Barrier Reef

Maya Srinivasan still remembers being blown away by the incredible beauty of the coral reef the very first time she put on her goggles to go for a dive.

It was an instant love affair and cemented her resolve to become a marine biologist.

But, she says, it's been a sad summer on the Great Barrier Reef.

A drone image of bleached out coral formations of the Great Barrier Reef

"I've been close to tears quite a few times in the last few weeks."

Though it looked pretty, she knew the mix of fluorescing colours and white she saw during her surveys was bad news.

They were the signpost of a much wider story sweeping the globe.

Over the last year, widespread bleaching of coral reefs has occurred in oceans all across the planet, with America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) now officially declaring it a "global mass bleaching event" for just the 4th time in history.

"This is something everyone should be worried about, and everyone should be angry about, frankly," NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch coordinator Derek Manzello said.

The news comes after a year of extreme heat in the world's oceans, with sea surface temperatures at record levels every day.

For an event to be deemed a global event, a certain percentage of reefs in each of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans need to have reached levels of heat stress consistent with significant bleaching throughout the previous year.

A journey across the oceans

Each of these dots represents the location of a reef around the globe.

Depending on where they live, the corals on these reefs can handle a vast range of temperatures.

Some are used to the warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean.

Others thrive in the cooler, sub-tropical waters off Western Australia.

But all of them are susceptible to bleaching when the sea surface temperature rises above the typical summertime peak.

To measure the health of reefs and the stress they are under, scientists use a reef bleaching alert scale.

level 1 (l1) - Risk of reef-wide coral bleaching.

level 2 (l2) - Risk of reef-wide coral bleaching with mortality of heat-sensitive corals.

level 3 (l3) - Risk of multi-species mortality.

level 4 (l4) - Risk of severe multi-species mortality. (> 50 per cent of corals)

level 5 (l5) - Risk of near complete mortality. (> 80 per cent of corals)

Alert levels 3 to 5 were only recently added, in response to the unprecedented levels of coral bleaching heat stress witnessed last year.

Mass bleaching started in Fiji and Vanuatu as early as February during La Niña conditions.

In June, mass bleaching began to take off across the eastern Pacific and southern Caribbean and in waters around Central America.

And by the end of summer, extreme temperatures were being reported in the reefs all across the north-west Atlantic.

For the first time ever, coral was bleaching on both the Atlantic and the Pacific side of Panama at the exact same time.

"That's never happened before," Dr Manzello said.

"So there's a lot things about this event that are different from previous events, and we're just starting to understand what those differences are."

Florida's coral in particular had never been exposed to this magnitude of heat stress, hitting values more than three times its previous record.

Shock at Cheeca Rocks reef

Underwater, the devastation couldn't be more clear.

In the shallows of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Cheeca Rocks reef is usually brimming with life.

It's a site of particular interest to researchers in the area due to its resilience.

When faced with stress in the past, it had maintained comparably high living coral cover relative to its surrounding offshore reefs.

But when Ian Enochs, who is the head of the coral program at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, dived underneath the water to look at the site in July, the usually colourful reef corals were entirely bleached.

They had expelled their colourful algae inhabitants — which have a symbiotic relationship with the coral — after weeks of extreme heat stress.

"We've unfortunately seen bleaching at that site before, but I had never seen complete, absolutely everything, everything bleached stark white, and severely paled," he said.

Coral bleaching doesn't always lead to mortality.

If temperatures cool quickly enough, coral can regain its colour in a matter of weeks to months, although even mild coral bleaching events can result in lower growth rates and disrupt coral spawning, which can have significant effects on coral recovery.

Where coral is dead, however, researchers say it takes several years of good conditions for the reef to recover.

And at the Cheeca Rocks site in the Florida Keys, when Dr Enochs first surveyed the reef, there was already mortality.

He said in some cases the record-setting heat meant the coral hadn't just bleached, but completely disintegrated.

An underwater photo of a diver above pale-coloured coral reef

"The soft corals, the sea fans, and sea whips that don't necessarily provide that structure, but are very, very important for coral reef ecosystems, they hadn't just bleached, they had disintegrated," he said.

Relentless ocean heat

The bleaching at Florida Keys, and elsewhere around the globe, is a clear reflection of the extraordinary ocean temperatures in 2023, which have been rising for decades due to the burning of fossil fuels, scientists say.

Last year those temperatures reached new extremes.

For over a year straight, the average daily surface temperature of the world's oceans has been the hottest on record.

"The size of the anomaly, so just how hot it has been above average, for the entire global ocean has been off the charts," NOAA's Dr Manzello said.

Rising greenhouse gas emissions, which reached record high concentrations in 2023 , combined with the onset of El Niño, deserve the blame, University of New South Wales physical oceanographer Matt England said.

A photo from above of the Great Barrier Reef shades of blue ocean

"People have been speaking about cleaner air over the oceans with the shipping industry fixing up emissions, and they definitely can contribute," he said.

"But basically, to first order, this is a climate change problem, superimposed with some aspects of the warming that can be linked to El Niño."

Wave of destruction moves south

Part of the global bleaching story is also how widespread the heat has been, with few areas of cooler-than-normal waters at any one time.

While the Caribbean was in the middle of its most severe heatwave on record, the Persian Gulf was also being impacted.

In the southern hemisphere, bleaching generally occurs toward the end of summer.

But pockets of the western Indian Ocean off Africa were already reaching the bleaching alert threshold as early as December and January.

So too were the remote reefs of the central Pacific.

And by the end of summer, large portions of the reefs in the southern hemisphere, including around Australia, were flashing red.

Short window, massive change

From above, aerial surveys of the Great Barrier Reef revealed a "mass coral bleaching event" was unfolding across the world-heritage site.

These images of the Lizard Island Reefs, taken by CSIRO marine ecologist George Roff, show the stark transformation of the site in only three months over the summer.

"What really surprised us was the extent of the bleaching," he said.

"Some sites we surveyed in December were among the healthiest reefs I'd seen in 10 to 15 years, with coral cover upwards of 80 per cent."

But when Dr Roff surveyed the same reefs again in March this year, bleaching had impacted almost the entire coral colony, and half of them had died.

The coral that had bleached was the very coral they'd seen rapidly recover from the last bleaching event in 2016.

In the water at other sites of the reef system, James Cook University marine biologist Maya Srinivasan observed a "devastating" mix of vibrant colours and white.

"To the untrained eye, bleached reefs actually look incredibly beautiful because the corals fluoresce and then turn white, so you get amazing shades of bright pink, blue and purple," she said.

"But unfortunately seeing them in those bright colours, and white, you just know that they're stressed. "

Bleached staghorn and corymbose Acros coral formations

The in-water surveys of the reef are still ongoing and are a crucial part of understanding the severity and depth of the bleaching.

Surveys so far have revealed varying levels of coral bleaching, ranging from minor to severe, with some mortality among it, according to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Dr Srinivasan said the areas of healthy reef on her surveys at the Turtle Group islands were "few and far between", with the worst impacts in the shallows.

"I think at the stage we're at, if all the bleached coral die, it's going to take some time to come back, and they may not have enough time between bleaching events to fully recover," she said.

Even still, Dr Srinivasan holds on to some hope that some of the bleached corals at the reef will survive if conditions cool down quickly enough.

A diver holding an implement above coral at Ningaloo Reef.

Meanwhile in Western Australia, the world-heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, and those in the Pilbara, are expected to have avoided falling to the same fate as other reefs around the globe, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS).

The consequences of losing coral reefs are catastrophic for the oceans, providing a home to a quarter of the world's marine species — including fish, turtles and algae.

They are like the bricks and mortar of ecosystems. If they break down due to death, then species like fish aren't able to find refuge from predators and everything starts to change.

The death of coral also represents a huge economic loss, with the Great Barrier Reef alone contributing more than $6.4 billion each year to the Australian economy and around 64,000 full-time jobs.

Scientists expect the worst

All up, NOAA's data shows bleaching has been confirmed across 54 countries and territories since February 2023, spanning all major ocean basins.

This is how severe bleaching got to in reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea during the last year.

A sea of white, which means most reefs are at the highest alert level.

A look at the same period a year prior shows just how extreme this bleaching event has been.

A full global account of how many corals have survived will take months, if not longer, due to the ongoing nature of climate events in the southern hemisphere.

But there will be significant mortality, coral scientists say.

The reef is visible in this aerial shot of Lizard Point at the Great Barrier Reef.

Spatially, the amount of bleaching is already on par with the last global event, which was the worst on record, but the hope is it won't be as severe.

Though coral reefs can regrow, the luxury of time without bleaching hasn't been afforded to the last two mass bleaching events.

Scientists are worried that will be the case for this event, too.

"What we're seeing now is really the start of severe, large-scale, persistent impacts that are just continuing to occur with increasing frequency, and that's the really alarming thing," Dr Manzello said.

Giving reefs time to breathe

But, Dr Manzello added, "by no means does this mean all is lost for coral reefs, at this point in time".

The key characteristic of large-scale events was the variability of bleaching among the reefs, which gave them a fighting chance of recovery in years like this.

"So, much of the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing bleaching right now, however not all reefs are going to be impacted the same," he said.

"And this is really crucial, because it's those reefs that escape the most severe impacts that act as sources of larvae for the reefs that did get impacted to recover."

An underwater photo of coral formations in brown hues

The top row shows corals at Eyrie Reef in December 2023. The row below shows just how much these corals have changed in just three months.

This is particularly true for reefs like the Great Barrier Reef, where Dr Manzello said there were still enough healthy corals around spawning and reproducing that it could settle on new sites.

"All is not lost, yet," he said.

Similar glimmers of hope have been reiterated in Florida, where Dr Enochs said, despite the widespread mortality, some coral was already starting to show colour again.

"If I had to distil it all down, I would say that we have seen how bad things can be but we also have seen that it's not too late to do something meaningful for our coral reefs," he said.

"The magnitude of the challenge we are facing is huge, but it is not impossible."

At the Great Barrier Reef, Dr Srinivasan is hoping Australia's deep connection to coral will spur on necessary change to make sure that hope doesn't fade.

"Coral reefs are just incredible ecosystems, and you only have to snorkel or dive on one once to feel a connection," she said.

"I'm just hoping people use that feeling of appreciation and admiration, and wanting to show their children reefs, to do all they can to tackle climate change."

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Climate Forward

Has tesla peaked.

And what would that mean for the climate?

By David Gelles

Tesla is in a bad spot.

The world’s largest electric carmaker on Monday told employees it would lay off more than 10 percent of its work force , and two senior executives said they were leaving .

Earlier this month Tesla announced a stunning drop in sales , delivering 387,000 cars worldwide in the first quarter, down 8.5 percent from the same time last year. The company’s stock has fallen more than 35 percent this year, including a 5.5 percent drop on Monday. Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive, appears strangely disengaged with the company’s stumbles and preoccupied with other pursuits .

Tesla is still the biggest electric vehicle manufacturer, credited with almost single-handedly creating the E.V. sector. As Tesla went, so went the industry.

But in a remarkably short period of time, the electric vehicle business appears to have untethered itself from Tesla.

American, Korean, Chinese and European carmakers all have big, durable E.V. product lines with growing sales. Ford sold 20,223 electric vehicles in the first quarter of the year, an increase of 86 percent from the previous year, making it the second best-selling E.V. brand in the U.S.

BMW said it delivered 82,700 all-electric cars around the world in the first three months of the year, up sharply from a year earlier. And in China, where Musk helped establish the market for electric vehicles, and the expertise to produce them, Tesla is losing its edge over Chinese competitors .

In recent months, total E.V. sales have softened a bit . But analysts expect long term sales to keep rising. Phasing out gas powered cars is an effective, and relatively easy, way to bring down planet warming emissions. And policy developments around the globe make it a near certainty that most big carmakers will be going all-in on E.V.s in the years ahead.

“The challenges with any particular company, Tesla or otherwise, doesn’t mean doom and gloom for the E.V. industry at large,” said Pete Slowik of the International Council on Clean Transportation. “We are at a place where this transition is real and we have significant momentum from every global automaker.”

Tesla’s woes

Tesla was the first carmaker to prove there was a market for electric vehicles. That helped make it the most valuable car company in the world, and prompted traditional automakers to jump into the E.V. market. More recently, however, Tesla has been slow to innovate.

It has not introduced a new car in years. The company reportedly canceled plans for a low-cost model in the face of rising competition. The Cybertruck release has been marred with problems . A long-promised fully self driving mode remains elusive. And Musk, who is also the chief executive of the rocket company SpaceX and the owner of social media platform X, has alienated many consumers with his polarizing behavior.

Tesla’s market share of E.V. sales in the United States is now 51 percent, down from 65 percent less than two years ago .

There are many factors at play, but at the root of Tesla’s troubles is the mercurial Musk, whom I interviewed in a surreal 2018 conversation during the depths of the Model 3 production woes.

Musk is an entrepreneur who has always taken big swings. These days, he is eschewing the traditional carmaker strategy of offering gradual upgrades each year and introducing a few new models each decade. Instead he is betting on big innovations, including the Cybertruck and especially self-driving mode, to revive Tesla.

“He only seems interested in Mars-shots these days,” said my colleague Jack Ewing, who has been speaking with sources privy to what’s happening inside Tesla. “He seems bored by the idea of coming out with an upgraded Model 3.”

That strategy may appeal to Musk’s world-conquering ambitions. But it’s not a winning formula in the car business, which is driven by incremental updates and the regular introduction of new models.

Tesla, which does not have a media relations department, did not reply to a request for comment.

Acceleration

Recent policy changes make it virtually certain that the E.V. market will keep growing. Last month the Biden administration finalized rules that will effectively force automakers to make a majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. all-electric or hybrids by 2032. E.V.s make up just 7.6 percent of new U.S. car sales today.

In Europe, China and other countries around the world, governments have introduced policies designed to spur the adoption and production of electric vehicles.

What’s more, E.V.s are going to get much better, and soon. Batteries are expected to get lighter and more powerful, range is going to improve and prices will likely come down.

Those advances will make it easier than ever for new companies to gain market share, especially if Tesla isn’t keeping up with the latest features or introducing new models.

Tesla isn’t going away anytime soon. It remains the biggest seller of E.V.s in the U.S., and is worth 10 times as much as Ford. All of the major North American carmakers have agreed to adopt Tesla’s charging standard , and Tesla has not given any sign that it is slowing down its build out of chargers.

But without a renewed burst of innovation — whether it be new models, longer range, new features or radically lower prices — Tesla will be at risk of falling behind in the industry it helped create.

The global coral crisis may have already started

The world’s coral reefs may be in the middle of the widest global bleaching event ever recorded , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and international partners announced Monday. Extraordinarily high ocean temperatures are to blame .

Bleaching happens when corals become so stressed that they lose the symbiotic algae they need to survive, my colleague Catrin Einhorn explained . If the water surrounding them is too hot for too long, bleached corals die.

This is the fourth global bleaching event on record, but scientists expect it to affect more reefs than any other. They should know for sure within a week or two.

Coral reefs, as Catrin wrote, nurture an estimated one-quarter of ocean species at some point during their life cycles, supporting fish that provide protein for millions of people and protecting coasts from storms.

Some scientists are trying “assisted evolution” to give vulnerable wildlife such as coral reefs a chance, my colleague Emily Anthes wrote . In 2015, for instance, scientists created more heat-resistant coral by crossbreeding colonies from different latitudes.

Many conservation groups fear that the interventions are just a distraction to the broader solutions needed to avert the extinction crisis, especially curbing climate change.

— Manuela Andreoni

To protect the koala, scientists are experimenting with vaccine implants, probiotics, tree-planting drones and solar-powered tracking tags .

Scientists are racing to figure out why endangered sawfish started dying in Florida at unprecedented rates .

More climate news

The Washington Post has advice on how to save money and avoid wasting food .

The Environmental Protection Agency tried all policies in its handbook to clean up a Kentucky town but still failed, ProPublica reports .

The BBC is tracking the world’s biggest iceberg as it drifts toward oblivion .

India’s growing energy needs are complicating the country’s goal of reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, Bloomberg reports .

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Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term. Changes observed in Earth's climate since the mid-20th century are driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, […]
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Global warming and climate change are often used interchangeably as synonyms, but scientists prefer to use "climate change" when describing the complex shifts now affecting our planet's ...
The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof
Studies show that warming is the driving factor behind the recent increases in wildfires; one analysis found that climate change is responsible for doubling the area burned across the American ...
Global Warming and Climate Change Essay
Global Warming and Climate Change Essay. Better Essays. 2336 Words. 10 Pages. Open Document. Global warming and the greenhouse effect are issues discussed by scientists all the time. A natural process that keeps earths temperature at a livable rate is called the greenhouse effect. The energy from the sun warms up the earth when the rays from ...
Responding to the Climate Threat: Essays on Humanity's Greatest
The scientific, economic, and policy aspects of climate change are already a challenge to communicate, without factoring in the distractions and deflections from organized programs of misinformation and denial. Here, four scholars, each with decades of research on the climate threat, take on the task of explaining our current understanding of ...
Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions
An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.
Our Future Is Now
Climate change is defined as "a pattern of change affecting global or regional climate," based on "average temperature and rainfall measurements" as well as the frequency of extreme weather events. 1 These varied temperature and weather events link back to both natural incidents and human activity. 2 Likewise, the term global warming ...
Global Warming Essay for Students in English
Global Warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the earth's surface during the last century. One of the reasons why Global Warming is dangerous is because it disturbs the overall ecology of the planet. This results in floods, famine, cyclones and other issues. There are many causes and results of this warming and is a danger ...
Beyond Catastrophe: A New Climate Reality Is Coming Into View
The cost of global climate damage has already run into the trillions, and the bill for adaptation in the developing world could reach $300 billion annually by 2030. Galveston, Texas, is ...
Climate Changes, So Should We...
In 2015, the Paris Agreement, which is legally binding on climate change, has been accepted by approximately 191 countries to limit global warming to below 2, if possible, to 1.5. The countries have committed to achieve this primary goal and minimise global warming. To accomplish this goal requires all parties to put forward their best efforts ...
Essay On Climate Change
Climate and global warming negatively impact agriculture. Greenhouse gases play a significant role in climate change. ... Short Essay On Climate Change In 250 Words For Kids. Climate change is not a good indicator and means that the earth is depleting rapidly. Kids can include this point in a short essay for classes 1, 2, and 3 kids and can ...
What if global emissions went down instead of up?
Also, even if emissions do start waning this year or next, they are unlikely to fall 43 per cent by 2030 from 2019 levels, which is what the Panel says is needed to keep the Paris Agreement's 1 ...
What's the difference between climate change and global warming?
The terms "global warming" and "climate change" are sometimes used interchangeably, but "global warming" is only one aspect of climate change. "Global warming" refers to the long-term warming of the planet. Global temperature shows a well-documented rise since the early 20th century and most notably since the late 1970s. Worldwide since 1880, the average surface […]
Global carbon emissions in 2023
Global CO2 emissions for 2023 increased by only 0.1% relative to 2022 (following increases of 5.4% and 1.9% in 2021 and 2022, respectively), reaching 35.8 Gt CO2. These 2023 emissions consumed 10 ...
Climate Change: Global Warming's Bright Side
The Bright Side of Global Warming. A climate activist wearing a face mask protests while smoke and haze caused by wildfires in Canada pass through New York, in New York City, June 8, 2023. (Amr ...
Swiss women win landmark climate case at Europe top human rights court
Gloria Dickie reports on climate and environmental issues for Reuters. She is based in London. Her interests include biodiversity loss, Arctic science, the cryosphere, international climate ...
Global warming is coming for your home
The potential costs stem from policies designed to reduce the emissions of houses as well as from climate-related damage. They are enormous. By one estimate, climate change and the fight against ...
Global coral bleaching event called by US climate agency for the fourth
Short window, massive change From above, aerial surveys of the Great Barrier Reef revealed a "mass coral bleaching event" was unfolding across the world-heritage site.
Has Tesla Peaked?
April 16, 2024, 1:54 p.m. ET. Tesla is in a bad spot. The world's largest electric carmaker on Monday told employees it would lay off more than 10 percent of its work force, and two senior ...

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