What Causes Climate Change? The Simple Answer

Here’s a Simple-To-Understand Answer to the Question “What Causes Climate Change”?

It’s a question I am asked – a lot. Clare, what causes climate change?

Climate science is quite complex. There are a lot of variables and inputs. But I’m going to give you the simple, non-technical, easy-to-understand explanation of what causes climate change.

It’s important to know.

The Climate Changed in the Past. So, What Causes Climate Change Now?

Certainly, the Earth’s climate changes over time. We’ve had ice ages and warmer periods in the distant past.

But what’s happening now is completely different. It’s very rapid change, and it’s extreme.

And what causes climate change right now? We do. Us. All of us.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels have brought us huge benefits. We would not have any of our modern conveniences or our current lifestyles and standard of living without fossil fuels.

• In order to provide the wonderful electricity that powers everything, and the fuel for our transport, we burn fossil fuels. They produce CO2 (carbon dioxide), a greenhouse gas, which makes heat from the sun stay on Earth rather than go back out to space (like a greenhouse keeps the heat trapped inside the glass).
• To produce food we clear forests to grow crops, or to grow animals to eat. (Or space for us to live). The trees in those forests absorbed CO2 – but not when they’re cut down. So the CO2 problem becomes worse through deforestation.
• Animals produce methane –  and we’re rearing so many animals for food now that methane (another greenhouse gas) is also a problem. Landfills also produce methane.
• And modern agriculture uses a lot of fertilisers which contribute nitrous oxide to the atmosphere – another greenhouse gas.

So What Do the Greenhouse Gases Do?

By trapping heat on Earth, greenhouse gases make Earth hotter.  But then it gets  worse.

The heat causes ice on the Poles to melt. As the ice melts, the Earth reflects less light – the light is absorbed by the darker-coloured water instead. That heats the water – which melts more ice.

The circulation of the oceans is changed by the retreating ice and rising temperatures, and thawing permafrost (ice) releases carbon into the atmosphere.

That means more greenhouse gases, more heat…….as the temperature rises, more ice melts, sea level rises…………. and so on.

It is truly a vicious circle.

Is Everywhere on the Planet Getting Hotter?

Is everywhere on the planet getting hotter? No. But there are changes to normal weather patterns and there’s more extreme weather. There are always storms, droughts and deluges, but climate change makes them more extreme.

One of the dangers of climate change is that it can be unpredictable. We’ve never seen such a drastic change in so short a time before. Some areas will benefit from it. Many will not.

Can Climate Change Be Stopped?

Probably not, but it can be slowed. We need to take drastic action – stop using fossil fuels.

That takes government pressure – industry and people still need power, so renewable, sustainable energy sources need investment and setup. It’s not an easy task –  developed countries are already set up to use centrally-generated fossil fuels for energy, and changing this takes effort and money.

There’s plenty more to be done – Project Drawdown does a great job of listing important changes that need to happen.

But effectively, our lifestyles are killing the planet we call home.

We’re NOT going to go back to “the Dark Ages” if we give up fossil fuels (as the fossil fuel lobbyists like to tell us), we just need to do things a little differently.

If if you’re thinking “but we need jobs” – absolutely! But look at an example set by the Scandinavian country of Norway. They had invested heavily in oil and gas (they’re currently divesting). The government is ensuring that people who currently work in those industries, are re-trained so that they can find work in renewable energy technologies. No fossil fuels does NOT mean no jobs. We just need to think differently.

After all – there are no jobs on a dead planet.

But it’s not only governments who need to make alternative plans. Individuals can also help.

How Can Individuals Help to Slow Climate Change?

There are many things that you can do to live more sustainably.

But some changes make a bigger impact than others.

For example, recycling is great, but in reality, it’s not enough to make a significant difference.

So it makes sense to focus on the things you can do, that can really make a differnce.

In fact, there are 3 things that you – everyone – can do, that will really help. Download this free report which tells you exactly how to help slow climate change.

Summary

What causes climate change? We do. By our lifestyles and our use of fossil fuels. We need to stop using fossil fuels, and change some of the things we do.

But no, we will NOT suffer by ending fossil fuels, just plan to do things differently.

We can all help, but governments around the world also need to change.

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What do you think about climate change? Let me know in the comments below.

Warm regards,

P.S.  Don’t forget to download your free climate change report here!

Related:

• How many will you get right in this climate change QUIZ?
• Project Drawdown  – the important parts.