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Global warming is the process of our planet heating up. You might wonder what the problem with this is – everyone likes sunny countries anyway, right? The problem is that this is having devastating effects on life on Earth, with many plant and animal species struggling to survive including, in many parts of the world, humans.
Global warming is being driven by human activity.
Human activities are releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The most common type of greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is released when we burn fossil fuels to heat homes, make electricity, power vehicles, and so much more! What is more? As well as releasing greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide, we are bulldozing our rainforests and trees which absorb carbon dioxide in a process called deforestation. So, we are both emitting more carbon dioxide, and absorbing less carbon dioxide!
Greenhouse gases work like a greenhouse’s glass – the sunlight enters through them but can’t leave. So, they trap heat from the sun inside the atmosphere causing the earth to warm.
Earth has warmed by about 1°C since the industrial revolution (a period in the late 18th century when power-driven machinery and large factories were introduced).
Global warming has devastating effects on plants, animals, and humans living on the planet!
Humans and animals can suffer from heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke causing illness and meaning that they can’t be as productive at school or at work.
Crops also suffer in a similar way. Many plants can’t survive the high temperatures and start to die or produce less crop. This means that farmers are able to produce less food to feed the world, and to earn money to feed themselves, causing poverty and hunger around the world.
But global warming is just one small part of a much bigger problem, called climate change. Climate change refers to changes in the earth’s weather patterns, rather than just global warming. These include more extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and storms. All of these can damage or destroy crops, buildings & infrastructure and can sometimes even lead to animals and people dying.
We need willing and enthusiastic people like you to take a stand against climate change. Remember that any positive change you make, no matter how small, will be slowing climate change.
You can:
If you’d like to learn more about global warming and its effects, check out the page on UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action.
