We are always hearing about the main polluting factors affecting the current climate change and how they affect the population. But do we really know what climate change means, how it has changed since the origins of the Earth and what changes the future holds?
This week brings the International Day Against Climate Change, and we would like to share with you a few ideas to provide a better grasp of how climate is currently affected and what the consequences are for the future.
What do we understand by climate and climate change?
The climate is the average product of a set of environmental conditions (temperature, pressure, wind, humidity and rainfall) for a specific geographical region, measured daily by satellites and platforms over decades.
We understand climate change as a variation in climate, brought about by global warming and mainly due to greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, such as CO2, resulting from human activity and which would not be produced naturally.
What was the climate like in the past?
There is scientific evidence that the climate on Earth has never been linear, with abrupt climate changes occurring naturally and prompting extreme variations in temperatures.
For millions of years there were periods of very hot temperatures on the planet, making life impossible, along with glacial periods which led to the extinction of species and wet and rainy eras which brought about major changes in sea levels and the growth of vegetation.
Current climate change
Since the Industrial Revolution, and through until the present day, human activity has caused continuous greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere, producing an increase in global temperatures which currently affects ecosystems and poses a greater risk of heatwaves, less rainfall and less availability of water.
What will the main climate changes be like in the future?
It is very likely that surface temperatures on Earth will rise by 1.5 degrees by the end of the 21st century.
This will prompt future climate changes in the form of more frequent heatwaves, less usual cold seasons and variations in the atmosphere leading to extreme weather episodes. The heat in the oceans will affect the marine ecosystem, while glaciers will lose volume and CO2 levels in the atmosphere will rise. Climate change will also affect society, affecting food production, water availability and more.
Why we need to look after the enviroment?
The future of our planet depends on our actions. Here at Endolla we want to urge people to look after the environment, promoting sustainable mobility which cuts CO2 emissions and involves a lifestyle which is healthier for everybody.