Lengua Extranjera III. Actividad 2 Earth matters (Cuidemos nuestro planeta). Alma Lucia De Luna Grande. Matricula 202235371

 Climate Change 

Climate change refers to the changes that are and will occur in temperatures and weather patterns. These changes may be natural, due to variations in solar activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 19th century, humans have been responsible for climate change and their greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet, as we will see later, have been and will continue to be the main driver of climate change, mainly due to the burning of fuels fossils such as coal, oil and gas. 

Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a  blanket enveloping the Earth, trapping the sun's heat and raising temperatures. The main greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change are carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline to drive a car or coal to heat a building, for example. Clearing land and forests can also release carbon dioxide. Agriculture and oil and gas activities are major sources of methane emissions. Energy, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the main emitters. Climate scientists have shown that people are responsible for global warming over the past 200 years. Human activities, such as those mentioned above, generate greenhouse gases that raise the planet's temperature at the fastest rate in the past 2,000 years. The Earth's average temperature is now 1.1°C higher than it was at the end of the 19th century, before the industrial revolution, and higher in absolute terms than in the last 100,000 years. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record. Along these lines, each the last four decades have been warmer than any decade since 1850. Many people think that climate change mainly means warmer temperatures. But rising temperatures are just the beginning of the story.

                                      There are other causes for this weather phenomenon

1. Deforestation: the logging industry, agriculture, mining and livestock are the main economic activities dedicated to felling trees.
2. Disproportionate increase in greenhouse gases: caused by the use of fertilizers, chemical activity for wastewater treatment, the burning of fossil fuels, transportation, heating and urban planning.
3. Accelerated population growth: the increase in the number of inhabitants influences the production of gases that exacerbate the greenhouse effect.

Consequences of climate change

The consequences are affecting and will continue to affect vitally important natural processes. In the case of ecosystems, wetlands, for example, will be at risk of disappearing. Another important point is the constant increase in average temperature and decrease in precipitation, which is creating an ideal breeding ground for fires. 

Below, we show you more consequences of climate change: 

1. Acidification and pollution of water thanks to the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air.
2. Devastating meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes, cyclones, rains, extreme droughts or floods.
3. Death, migration and extinction of different species of animals. In the case of the sea, there are many species that witness the destruction of their habitat. The presence of plastics and other pollutants in the sea, overfishing and other destructive fishing practices contribute to their disappearance.
4. Alteration of the water cycle.
5. Increase in sea level and global temperature due to melting ice.
6. Emergence of diseases such as dengue and malaria.
7. Depletion of natural resources necessary for human life.

Generally:

• We are going to plant trees
• We are going to create green areas
• We will create areas for animal protection
• We will not support activities that encourage the hunting of animals
• We are going to carry out environmental protection campaigns

What will I do to take care of the environment individually?

• After charging your phone we are going to disconnect the charger. This way you will save energy.
• For short distances we will walk or use a bicycle. In short, we are going to use sustainable transportation that does not pollute.
• We will reduce consumption: as specified in SDG 12 of the 2030 Agenda, consumption and production will depend on the use of the natural environment and resources in a way that continues to have harmful effects on our planet. We will transform consumption habits into more sustainable ones, it is essential to fight against climate change and pollution.
• We will eliminate the use of plastic bottles from your routine. In one year we will save up to 167 plastic bottles on average. Every hour 25 million plastic bottles are thrown into the trash in the United States alone.
• We are not going to use objects with plastic. It is one of the most polluting materials and will continue to be polluting.
• For purchases we will use cloth bags. They take up little space and are very resistant, a cloth bag can replace more than 100 plastic bags.
• We are going to use the heating responsibly and keep the thermostat as low as possible.
• We are going to achieve sustainable food: the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will point out that food systems will have an impact on climate change through greenhouse gas emissions derived from production, distribution and food consumption. At the same time, these systems will have great power to mitigate the effects. We are going to make choices in terms of food to face a global climate emergency situation.

Bibliographic references 

Naciones Unidas (S.f) ¿Qué es el cambio climático? Recuperado 27/09/2023. Vease en: https://www.un.org/es/climatechange/what-is-climate-change