According to the United Nations, there are six major causes for the increase in global warming. Nearly all of these causes are in one way related to fossil fuel emissions, which is by far one of the leading contributors to climate change.
Generating Power
Burning fossil fuels contributes to a large percentage of total electricity and heat around the world, and in turn is one of the largest producers of greenhouse gasses globally. However, only about a quarter of total power is produced by renewable energy sources (wind, solar, etc.) and they do not produce any greenhouse gasses (United Nations, n.d.)
Greenhouse gas emissions have been rising since the 1800s, mainly due to the Industrial Revolution. However, emissions have skyrocketed since the 1950s, to the exponential amount we see today. (Ritchie & Roser, 2020)
(Ritchie & Roser, 2020)
> What are Greenhouse Gasses?
Greenhouse Gasses mostly consists of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, they trap the Sun’s heat into the atmosphere, and is a contributor to global rising temperatures
(United Nations, n.d.)
Power Consumption
> Corporations (click here!)
Corporations are the largest contributors to global energy usage. Across the world, corporate buildings take up over half of the global electricity. This is mainly caused by rising air conditioning and heat units, as well as increased energy usage for appliances, lighting, and various devices such as computers.
(United Nations, n.d.)
> Individual (click here!)
Our lifestyles have an effect on greenhouse gasses. Clothing, plastic products, electronics, as well as power usage and food waste all have an effect on the environment. While a significant percentage of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide are contributed to common households, the wealthy hold a significant amount of responsibility. According to the United Nations, “the richest 1% account for more greenhouse emissions than the poorest 50% combined”
(United Nations, n.d.)
Manufacturing Goods
The majority of emissions produced by manufacturing companies are a result of burning fossil fuels to produce energy to manufacture a wide variety of products that are commonly used, that can range from cement, iron, and steel to products such as clothing and plastic. Many industrial fields such as mining and construction releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, and many modern machines used in manufacturing use coal, oil, or gas for power.
Some materials we use everyday, such as plastics, are made from chemicals stored and released from fossil fuels. Additionally, according to the United Nations, “the manufacturing industry is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide”
(United Nations, n.d.)
Deforestation
When trees are cut, they release carbon into the atmosphere. About 12 million hectares of forest are cut every year, and due to the fact that forests absorb carbon dioxide, deforestation leads to limiting nature’s ability to control emissions in the atmosphere. Deforestation, as well as agricultural land clearing and other land uses, make up about a quarter of the total greenhouse gas emissions
(United Nations, n.d.)
Transportation
Most modern vehicles, aside from electric cars, use fossil fuels, most commonly as gasoline. Due to this, vehicles are a large contributor to greenhouse gasses, most specifically CO2 (Carbon dioxide). Common road vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and buses, contribute the largest amount to greenhouse gas emissions, but the contribution from airplanes and ships is rising steadily. On average, according to the United Nations, these various forms of transportation account for about a quarter of total global emissions.
(United Nations, n.d.)
Natural Causes
Not all causes of climate change are caused by humans! Some natural causes that contributes to climate change includes changes in the Earth’s rotation, changes in solar activity, volcano activity, and natural causes in greenhouse gasses concentrations. While not all factors of climate change is caused by humans, there are steps we can take to lessen our effect.
(Environmental Protection Agency, 2023)