While climatic changes occur naturally due to factors like El Nino, human activities are the primary driver of current global warming. The burning of fossil fuels has increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere significantly since the industrial revolution. This greenhouse gas traps heat and is melting ice caps, raising sea levels and risking coastal cities. Deforestation also contributes by reducing areas that absorb CO2 and protect against warming. However, natural factors alone cannot explain the current scale and speed of observed climatic changes.

1. “The causes of global climatic change are essentially human”. Discuss this statement.
Humans have never stopped evolving and that since their creation. However, only until
recently, these developments brought by humans are believed to affect the environment. The
different consequences of global warming and climatic change are said by many scientists and
ecologists to be man induced. But to what extent are those hazards the consequences of human
development?
The main source of energy produced by humans is through the burning of fossil fuels and other
forms of carbon contained elements. Energy is required for the proper function of just about
everything nowadays. When those carbon based elements are burnt, energy and Carbon Dioxide are
also released. Carbon Dioxide is known for its characteristics of trapping heat coming from the sun,
and is thus referred to as a greenhouse gas. With the modernization and urbanization of many cities
around the world, the emission of Carbon dioxide has been on the increase since the turn of the
21th century. Despite the introduction of policies such as the Kyoto convention and the Rio
convention, as well as the Millennium goals involving the emission of Carbon Dioxide, the
concentration of this gas in the atmosphere is still quite high. The heating up of the planet will
eventually lead to more drastic consequences, such as the melting of the ice caps, leading to a rise in
sea level. An increase in sea level will mean that many cities found near coasts will be submerged,
whilst water-borne diseases must not be forgotten. Melting of the ice caps could also mean that
more heat will be trapped in our atmosphere, since the Albedo effect will happen to a lesser extent.
Since the turn of the century, human have started to rely much more heavily on transportation.
Massive traffic jams can be seen on many roads of big cities. Vehicles need to produce energy to
function. The production of energy in the car engine will without doubt produce and emit Carbon
Dioxide. This will therefore enhance the effects of global warming. However, it must be noted that
Carbon Dioxide is not the only harmful gas to human kind. Other such gases exist, such as Methane,
Nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is equally produced from the burning of fossil
fuels, whilst Nitrogen dioxide is produced from the exhaust pipes of certain vehicles. Equally to add
to that list is Chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFCs), which are emitted from aerosols and certain types of
refrigerators. This gas is not only a greenhouse gas, but has been revealed to destroy the ozone
layer. The ozone layer is a layer made out of ozone which protects the Earth from the powerful
sunlight coming from the sun. It reduces considerably the intensity of those rays. However, as CFCs
are released into the atmosphere, they tend to rise in the air and react with the ozone layer, leaving
behind big holes. Scientists have noticed that there is a huge gap just above the Antarctica, and
predict that this may increase if actions are not taken.
The fact that Carbon dioxide is being emitted into the atmosphere at an alarming rate does not
necessarily mean the end of the world. Green plants are known to absorb this gas during the process
of photosynthesis, whilst producing oxygen. However, man is always in search of more land, for
diverse purposes. Every year, many hectares of forest are being cleared for the building of new
houses or industries. Despite efforts brought by countries such as Norway (who actually pay
countries with forests, in exchange of not cutting down trees), much work is left in order to strike
the perfect balance. The destruction of forests does not only mean the quicker the warming up of
the Earth, but also desertification. Desertification is the process by which a fertile region soon loses

2. its fertility, and is no longer able to support. This happens when there are no more trees to
evapotranspirate, and thus the formation of clouds above that particular region will be much less.
On the other side of the coin, there are many evidences pointing to the fact that climatic change
and global warming are enhanced due to natural factors. The first and most evident factor which
creates a climatic change is the El Nino southern oscillation (ENSO). During a non-EL Nino period, the
climate over South America is hot and dry, with little rainfall. This is because of the cool waters
present off the coast of South America. On the other side of the pacific, countries such as Australia
and Indonesia observe a warm climate, with moderate rainfall all across the year. This is due to the
warm waters present off the coast of those countries. It must be noted that those warm waters are
brought by winds. However, during an El Nino period, the wind directions change, and the warm
waters move off the coast of South America, whilst cool waters are present off the coasts of
Australia and Indonesia. The climate of those countries also change, with South America receiving
higher than normal rainfall, whilst countries such as Australia and Indonesia going through periods of
intense drought.
Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, gases which have been mentioned before, are also
naturally produced. For example, Sulfur dioxide is produced during volcanic eruptions, along with
ashes. Volcanic eruptions are evidently a completely natural process, and are by no means human
induced. Nitrogen dioxide is produced during lightnings, which is equally a natural process.
To conclude this essay, it can be said that despite climate change being enhanced by both
human induced and natural process, it is worth pointing out that the men induce factors are much
more important in the triggering of such a hazard.