Human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in Earth’s atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, aerosols (small particles), and cloudiness. The largest known
contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases and aero-sols affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and out-going infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth’s energy balance.
There is overwhelming evidence that human activities, especially burning fossil fuels, are leading to increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which in turn amplify the natural greenhouse effect, causing the temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere, ocean, and land surface to increase. That greenhouse gases “trap” infrared heat is well established through laboratory experiments going back to the mid 1850s when Sir John Tyndall first measured the effect.
Indeed,Emissions from cars and power plants and an increase in the amount of radiation the sun emits are examples of “forcings ” that drive temperature rise, the first one by trapping heat, and the second one by increasing energy, which translated into heat. Volcanic events and some types of human-made pollution, both of which inject sunlight-reflecting aerosols (i.e., tiny particles) into the atmosphere, lower temperature and are examples of forcings that drive decreases in temperature.
Human activities contribute to Climate change by causing changes in Earth’s atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, aerosols (small particles), and cloudiness. The largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere.
The human impact on climate change is the most frequently misunderstood aspect of climate science. Some sectors of the public continue to debate whether these ideas can be true, despite the well-established science. There are several possible reasons why students may resist the conclusion that humans are altering the climate.
This concept may be uncomfortable to students due to feelings of guilt, political resistance, or genuine lack of scientific understanding. Furthermore, projections of the effects of climate change on our society can frighten, overwhelm, or discourage students. This can result in denial or resistance to learning. Furthermore, even if a student possesses a firm grasp of this topic, it is nearly certain that at some point this knowledge will be challenged outside of class. Building a solid and careful scientific argument is essential.
Changing the atmospheric abundance or properties of these gases and particles can lead to a warming or cooling of the climate system. Since the start of the industrial era (about 1750), the overall effect of human activities on climate has been a warm-ing influence. The human impact on climate during this era greatly exceeds that due to known changes in natural processes, such as solar changes and volcanic eruptions
Green House gases and aerosols affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and out-going infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth’s energy balance. Changing the atmospheric abundance or properties of these gases and particles can lead to a warming or cooling of the climate system.
Natural climate drivers include the energy from the sun; aerosols from periodic volcanic eruptions, dust, and salt spray; natural carbon cycle processes like termite mounds in Africa that emit methane, or tiny organisms in the ocean surface that take up carbon dioxide; and variation in snow and ice cover that change how much the Earth’s surface reflects the sun’s energy back into space (referred to as albedo).
