The use of fossil fuels, deforestation and livestock farming are increasingly affecting the earth's climate and temperature. These activities release huge amounts of greenhouse gases, which add to those naturally present in the atmosphere, thus enhancing the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Global warming
The period 2011-2020 was the warmest decade on record. In 2019, the global average temperature was 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels. For more information, discover here. Human-induced global warming is currently increasing at a rate of 0.2°C per decade. An increase of 2°C above the pre-industrial temperature is the threshold beyond which serious impacts on the natural environment and human health and well-being are likely to occur, and the risk of dangerous or even catastrophic climate change is much higher. This is why the international community has recognised the need to keep global warming below 2°C and to continue our efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Greenhouse gases
The main driver of climate change is the greenhouse effect. Certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere act like the walls of a greenhouse: they allow solar energy to enter the atmosphere but prevent it from escaping, causing global warming. Many of these greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, but human activities are increasing the concentrations of some of them, in particular Carbon dioxide (CO2);methane;nitrous oxide;fluorinated gases. CO2 produced by human activities is the main cause of global warming. By 2020, its concentration in the atmosphere had risen to 48% above its pre-industrial (pre-1750) level.Other greenhouse gases are emitted by human activities in smaller quantities. Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, but its lifetime in the atmosphere is shorter. Finally, it should be noted that greenhouse gases contribute more to the climatic woes we are experiencing on planet earth. If nothing is done in the next few years, the earth will become unlivable and it will be the end of the humanoid reign.