Many experts believe that climate change is now unequivocal as humans are now feeling the ill effects brought by this major environmental problem.  The adverse effects of climate change are manifested through the melting of icecaps in the Polar Regions, extreme longer hot season and rainy season, droughts, and existence of more than an average number of storms. Furthermore, a series of flash floods has also plagued various areas in the world which claimed thousands of lives and left many homeless.  Others, meanwhile, have suffered setbacks in its economic development as some of its products, such as agriculture, are adversely affected by global warming and climate change.

However, what is really climate change? How did it come about the way it is right now? What are the things that man can still do in order to save the earth as well as the future generations from the negative impacts of climate change?
What is Climate Change?

Climate Change is a natural phenomenon wherein there is a change in the normal climactic system within a long period of time. This is brought upon by the evolution of time and other natural occurrences. What happened at present, however, is that the normal shift of climate change is being disrupted by human activities; hence, the fast-paced climate change and the extreme adverse effects that go with it.

It has been said that human activities are the causes why climate change existed in an abnormal manner. The continuous emission of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide to the atmosphere is the biggest contributor why the atmosphere is “overpopulated” with toxic gases which, as a result, warms the earth’s surface with unlikely extreme intensity.  As an overview, energy coming from the sun is being filtered first in the atmosphere before reaching the earth’s surface and warms it. Upon reaching the earth’s surface, said energy bounces (or radiates) back into the atmosphere in the form of infra-red energy.  Some of this energy stays at the atmosphere to keep the earth warm – if such no occurrence, earth’s temperature is fatally low. The inhabiting of gases at the atmosphere and warming the earth’s surface is what we called the greenhouse effect. However, as time goes by and as industrialization gives its fair share of toxic gases, the gases “trapped” in the atmosphere has become over saturated that the warming of the earth is now beyond normal; thus, the global warming and the occurrence of climate change.

The Present Situation

We are now experiencing the ill effects of climate change. At present, some countries have more than the average number of storms it normally experienced per year; more so, such storms brought with it heavy floods that it can even diminish one state. Other parts of the world have also endured the long-lasting wildfires that destroy properties – one perfect example of which was the wildfire that struck Australia’s forest last year. Rising sea levels due to the melting of icecaps in the Polar Regions is also now being observed as there are islands that are at the brink of sinking, such as the Maldives Island. Aside from the land, oceans are also getting warmer and corals are bleaching due to too many heat rays that penetrate towards underwater.

Pursuant to this disruption of the environment’s equilibrium, behaviors of various species also change. Since for the past few years, the sightings of unusual schools of dolphins and whales to unexpected coastal areas have been experienced; migratory birds have changed its pattern of flights; polar bears are drowning due to the melting of icecaps; while other animals have been showing different kinds of behaviors that are not innate to them.

However, among the group of species in the earth, the human beings are being affected by most of the climate change.  Health problems occurred due to high temperature such as a heat stroke, asthma, high blood pressure, skin cancer and allergies, and high blood pressure is just few of that health risks people have to face. Also, the possibility of food and water shortages is not a remote possibility because of many incidents of crop failures, especially among countries that are agriculturally driven.  People are also the number one victims of droughts, flash floods, wildfires, and other natural disasters triggered by climate change.

What Now?

Human beings have to realize that they play a great role in the existence of climate change.  Since 1970, human activities have been playing significant part in the overloading of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.  Furthermore, the burning of fossil fuel and the emission of carbon dioxide from vehicles are the major factors of such too much carbon dioxide, giving rise to temperature. To note, the carbon dioxide level has been in a consistent increasing trend – studies showed that in 2006, carbon dioxide level reached 385 pounds per minute – something that can really cause an alarm to concern agencies and organization to address such a problem.

In this effect, what is being needed right now is the awareness of every citizen on their crucial role in protecting the environment – more so, in establishing mitigating measures to avoid further damages brought by climate change. They say that climate change is already here and that there is nothing we can do about it. True enough, however, it is downright false to say that there is no more hope to this problem. We have to face climate change and deal with it by establishing global policies restricting practices that can further trigger global warming and climate change. It is just a matter of awareness to the problem and the discipline in solving the problem.