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The dangers of climate change are no longer a figment of our imagination; they are now knocking on our door.
Ronald J. Fischer, author of Cities In Orbit And The End Is Near, is well aware that the globe was in dire straits by the late twenty-first century, failing to give climate change due attention. If we continue with the path we’re traversing now, reversing climate change might be too late. While having a cylindrical city orbiting the Earth to avoid climate change sounds pretty cool in science fiction, it’s actually a sad vision portraying how we demolished and lost the planet we call home.
But can climate change truly cause so much devastation that we could end up leaving our planet? Let’s examine the different causes and effects of climate change.
Causes of Climate Change
The greenhouse effect, which scientists refer to as how some atmospheric gases “trap” heat that would be released upward from the planet’s surface into space, is the primary cause of climate change. On the one hand, life on Earth would not be possible without the greenhouse effect, which keeps our planet warm and habitable.
Here are some causes that lead to climate change:
• Utilizing Transportation
Fossil fuels to power most airplanes, ships, cars, and trucks. Thus, transportation is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide emissions. The majority is accounted for by road vehicles, as internal combustion engines burn petroleum-based products like gasoline.
However, emissions from aircraft and ships are still rising. Transportation produces approximately 25% of carbon dioxide emissions related to energy worldwide. Additionally, patterns suggest that energy use for transportation will rise significantly during the next few years.
• Overconsumption
Numerous factors influence greenhouse gas emissions, including your housing and power usage, mobility, food intake, and waste disposal. The use of products like plastics, electronics, and apparel also contributes to this.
Global emissions of greenhouse gases are high, and private residences are the main cause. Our Earth is greatly impacted by the way we live. The richest 1% of the world’s population together produce more carbon dioxide emissions than the lowest 50%, indicating that the wealthiest have the greatest responsibility.
The dangers of climate change are undeniable. Before we get to a world depicted in Cities In Orbit And The End Is Near by Ronald J. Fischer, we must find a way to deter it. We must mitigate the causes of climate change if we truly want our planet to heal.
• Generating Power Via Fossil Fuels
A significant portion of world emissions are produced by using fossil fuels to produce heat and power. Burning coal, oil, or gas emits nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. These two potent greenhouse gases cover the Earth and trap solar radiation, which is still how the majority of electricity is produced.
Approximately 25% of the electricity produced worldwide comes from renewable energy sources (e.g., wind, hydro, and solar). Compared to fossil fuels, these renewable sources produce minimal to zero greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
Effects of Climate Change
If we were to truly answer the question, “What is our planet’s most dangerous existential threat?” Then we would surmise that climate change is the most threatening one. Rising global temperatures will cause major crop and fishery collapse should greenhouse gas emissions run rampant from using fossil fuels.
Even if these results might still be preventable, climate change is already causing pain and fatalities. The cascading consequences of supercharged storms and wildfires are still felt today, even outside our windows. Here are some of the other effects of climate change:
• A Rising Ocean With Warming Temperature
Believe it or not, the oceans absorb a vast amount of the heat that global warming produces. Over the previous twenty years, the pace of ocean warming has dramatically accelerated at all ocean depths. The ocean’s volume rises with temperature because warm water expands.
Melting ice sheets will raise sea levels, endangering island and coastal communities. Furthermore, carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, preventing it from entering the atmosphere. However, an increase in carbon dioxide increases the ocean’s acidity, endangering coral reefs and marine life.
• Displacement and Poverty
Because ice sheets are melting, sea levels will rise, endangering island and coastal communities. Furthermore, carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, preventing it from entering the atmosphere. However, increased carbon dioxide causes the ocean’s acidity to increase, endangering coral reefs and marine life.
Approximately 23.1 million individuals were relocated annually on average during the past ten years (2010–2019) due to weather-related catastrophes, making many more susceptible to poverty. The majority of refugees are from the least prepared and most susceptible nations to the effects of climate change.
• Hotter Temperatures
Global surface temperature rises in tandem with greenhouse gas concentrations. The warmest decade on record ended in 2020. Every decade since the 1980s has proven warmer than the one before it.
More scorching temperatures and heat waves occur almost everywhere on land. Warmer weather makes it harder to work outside and increases the risk of heat-related illnesses. In warmer climates, wildfires ignite more easily and burn more quickly. The Arctic’s temperature has increased roughly twice as quickly as the world’s average.
The Dangers of Climate Change Is Clear, and We Should Stop It
Ultimately, our wants, demands, and priorities determine the major decisions that utilities, businesses, and governments make that impact the environment. Rethinking those needs, increasing those demands for better change, and resetting those priorities will be necessary if we succeed in the fight against the effects of climate change.
Breaking previous patterns can help us find a way out if our actions have led us to this perilous juncture in human history. Reading works like Cities In Orbit And The End Is Near by Ronald J. Fischer will help us envision what the world would be like and inspire us to prevent such a thing.
Remember to buy a copy of the book today and learn more by clicking here to read a summary and some excerpts.