Clearly, the
rising of the global temperature is strong evidence of climate
change. Since the 1880s, it has been noted that the Earth is continuously
warming up. Temperatures have risen by at least 1.1 degrees Celsius since preindustrial times and the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are now at least 420 ppm (Source).
The increasing
temperature of the oceans is also an evidence of climate change. The oceans cover 70% of the Earth's surface and absorb 90% of the warming in recent decades by greenhouse gases. The ocean has increased in heat by at least 345 zettajoules since 1955. Thermal expansion of water is responsible for one-third to one-half of the global sea level rise According to NASA, 2022 was the warmest year for the ocean and also when it was at its highest global sea level (Source).
Incidentally, the increase in carbon dioxide in oceans has also led to ocean acidification.
A good
evidence of climate change is the rising sea levels. Sea levels have risen by about 8-9 inches (21-24 centimeters) since 1880 (Source).
Melting of Glaciers and Polar Ice Caps
The ice
sheets, particularly those in Greenland and in the Antarctic, are quickly melting. In fact, the melting of glaciers happening around the world is actually worse than what scientists had predicted just a few years ago.
The withdrawal
of the glacial formations in several parts of the Earth, particularly
those in the Himalayas, Africa, Alps, Andes, Alaska, and Rockies as a
reaction to the twentieth century global warming is yet another evidence
of climate change.
Similarly, the melting of polar ice caps
poses as another piece of evidence. For the
past decades, the Arctic ice has been lessening in a rapid rate,
with the
range and density continuing to decline. Moreover, some scientists
say the Arctic will become ice free by as early as 2035 (Source).
Other Drastic Changes
Since the
1950s, high temperatures have been attributed as the cause behind the
increasing instances of severe rainfall experiences in the United States.
Mass desertification
is drying up large areas of arable land in various parts around the
world. For instance, the Sahara Desert is enlarging. Each year, according to the UN, 12 million hectares of last are lost to desertification (Source).
Diseases such as malaria and dengue fever are not only targeting more people, but are expanding to new areas as a result of higher temperatures.
Scientific Consensus
Between January 1st, 1991 and November 9, 2012 there has been 13,950 peer-reviewed scientific articles on climate change with a total of 33,690 authors (rounded up in the figure below).
A study has shown that of all these articles, only 24 deny anthropogenic climate change with a total of 34 authors, roughly 1 in 1000.
What can we conclude from this study?
In the scientific literature, global warming denial is clearly a visible minority.
The authors of the few rejecting papers tend not to agree with, or even to cite, each other's work.
Not including the authors themselves, only a handful of scientists cite the articles rejecting man-made climate change. Those who do cite them do not themselves reject anthropogenic global warming.
The rejecting authors do not have an alternative theory to explain the observed warming that is taking place. In fact, they do not even agree among themselves (no bandwagon here).
The vast majority of climate scientists accept the theory that mankind's greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change.
Time to Take Action - Share the Evidence of Climate Change
These and many more effects of climate change are already more than enough to
prove that climate change is indeed occurring.
Without a shred of a doubt, climate change is a global issue that needs to be
addressed sooner rather than later in order to prolong our planet's great biodiversity.
If we don't, over 100 million people will perish by 2030 and over 1 million species could become extinct by the end of the century.
Every single evidence of climate change aforementioned by itself is enough to awaken our society that it is time to start to act upon these changes and strive to lessen
if not totally eliminate the activities
which might only further aggravate the present conditions of the Earth.
Make a
change now and help stop climate change, not just for your sake but also for the
benefit of future generations to come.