The amount of change that the Earth has gone through within the last 650,000 years is very apparent. However, the effect of the Earth getting warmer is more than 95 percent likely to be caused by human activity and decisions. Due to numerous scientific studies, the increased growth of greenhouse gases has proven to be a significant cause for the Earth to respond by warming itself. There are many cases of evidence that prove that climate change is very real and occurring very rapidly.
One piece of evidence that has happened due to climate change is the rise of sea level. Globally, sea levels have risen about 8 inches within the last century. Within the last two decades, the sea level has risen double that. Also within the last two decades, human activity that triggers greenhouse gases has been very increased as well.
Another piece of evidence is the temperature rise around the globe. The planet's average surface temperature has risen about 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, a change most likely caused by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere. The year of 2016 was recorded as the warmest year on record, but eight of the 12 months that make up the year — from January through September, with the exception of June — were the warmest on record for those respective months.
In addition to that, oceans have increased in temperature of about .302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969. Also, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass significantly within the last years. Glaciers continue to retreat around the world in places such as the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa.
Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. Human activities are responsible for almost all of the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years.
The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.
The primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are:
Electricity production (29 percent of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions) – Electricity production generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 67 percent of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, mostly coal and natural gas.
Transportation (27 percent of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation primarily come from burning fossil fuel for our cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes. Over 90 percent of the fuel used for transportation is petroleum based, which includes gasoline and diesel.
Industry (21 percent of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from industry primarily come from burning fossil fuels for energy, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from certain chemical reactions necessary to produce goods from raw materials.
Commercial and Residential (12 percent of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from businesses and homes arise primarily from fossil fuels burned for heat, the use of certain products that contain greenhouse gases, and the handling of waste.
Agriculture (9 percent of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions) – Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture come from livestock such as cows, agricultural soils, and rice production.
Land Use and Forestry (offset of 11.8 percent of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions) – Land areas can act as a sink (absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere) or a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States, since 1990, managed forests and other lands have absorbed more CO2 from the atmosphere than they emit.
All of these sources are contributions to how greenhouse gas emissions have increased by about 4 percent since 1990.
Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter.
But forests around the world are under threat from deforestation, jeopardizing these benefits. Deforestation comes in many forms, including fires, clear-cutting for agriculture, ranching and development, unsustainable logging for timber, and degradation due to climate change. This impacts people’s livelihoods and threatens a wide range of plant and animal species. Some 46-58 thousand square miles of forest are lost each year—equivalent to 48 football fields every minute.
Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change because they act as a carbon sink—soaking up carbon dioxide that would otherwise be free in the atmosphere and contribute to ongoing changes in climate patterns. Deforestation undermines this important carbon sink function. It is estimated that 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are the result of deforestation.
Some resources that are in decline are water, oil, natural gas, fish, and phosphorous.
It is a fact that our planet is 70% water, but only 2.5% of that 70% is fresh water. The rest is salt water and not useful to humans at all. That small percentage of fresh water is mostly in the form of ice or permanent snow cover. So, we really have only a few percent available for use. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predict that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will have no water to drink.
Without oil, global transportation will be severely debilitated. The BP Statistical Review of World Energy estimates that there is 188.8 million tons of oil left in the known oil reserves as of 2010. If our current demand continues, this oil will only be enough to supply the world demands for the next 46.2 years.
As for natural gas, according to studies, as of 2010, the known reserves of natural gas was estimated to last 58.6 years with the current global production.
Fishermen have reported a decline in their catch. Other marine species such as the tuna is close to extinction due to overfishing. This is a resource since fish is part of our major food group.
This resource is used for fertilizers to help plants grow. Scientists from the Global Phosphorus Research initiative estimates that peak phosphorus will be reached by 2030. Phosphorous is derived from phosphorous rock and guano.
Contrary to what most people would think, oil spills and other pollution that happen at sea, account for a very small percentage of ocean pollution. A significant amount of pollution in the ocean comes from activities that take place on land: sewage, industrial and agricultural runoff, garbage dumping, and chemical spills. Even pesticide and fertilizer runoff are a big cause for many species to in the ocean who are struggling to survive. Plastics are another main source of contamination, with 10 million metric tons, ending up in the ocean out of the 100 million metric tons that are produced. Ocean acidification is also very major. Due to the increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, our oceans absorb them which causes them to become more acidic. This is threatening the habitat of every species that calls the ocean home, particularly vulnerable coral as well as many types of plankton, which form the base of the food chain. If change doesn’t occur, many beautiful animals and coral in the ocean won’t exist anymore.
Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is the main pollutant that is warming Earth. Though living things emit carbon dioxide when they breathe, carbon dioxide is widely considered to be a pollutant when associated with cars, planes, power plants, and other human activities that involve the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas. In the past 150 years, such activities have pumped enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its levels higher than they have been for hundreds of thousands of years. Other greenhouse gases include methane—which comes from such sources as swamps and gas emitted by livestock—and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants until they were banned because of their deteriorating effect on Earth's ozone layer.
Overpopulation is an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth. Overpopulation is caused by number of factors. Reduced mortality rate, better medical facilities, depletion of precious resources are few of the causes which results in overpopulation. It is possible for a sparsely populated area to become densely populated if it is not able to sustain life.
Growing advances in technology with each coming year has affected humanity in many ways. One of these has been the ability to save lives and create better medical treatment for all. A direct result of this has been increased lifespan and the growth of the population. In the past fifty or so years, the growth of population has boomed and has turned into overpopulation. In the history of our species, the birth and death rate have always been able to balance each and maintain a population growth rate that is sustainable.