Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change

Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Over the last 800,000 years, greenhouse gas (GHG), emissions from both natural and human sources have made a huge impact on Earth’s climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (IPCC) states that the atmospheric concentrations of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxides (N2O), have increased dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. This is due to human activities like the burning fossil fuels and deforestation. GHGs are known to trap heat and lead to global warming (IPCC 2019). Scientific studies have shown that this increase in GHG concentrations has caused a 0.87°C rise in average global temperature since the pre-industrial period (IPCC, 2018). This has led to significant changes in the weather, sea level rise and increased extreme weather events. (IPCC 2019, 2019). To avoid catastrophic effects of warming beyond 1.5°C, it is essential to reduce current GHG emissions. A variety of strategies are available to stabilize Earth’s environment. Transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and…