16/11/2024, 19:11 Causes and Effects of Climate Change | United Nations

Climate Action (/en/climatechange)

Causes and Effects of Climate Change

Fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are by far the largest contributor to global climate change,
accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent
of all carbon dioxide emissions.
As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This leads to global
warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded
history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the
usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on
Earth.

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Causes of Climate Change

Generating power
Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels causes a large
chunk of global emissions. Most electricity is still generated by burning
coal, oil, or gas, which produces carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide –
powerful greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat.
Globally, a bit more than a quarter of electricity comes from wind, solar
and other renewable sources which, as opposed to fossil fuels, emit little
to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.
Manufacturing goods

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Manufacturing and industry produce emissions, mostly from burning

fossil fuels to produce energy for making things like cement, iron, steel,
electronics, plastics, clothes, and other goods. Mining and other industrial
processes also release gases, as does the construction industry.
Machines used in the manufacturing process often run on coal, oil, or gas;
and some materials, like plastics, are made from chemicals sourced from
fossil fuels. The manufacturing industry is one of the largest contributors
to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
Cutting down forests
Cutting down forests to create farms or pastures, or for other reasons,
causes emissions, since trees, when they are cut, release the carbon they
have been storing. Each year approximately 12 million hectares of forest
are destroyed. Since forests absorb carbon dioxide, destroying them also
limits nature’s ability to keep emissions out of the atmosphere.
Deforestation, together with agriculture and other land use changes, is
responsible for roughly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Using transportation

Most cars, trucks, ships, and planes run on fossil fuels. That makes
transportation a major contributor of greenhouse gases, especially
carbon-dioxide emissions. Road vehicles account for the largest part, due
to the combustion of petroleum-based products, like gasoline, in internal
combustion engines. But emissions from ships and planes continue to
grow. Transport accounts for nearly one quarter of global energy-related
carbon-dioxide emissions. And trends point to a significant increase in
energy use for transport over the coming years.
Producing food
Producing food causes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other
greenhouse gases in various ways, including through deforestation and
clearing of land for agriculture and grazing, digestion by cows and sheep,
the production and use of fertilizers and manure for growing crops, and
the use of energy to run farm equipment or fishing boats, usually with
fossil fuels. All this makes food production a major contributor to climate
change. And greenhouse gas emissions also come from packaging and
distributing food.
Powering buildings
Globally, residential and commercial buildings consume over half of all
electricity. As they continue to draw on coal, oil, and natural gas for
heating and cooling, they emit significant quantities of greenhouse gas
emissions. Growing energy demand for heating and cooling, with rising

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air-conditioner ownership, as well as increased electricity consumption for

lighting, appliances, and connected devices, has contributed to a rise in
energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions from buildings in recent years.
Consuming too much
Your home and use of power, how you move around, what you eat and
how much you throw away all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. So
does the consumption of goods such as clothing, electronics, and
plastics. A large chunk of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to
private households. Our lifestyles have a profound impact on our planet.
The wealthiest bear the greatest responsibility: the richest 1 per cent of
the global population combined account for more greenhouse gas
emissions than the poorest 50 per cent.

Based on various UN sources

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Effects of Climate Change

Hotter temperatures

As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, so does the global surface temperature. The last
decade, 2011-2020, is the warmest on record. Since the 1980s, each decade has been
warmer than the previous one. Nearly all land areas are seeing more hot days and heat
waves. Higher temperatures increase heat-related illnesses and make working outdoors
more difficult. Wildfires start more easily and spread more rapidly when conditions are
hotter. Temperatures in the Arctic have warmed at least twice as fast as the global
average.
More severe storms

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Destructive storms have become more intense and more frequent in many regions. As
temperatures rise, more moisture evaporates, which exacerbates extreme rainfall and
flooding, causing more destructive storms. The frequency and extent of tropical storms is
also affected by the warming ocean. Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons feed on warm
waters at the ocean surface. Such storms often destroy homes and communities, causing
deaths and huge economic losses.
Increased drought
Climate change is changing water availability, making it scarcer in more regions. Global
warming exacerbates water shortages in already water-stressed regions and is leading to
an increased risk of agricultural droughts affecting crops, and ecological droughts
increasing the vulnerability of ecosystems. Droughts can also stir destructive sand and
dust storms that can move billions of tons of sand across continents. Deserts are
expanding, reducing land for growing food. Many people now face the threat of not having
enough water on a regular basis.
A warming, rising ocean
The ocean soaks up most of the heat from global warming. The rate at which the ocean is
warming strongly increased over the past two decades, across all depths of the ocean. As
the ocean warms, its volume increases since water expands as it gets warmer. Melting ice
sheets also cause sea levels to rise, threatening coastal and island communities. In
addition, the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide, keeping it from the atmosphere. But more
carbon dioxide makes the ocean more acidic, which endangers marine life and coral reefs.
Loss of species
Climate change poses risks to the survival of species on land and in the ocean. These
risks increase as temperatures climb. Exacerbated by climate change, the world is losing
species at a rate 1,000 times greater than at any other time in recorded human history.
One million species are at risk of becoming extinct within the next few decades. Forest
fires, extreme weather, and invasive pests and diseases are among many threats related
to climate change. Some species will be able to relocate and survive, but others will not.
Not enough food
Changes in the climate and increases in extreme weather events are among the reasons
behind a global rise in hunger and poor nutrition. Fisheries, crops, and livestock may be
destroyed or become less productive. With the ocean becoming more acidic, marine
resources that feed billions of people are at risk. Changes in snow and ice cover in many
Arctic regions have disrupted food supplies from herding, hunting, and fishing. Heat stress
can diminish water and grasslands for grazing, causing declining crop yields and affecting
livestock.
More health risks
Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. Climate impacts are
already harming health, through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced
displacement, pressures on mental health, and increased hunger and poor nutrition in

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places where people cannot grow or find sufficient food. Every year, environmental factors
take the lives of around 13 million people. Changing weather patterns are expanding
diseases, and extreme weather events increase deaths and make it difficult for health
care systems to keep up.
Poverty and displacement
Climate change increases the factors that put and keep people in poverty. Floods may
sweep away urban slums, destroying homes and livelihoods. Heat can make it difficult to
work in outdoor jobs. Water scarcity may affect crops. Over the past decade (2010–2019),
weather-related events displaced an estimated 23.1 million people on average each year,
leaving many more vulnerable to poverty. Most refugees come from countries that are
most vulnerable and least ready to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Based on various UN sources

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