Understanding Earth's Warming

Understanding Earth’s Warming

Source: Warming up to climate change: Is Earth becoming warmer? (The Indian Express, January 1)

Simple Signs of a Warmer Planet: 2023 saw the highest temperatures on record. For 45 years, satellites have watched the Antarctic. This year, its ice was the smallest ever seen. The Arctic’s ice wasn’t much better. Meanwhile, heatwaves, storms, and floods hit everywhere. They caused more hunger, made people leave their homes, and hurt the weakest among us.
From the Past to Present: Scientists have kept an eye on temperatures for a long time. They’ve used thermometers since the 1880s. Now, they also have satellites that watch the Earth’s surface. Together, these tools tell us the Earth is getting warmer. Since 1880, the Earth’s average warmth has gone up by 1.1 degrees Celsius, NASA says.

Natural Records: A study in 1998 looked at tree rings and ice cores. These natural records showed a steady climate for ages. But recently, temperatures began to climb fast.
Changing Patterns: We can also see warming in the oceans. They are getting hotter. Ice and snow are melting too much in the Northern Hemisphere. Greenland’s ice is shrinking. Seas are getting higher. Scientists use tools on land, sea, and in space to watch all this happen. The Royal Society and the US National Academy of Sciences agree – the Earth is indeed getting warmer.

Natural Variations vs. Accelerated Changes: Earth’s climate history spans 4.5 billion years of transformations. It’s a record of natural fluctuations. Yet today’s swift climate change differs starkly from these slow, ancient patterns.
An Alarming Trend: Much of the Earth’s recent warming has happened since 1975. This occurred at a rapid pace, approximately 0.15 to 0.20 degrees Celsius every decade.
Record-Breaking Heat: The last 46 years have consistently seen temperatures above the last century’s average. Remarkably, the warmest years recorded have taken place after 2010. The NOAA confirms this with data from the past nine years ranking among the top ten hottest years documented.

What Causes the Heat?: The Earth is getting hotter. The reason? Gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
The Greenhouse Effect: These gases trap the Sun’s warmth, which keeps the Earth from getting too cold. This is called the greenhouse effect.
The Impact of Human Activities: When people started burning coal in the 1700s, more of these gases filled the air. This trapped extra heat, and the Earth’s temperature began to rise.
Insights from the IPCC: According to a March 2023 Synthesis Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human activities are definitely causing global warming. It happens mostly by using energy, changing land use, and making and using products.