Part 3. Reading comprehension
What is climate change?
Climate
change is a global challenge that has no borders and to combat it requires
coordinated work by all countries. Although it is certain that Earth has
naturally warmed up and got colder during other eras, such cycles have always
been much slower, taking millions of years, whereas now, within a period of
just 200 years, we are reaching levels that in the past brought about
extinctions.
The main
cause of climate change is global warming, which has many negative consequences
on physical, biological and human systems, as well as other effects. Global
warming is caused by the greenhouse effect, a natural process by which the
atmosphere retains some of the Sun’s heat, allowing the Earth to maintain the
necessary conditions to host life.
Without the
greenhouse effect, the average temperature of the planet would be -180C. The
problem is that daily human activities maximize the greenhouse effect, causing
the planet’s temperature to increase even more.
Causes
behind global warming:
-Increase
in greenhouse gases.
-Deforestation.
-Destruction
of marine ecosystems.
-Population
increase.
Consequences of climate change
The global
temperature increase brings disastrous consequences, endangering the survival
of the Earth’s flora and fauna, including human beings. The worst climate
change impacts include the melting of the ice mass at the poles, which in turn
causes rising sea level, producing flooding and threatening coastal
environments through which small island states risk disappearing entirely.
Climate
change also increases the appearance of more violent weather phenomena,
drought, fires, the death of animal and plant species, flooding from rivers and
lakes, the creation of climate refugees and destruction of the food chain and
economic resources, especially in developing countries.
Observed
and expected environmental effects:
Change
in ecosystems and desertification
Variations
in life conditions in natural environments cause death, disease and massive
migrations of species.
Melting
of the poles and rising sea level
Heat causes
the melting of the ice at the poles, which increases the sea level and
threatens to submerge coastal communities and small island states.
Acidification
of the oceans
The
absorption of too much CO₂ causes death and disease among fish, algae, coral
and other organisms in the sea.
Extreme
weather phenomena
Hurricanes,
cyclones, typhoons, drought, floods, rain and snow, all increase in their
degree of violence due to global warming, causing more deaths, victims,
refugees and material damage.
Extinction
of species
Changes in
ecosystems and desertification cause the death of between 10,000 and 50,000
species every year.
Massive
migration
The
existence of climate refugees, still to be recognized by the United Nations, is
a reality; it is estimated their number could reach one billion by 2050.
How can
we avoid climate change?
First, it is important to be clear that climate
change cannot be avoided. We can mitigate its effects and adapt to its
consequences, i.e. we can fight it through the application of small and large
scale measures that help to slow down climate change. These actions are known as
climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.