Climate Change - We Can Make a Difference

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Nowadays, climate change is a hot topic and has been the subject of intense debate. Climate change is actually refers to an increase in average global temperatures caused by the human activities and natural disaster. However, human activities exist as the main problem to cause climate change. One of the examples is the environment pollution. Environment pollution not only affects human's health but also causes extinction of flora and fauna. Can you imagine how many precious lives have been sacrificed merely to boots up our standard of living? What will be the effects of climate change and is there any solution for this problem?

For natural disaster, global warming is the main problem caused by climate change. Global warming is a rapid rise of the average temperature of the earth. The rises of the temperature will cause a negative effect to the earth especially for the North Pole and South Pole of the earth. The heat will consequently melt the sea ice and mountain glacier of the polar region. Animals that habit in this area may be directly affected by the changes of the climate. Since their habitat has been destroyed, they are no longer able to stay at there anymore. This forces them to migrate in order to survive, as the animals unable to adapt to the changes of the environment, they may perish. According to the researcher, Bill Fraser, he said that there was a sharp declined of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica in 30 years. In addition, it also results in the shifting precipitation patterns which mean the changes of the pattern of the fall of rain and snow. As the circumstances continue to increase, this may lead to the rises of the sea level. (IPPC, 2007)

Sea level is related to the continuous increase of the average temperature. However, what are the impacts of the rises of the sea level towards our earth? The rises of the sea level will bring negative effects to the world especially to the low-lying coastal areas. The residents which staying at a small island and low-lying coastal areas may expose to the high risk as the average temperature continue increases. Flooding may frequently happen at this area and results to soil erosion especially during raining season. Flooding may destroy crops and to the losses of the nutrient in the soil. As a result, citizens who live in those islands may face a shortage of food. Soil erosion may affect the water quality as well as damage the drainage system. It is even worst when the whole island submerge due to the rises of the sea level. This eventually causes the island's citizens loss their home, properties or even their lives. (Hay, J. H. & Mimura, N., 2006)

At the present time, the effects of greenhouse gases to the environment also become one of the issues that we concern about. Greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O),