Data points to changes in our temperatures, weather, and environment. Why is the climate changing? Learn who is at risk and what you can do to mitigate future damage.
Climate change is one of the most urgent issues facing the world today. As a meteorologist for nearly 50 years, I’ll share my thoughts with you and the facts that support my conclusions by answering some basic questions.
Is the Climate Changing?
Data says the climate is changing and Earth is getting warmer. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “The global annual temperature increased at an average rate of 0.14 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1880 and over twice that rate (0.32 degrees) since 1981.” In 2023, NASA also reported, “The past nine years have been the warmest years since modern recordkeeping began in 1880.”
Although Earth’s air temperature has increased, around 90 percent of this excess heat has gone into the oceans, as water has a much greater heat-holding capacity than air. NOAA says, “The annual global ocean heat content (OHC) for 2023 for the upper 2,000 meters was record high, surpassing the previous record set in 2021. The five highest OHC have all occurred in the last five years (2019 to 2023).”
For a long time, events like these were collectively referred to as “global warming.” Today, we use the term “climate change,” implying other environmental effects that go beyond higher temperatures.
What are Other Indicators of Climate Change?
One of the most insidious changes stemming from climate change is the rise in sea level because of melting ice caps. According to a report from NOAA and other federal agencies, including NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency, sea levels along United States coastlines will rise a foot or more by 2050. The numbers are equivalent to those seen over the entire previous 100 years.
Climate change also includes extreme weather events. We’re already seeing an increase in the number of these extreme weather events and their severity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says around 700 heat-related deaths occur annually in the U.S. Worldwide, heat-related death estimates range into the tens of thousands, if not more. Droughts can cause crop failures, and U.S. agricultural losses from droughts run in the billions of dollars. A World Meteorological Organization report studied weather disasters from the past 50 years and declared droughts to be the leading cause of death, claiming more than a half-million lives. In an average year in the U.S., floods kill about 100 people – more than lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. Wildfires, fueled by unusually warm, dry conditions, burn millions of acres each year in the U.S. and tens of millions of acres around the world. Finally, tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons can do immense amounts of destruction. Worldwide, tropical cyclones killed 779,324 people and caused $1,407.6 billion in economic losses over the past 50 years.
Why is the Climate Changing?
Long before humans were around, Earth’s climate changed considerably. Plate tectonics, the Earth-sun relationship, major volcanic eruptions, and even asteroid collisions may have had effects on the climate. But none of these could’ve produced the rapid warming we’re now seeing.
Right now, we’re experiencing the “greenhouse effect.” Gases in Earth’s atmosphere allow visible sunlight (short-wave radiation) to reach Earth’s surface. Little of this energy is absorbed by the atmosphere. As the surface warms, it emits energy back toward the sky as infrared energy with longer wavelengths. Some gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, absorb some of this energy, warming the air. The heated air then radiates some of this heat back toward Earth’s surface, raising the temperature over what it’d be without an atmosphere. When more of those heat-capturing gases, such as carbon dioxide, are released, more heat gets trapped and warms the planet.
What are the Causes of Climate Change?
Humans are doing several things that are increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Clear-cutting and burning rainforests releases carbon stored in the plants and puts it back into the air. Burning fossil fuels does the same. (Remember, fossil fuels were once prehistoric vegetation.) According to NASA, “Both 2023 and 2022 saw record increases in carbon dioxide from fossil fuels.”
Who Is and Will Be Most Affected by Climate Change?
On the worldwide scale, the World Health Organization says, “Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity.
… The people whose health is being harmed first and worst by the climate crisis are the people who contribute least to its causes, and who are least able to protect themselves and their families against it — people in low-income and disadvantaged countries and communities.”
In a report of the causes and effects of climate change, the U.N. says, “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. 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. … Marine resources that feed billions of people are at risk.”
One of the greatest threats posed by climate change is to agriculture. All plants and animals have certain climate conditions they can survive in and, even more narrowly, thrive in. The U.S. has a range of hardiness areas for plants to grow, but this could all change as the climate does. The effects of warming temperatures have already shown up on the widely used U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which gives growers an idea of which plants can grow in their areas. Compared with the previous map, which came out in 2012, the new 2023 data shows many locations have increased by one full Zone.
While the growing season has been lengthened, this can increase the risk of a killing freeze in spring if plants develop too early. Extreme heat, drought, and rainfall can also damage or kill plants. Invasive plants and animals not previously native to your area may encroach with the changing environment and cause problems. Necessary pollinators may struggle with limited food from plants and an inability to pollinate during extreme weather periods.
Can We Stop the Climate from Changing too Quickly?
We can take systemic and individual steps to slow the accelerating greenhouse effect we’ve produced. Scientists conclude an increase in Earth’s temperature of 2 degrees Celsius from preindustrial levels would result in significant harm to the world’s population. To prevent this, pressure has mounted in the U.S. for legislation to invest in programs that decrease carbon emissions. In 2022, the U.S. Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes the largest investment in climate and energy in U.S. history.
On an individual level, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) lists suggestions for reducing your “carbon footprint.” Some of the steps listed include rethinking how you travel, composting food, and weatherizing your homes.
Notably, letting your concerns be heard by your communities, corporations, and elected officials can also spark large-scale change. And you can bring systemic and individual actions together by connecting with climate organizations, such as the NRDC, 350, Sierra Club, and many more. Joining a like-minded community can create a support system and unified front as you work together to push for positive environmental change.
Learn More About Climate Change
NOAA Annual 2023 Global Climate Report
NASA, Climate Change
Effects of Climate Change
National Snow and Ice Data Center
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
World Health Organization, Climate Change
United Nations, Causes and Effects of Climate Change
For more than 30 years, Ed Brotak taught thousands of college students about weather, and he’s helped many of them pursue careers in meteorology. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife, Liz.
