Environment

Are humans the primary cause of climate change?

The primary cause of climate change has been a controversial topic politically and scientifically. Climate change is among the serious environmental problems in the current world. Various events such as changes in ice cover and temperature over the past centuries prove that the climate is changing. Despite the census on the effects of climate change, there is still a debate on the primary cause of climate change. Many scientists believe that humans are the primary cause of climate change. They have conducted many researches to prove that human activities contribute to the largest percentage of green house gases in the atmosphere. Such gases are the major cause of today’s climate change. However, many people including some scientists believe that climate change is primarily caused by natural phenomenon. For instance, some believe that natural events such as orbital changes and volcanism are the main cause of global warming. They also think that since climate change is caused by natural events, nature has a way of regulating it. For example, plants and animals will develop ways of adapting to the effects of climate change. I feel strongly about this environmental controversy because it will be difficult to find effective ways of addressing the environmental problem if people in the society do not agree on its main cause. If the right cause of climate change is not found, wrong environmental policies may be implemented (Scafett, 2010).

Reference

Scafetta, N. Climate change and its causes: A discussion about some key issues. Department of Physics. Vol 1:70-75. Retrieved from:

http://arxiv.org/pdf/1003.1554.pdf