Most countries of the world are suffering from extreme weather patterns. From the heavy rainfall to heat waves and simultaneous droughts in around the globe, we can observe the changing weather conditions. These all-natural disasters are directly associated with the climate. Avalanches, cyclones, droughts, floods, and landslides are the greatest threats to human life and belongings. Continual dust storms in the summer season and hailing are also the major causes of damaging the crops and the property.
Climate change is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the biggest threat to world health in the twenty-first century. Even if efforts are effective in reducing rising temperatures, some consequences will last for generations. Increased Sea levels and temperature, making oceans more acidic, are two examples of this. Desserts are expanding due to climate change, and heat waves and wildfires are also occurring more frequently. Arctic ice melting, glacier retreat, and a reduction in sea ice have all been impacted by increased heat in the Arctic. Storms, droughts, and other extreme climates are becoming more intense as a result of rising temperatures. Numerous species are being forced to move or go extinct due to the rapid environmental change occurring in the Arctic, coral reefs, and mountains.
According to studies, the weather is now changing more rapidly compared to previous geologic records. These weather changes are happening due to climate change. Current climate change involves both the effects of global warming on the planet's weather patterns. The recent rise in the average global temperature is more pronounced and is primarily due to human activities. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are the two main greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. Agriculture, industrial operations, and forest loss have smaller impacts. Greenhouse gases heat the air by absorbing the heat that the Earth radiates and keeping it close to the surface. This impact is increased by greenhouse gas emissions, which result in the Earth absorbing more solar energy than it can emit back into space.
Vegetation patterns and climate are strongly related on a global scale. As CO2 is absorbed by vegetation, some of the impacts of global warming can be masked. Conversely, the loss of vegetation causes desertification, which increases global warming by releasing CO2. Deforestation, for instance, tends to enhance local albedo (reflectivity) and causes surface cooling by reducing vegetation cover. Albedo is the amount of light a surface reflects instead of absorbs. Light surfaces generally have a high albedo, while dark surfaces often have a low albedo. Snow-covered ice has a high albedo and reflects about 90% of solar light.
Guest Editorial