Climate Change Causes

Climate Change

Definition

• Climate change refers to the long-term warming of the planet due to an increase in the average global temperature.
• This warming is primarily caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, into the atmosphere.

Causes of Climate Change

• Greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.
• Deforestation: The clearance of forests, which absorb carbon dioxide, contributes to increased levels of greenhouse gases.
• Fossil fuels: Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
• Industrial agriculture: The production of meat, especially beef, and other animal products leads to deforestation and methane emissions.

Effects of Climate Change

• Rising global temperatures: Average global temperatures have risen by about 1°C since the late 1800s.
• Extreme weather events: Increased frequency and severity of heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms.
• Sea-level rise: Melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, leading to rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
• Changes in precipitation patterns: Alterations in rainfall and snowfall patterns, leading to droughts and floods.

Consequences of Climate Change

• Loss of biodiversity: Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns affect ecosystems and species habitats.
• Food security: Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns impact agricultural production and food supplies.
• Human migration and conflict: Climate change can lead to displacement, migration, and conflict over resources.

Solutions to Climate Change

• Renewable energy: Transitioning to solar, wind, and hydroelectric power to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
• Energy efficiency: Improving building insulation, using energy-efficient appliances, and promoting sustainable transportation.
• Carbon capture and storage: Technologies that capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial processes.
• Sustainable land use: Implementing sustainable agriculture practices, reforestation, and preserving natural habitats.

Climate Change

• Climate change is the long-term warming of the planet due to an increase in the average global temperature.

Causes of Climate Change

• Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.
• Deforestation, which involves the clearance of forests, contributes to increased levels of greenhouse gases.
• Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
• Industrial agriculture, particularly the production of meat, leads to deforestation and methane emissions.

Effects of Climate Change

• Average global temperatures have risen by about 1°C since the late 1800s.
• Climate change leads to extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms.
• Melting of glaciers and polar ice caps causes sea-level rise and coastal erosion.
• Changes in precipitation patterns result in droughts and floods.

Consequences of Climate Change

• Climate change affects ecosystems and species habitats, leading to loss of biodiversity.
• Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns impact agricultural production and food supplies, threatening food security.
• Climate change can lead to displacement, migration, and conflict over resources, resulting in human migration and conflict.

Solutions to Climate Change

• Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, can reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
• Improving energy efficiency through building insulation, using energy-efficient appliances, and promoting sustainable transportation can help mitigate climate change.
• Carbon capture and storage technologies can capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial processes.
• Implementing sustainable land use practices, such as sustainable agriculture, reforestation, and preserving natural habitats, can help combat climate change.

Indian National Movement

Early Phase (1857-1905)

• Sepoy Mutiny (1857) marked the beginning of the Indian national movement, the first major uprising against British rule
• Indian National Congress founded in 1885 by A.O.Hume, aimed to promote Indian interests and unity
• Moderates, led by Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and others, focused on petitions, prayers, and peaceful protests to achieve reforms

Extremist Phase (1905-1918)

• Swadeshi Movement (1905) emphasized self-reliance and boycott of British goods in response to the partition of Bengal
• Radical leaders, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal, advocated for more aggressive and radical methods to achieve independence
• Home Rule Movement (1916) led by Annie Besant and Tilak, demanded self-government for India

Gandhian Era (1918-1947)

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) led by Mahatma Gandhi, involved mass civil disobedience and non-violent resistance
• Salt Satyagraha (1930) was Gandhi's march to Dandi to protest the salt tax, symbolizing the struggle for independence
• Quit India Movement (1942) was the last major campaign of the Indian national movement, leading to arrests and repression by the British

Other Key Events and Figures

• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919) was the brutal suppression of a peaceful protest in Amritsar, leading to widespread outrage and condemnation
• Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army, a militant force that fought against British rule during World War II
• Indian Independence Act (1947) granted independence to India, partitioning it into India and Pakistan