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# 2.2. Environmental Challenges ## 2.2.1. Climate Change Climate change is the observed global warming of the Earth's surface due to an increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. These gases originate from human activities that use fossil fuels (like transportation, industrial process...

# 2.2. Environmental Challenges ## 2.2.1. Climate Change Climate change is the observed global warming of the Earth's surface due to an increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. These gases originate from human activities that use fossil fuels (like transportation, industrial processes - oil refineries, steel production, chemical industry, etc. - and agriculture). **Key Impacts of Climate Change:** * **Reduced Rainfall and Desertification:** Decreased rainfall leads to reduced water reserves and desertification of vast regions as plants suffer from water stress. * **Increasing Temperatures:** Rising average temperatures, including frequent and intense heat waves, impact marine ecosystems in several ways: * **Melting Ice Caps and Glaciers:** This causes a rise in sea levels. * **Coastal Erosion:** Rising sea levels lead to coastal erosion and inundation of coastal areas. * **Increased Evaporation:** Higher sea temperatures cause more water evaporation, leading to higher salinity levels in oceans and seas. * **Increased Intensity of Natural Disasters:** More frequent and severe natural disasters like floods and wildfires, which can in turn accelerate climate change. ## The Greenhouse Effect The presence of certain greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the Earth's atmosphere prevents much of the outgoing energy from escaping into space, thus keeping the planet warm enough to support life, similarly to how a greenhouse works. However, human activities increase the concentration of GHGs (like carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor, methane, ozone, nitrogen oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)). This leads to a greater amount of energy being trapped, disrupting Earth's temperature balance and accelerating the effects of climate change.