The only thing that is constant in nature is change. There is nothing wrong with slow and small changes in nature, and this is true for the climate as well. When we talk about climate change, we donβt mean this kind of slow change that has been happening over billions of years. We are talking about the quick change that humans are causing by burning fossilised materials and cutting down too many trees.
Where do greenhouse gases come from?
Most greenhouse gas emissions come from the burning of oil. The oil is used to make fuel, for example for your car but also for all the factories that produce a whole range of things. The second biggest source of greenhouse gases is coal, which is mostly used for electricity production. Greenhouse gas emissions that come from the burning of natural gas are less than half of the coal emissions. Methane and nitrous oxide come mainly from agriculture. Agriculture also uses fossil fuels, mainly for tractors and transportation. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions have increased a lot during the past decades, since agriculture has also increased a lot. In 1950 when the baby boomers were born, there was 2.5 billion people on earth. Today we are over 7.5 billion that all need to be fed.
Browse the categories below to discover how greenhouse gas emissions are related to our own daily activities. Where is the greatest impact?