Climate change as environmental challenge Essay

Climate change is the most imperative environmental challenge facing the planet. Due to intensified reliance on fossil fuels for energy, greenhouse gases increase in the atmosphere and warms the Earth warts and all evident from the increasing ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising sea levels (http://www.pewtrusts.org). The warming observed in the past fifty years is very likely to have been caused by the increased greenhouse gases released by human activities like burning of fossil fuels, land use change and agriculture. The atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse gases have significantly increased since the beginning of industrial revolution (http://ec.europa.eu). The Earth’s average surface temperature since 1850 has risen by 0.76oC and is projected to increase from 1.8oC to 4oC in the end of the 21st century considering that there will be no additional mitigation measure apart from those already in place in 2000 (http://ec.europa.eu). This increase in temperature may lead to severe snow and ice melting, changes in hydrological and biological systems, earlier migrations and shifting towards the poles of species’ geographic ranges. Adaptation measures are already being implemented and are essential to address the projected consequences. The European Union played a key role in the development of the major treaty addressing the issue on climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, agreed in 1997. The Kyoto protocol of cutting greenhouse gas emission to 8% below 1990’s level in 2008-2012 has allowed the establishment of a global response to the climate problem (http://www.pewtrusts.org); however this adaptation effort is limited. Less lenient mitigation measures will also be needed in order to reduce the severity of climate change’s impacts. It may be necessary to set mandatory limits and ratify national climate policies on reduction of greenhouse gas emission across all economic sectors. Also switching to a more sustainable development paths related to energy efficiency, renewable energies and conservation of natural habitats can make a major contribution to climate change mitigation. Works Cited â€Å"Pew Campaign on Global Warming.† The Pew Charitable Trusts. 1996-2008. 3 June 2008  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   . â€Å"Climate Change.† The European Commission. 14 May 2008. 3 June 2008  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   .