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How have humans contributed to climate change? - Coggle Diagram
How have humans contributed to climate change?
How are humans using fossil fuels to make the climate worse?
As population and wealth grow, we can afford more things that are made of/use fossil fuels.
We are not educated enough to realise what we are doing to make climate change worse
How are fossil fules adding to climate change?
When fossil fuels are burned, gasses enter the atomosphere. These gases are known as carbon emissions.
Carbon dioxide in particular is given off when fossil fuels such as oil and gas are burned.
Although this is not a new thing and these gasses have always been there, the concentration of them is increasing at an alarming rate
This adds to the greenhouse effect as they can trap more heat energy from the sun leading to the planet increasing in temperature
How does deforestation add to Climate Change?
Trees can store carbon with around 300 billion tons of carbon, 40 times the annual greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, being stored in trees.
Deforestation not only lessens the amount of carbon stored, it also carbon dioxide into the air. This is because when trees die, they release the stored carbon.
What is Deforestation?
The permanent destruction of trees in order to make the land usable for other functions.
Why are Humans Causing Deforestation? - As the world's population gets bigger/richer, more people need the following needs which increase the amount of deforestation:
To make more land available for housing and cities
To collect timber to create new things
To create ingredients that are worth a lot
To create room for cattle farms- the cattle is then used as food
What are fossil fuels?
They were formed from the remains of living organisms millions of years ago
Fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas
Fossil fuels are used to fuel planes, power electricity plants, heat our homes, and make plastics
They release heat energy when burned, so they are fuels
How does Agriculture lead to Climate Change?
By releasing greenhouse gases
By the conversion of farming land (e.g. forests) into farming land
What is Agriculture?
The farming of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fibre, biofuel and medicines
How are Humans Causing Climate Change through Agriculture? - Humans love to eat, and as a result, more and more land is needed for farming which then releases more gases into the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide releases linked to deforestation
Methane releases from rice cultivation
Methane releases from enteric fermentation in cattle
Nitrous oxide releases from fertilizer application
Livestock also contribute by:
9% of global carbon dioxide emissions
35-40% of global methane emissions
64% of global nitrous oxide emissions