Climate change poses a real threat to life on Earth. This change is several factors, primarily human negligence, especially the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and others that accelerate global warming.
Climate change can also worsen water scarcity in heavily pressured areas, increase the risk of agricultural land droughts, and damage terrestrial, marine, and river ecosystems.
Here are some impacts of climate change on life on Earth:
Global Temperature Rise
Increased greenhouse gas emissions lead to a rise in Earth’s average temperature. This impacts extreme weather patterns, more frequent heatwaves, changing weather extremes, and irregular seasons.
Rising Sea Levels
Global warming causes ice in the Arctic to melt, resulting in higher sea levels. This has the potential to cause floods, coastal erosion, and threats to marine life around coastlines such as plankton, as well as threaten small islands and coastal communities.
Disruption of Ecosystems
Climate change can disrupt natural ecosystems in tropical forests or protected forests, causing species migration, extinction of flora and fauna, and affecting food chains, threatening the sustainability of life.
Threat to Food Security
Global warming can damage agricultural production through instability, droughts, floods, and cause widespread pest and plant disease spread. This could threaten global food supply and food security.
Human Health
Climate change also affects human health through the spread of climate-related diseases such as vector-borne diseases spread by animals or mosquitoes, increased impacts of severe air pollution such as respiratory diseases, and mental health impacts due to frequent natural disasters.
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To address the ongoing climate change, collaborative action from all sectors of global society is needed. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening environmental protection policies, promoting renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and adopting sustainable practices in daily life to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on life on Earth.
Based on this explanation, it can be concluded that the dangers of climate change are not mere speculation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines climate change as a statistically significant change in climate properties over several decades.
Recently, our country has also experienced the impacts of climate change phenomena, including the recent El Nino phenomenon which has caused dry seasons and unusually hot sunshine, resulting in drier than usual dry seasons. As a result, drought has been felt throughout Indonesia.
Let’s all, as Earth’s inhabitants, protect and preserve our Earth from small things like disposing of trash properly, not using water excessively, and not using plastic bags when shopping at supermarket.
Author: Eliza Nelvisari
Student of Arabic Language Education, University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka
Reference:
https://osc.medcom.id/community/perubahan-iklim-ancaman-nyata-bagi-kehidupan-di-bumi
https://dlhk.mamujukab.go.id/berita-5193-apa-itu-perubahan-iklim-penyebab- dampak- perubahan-iklim.
https://www.cnbcindonesia.com Editor: I. Khairunnisa Bahasa: Rahmat Al Kafi
