recently i was asked to write a short commentary of 200 words on climate change for a course i am doing, so i just wanted to share what i submitted:

Are we really causing climate change, or is it just a perception?


Climate change is a shift in the climate which is directly or indirectly related to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere over a given time period. There will always be changes in climate that result from natural causes but does man’s actions create changes that are additional to these natural factors?
It has been established that climate change takes decades to show its effect and is a collection of climate irregularities. The idea that man is its cause might sound eccentric considering all the effects that is being produced, but when closely examined, increased air and surface temperatures, sea level rise, more frequent and severe storms are as a result of man’s action. These all result from the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Man is the link between greenhouse gases and climate change through his actions of burning of fossil fuels, using aerosols sprays and the destroying of rainforest that releases carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere.
Man has failed to properly monitor and regulate his actions, resulting in shifts in climatic conditions. As a global village we need to develop alternative technology that limit fossil fuel, sustain existing forests and initiate reforestation. Nations should also monitor greenhouse gas emissions and use low carbon fossil fuels. These actions could work favourably but only when governments and people adopt climate change policies.