Life Orientation Grade 11 | Climate change

Question

Define the term “climate change” and explain activities that can contribute to it.

Climate change is the gradual increase in the overall temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere, which results in regular changes in temperatures and weather patterns.

Alternatively, climate change can also be defined as the ongoing heating of Earth’s surface, oceans, and atmosphere that causes unusual extreme weather patterns, which have the potential to lead to storms, floods, earthquakes, landslides, or extreme rain patterns.

Activities that contributes to global warming

1. Burning of coal, fossil fuels, gas, or poisonous substances
The burning of coal, oil, gas, and other fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These substances trap heat from the sun and cause the Earth’s average temperature to rise. When people burn fuels for electricity, transportation, or industrial processes, they emit pollutants that damage the air and contribute to climate change. The more we rely on fossil fuels, the greater the concentration of these gases becomes, leading to increased global warming and its dangerous impacts such as rising sea levels, extreme weather, and droughts.

2. Cutting down forests (deforestation)
Deforestation plays a major role in global warming because trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it. When forests are cut down for agriculture, timber, or urban development, this natural process is disrupted. Not only does deforestation reduce the number of trees that can absorb CO₂, but the act of cutting and burning trees also releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere. This increases the overall concentration of greenhouse gases, contributing to a hotter and less stable climate. Forests are essential carbon sinks, and without them, global temperatures rise more rapidly.

3. Increase in livestock farming
Livestock farming contributes significantly to global warming, primarily through the release of methane gas. Animals such as cows, sheep, and goats produce methane during digestion, and this gas is about 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere. Moreover, livestock farming often requires the clearing of large areas of forest to create grazing land, which further contributes to deforestation and increased CO₂ levels. In addition, the management of animal waste and the use of fossil fuels in farming operations also add to greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Using fertilisers that contain nitrogen
Nitrogen-based fertilisers release nitrous oxide (N₂O), a potent greenhouse gas that has a global warming potential nearly 300 times greater than carbon dioxide. When these fertilisers are used in large quantities on farmlands, they break down and release N₂O into the atmosphere through soil processes. Overuse of chemical fertilisers not only harms soil health and water quality but also intensifies climate change by adding to the accumulation of heat-trapping gases. Sustainable farming practices and the use of organic fertilisers can help reduce these emissions.

5. Using products that contain fluorinated or damaging gases
Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), are synthetic gases used in refrigeration, air conditioning, aerosol sprays, and foam production. These gases are extremely powerful greenhouse gases with high global warming potentials. Though they are released in smaller quantities compared to CO₂ or methane, their heat-trapping ability makes them highly destructive over time. Because they stay in the atmosphere for a long time, fluorinated gases significantly contribute to the long-term warming of the planet.

6. Increase in factories and large carbon dioxide emissions from industries
Industrial activities are among the top contributors to global warming due to their heavy reliance on fossil fuels for energy. Factories burn coal, oil, and gas to operate machinery and produce goods, which results in massive emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. These emissions are released into the atmosphere and trap heat, increasing global temperatures. Additionally, industrial processes often produce by-products such as methane and nitrous oxide, which also intensify the greenhouse effect. The rise in global industrialisation, without adequate environmental controls, accelerates the pace of climate change.

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