What is climate change and what happens because of it?
Climate change is a shift in the temperature or weather conditions of a region over a long period of time. Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels have led to climate change. When these fuels are burned, they release gases that trap the sun’s heat and increase the temperature of the Earth. Warmer temperatures are causing more wildfires and making areas not suitable to live in. For example, animals such as polar bears could become extinct if icy regions melt. An increase in temperature has also increased evaporation resulting in frequent storms and even unexpected snowfall in some areas. Plants and animals of these areas may not be able to survive in such an environment.
How have countries worked together to fight climate change?
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization that focuses on international cooperation on issues such as development, health, environment, etc. In the past, the UN has conducted events such as the Montreal Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to discuss how we can combat climate change.
What development has taken place recently?
The UNFCCC’s 26th Conference of the Parties (COP-26) took place between the 31st October 2021 and 13th November 2021. Countries agreed to decrease the use of fossil fuels, decrease the number of trees to be cut and plant more trees. The countries most responsible for climate change, the United States and China, agreed to work together to combat climate change.