Can We ‘Undo’ Climate Change?
Whilst climate change has been on the international agenda for some time, it is only in recent years that it has become a major focal point for people’s attention. As technological and scientific improvements give us a greater understanding of how our actions, primarily burning fossil fuels, are damaging the environment we live in, the urgency of tackling climate change has become much more apparent. The question then becomes, can we reverse the damage we have done and undo climate change, so that we can halt, if not ultimately reverse, the increase in global temperatures and associated climate effects that are already occurring?
The Reality of Climate Change
Climate change refers to any changes to the environment, within a particular region or across the planet, over a relatively short period of time. It should not be confused with weather, which is a shorter-term phenomenon that is localised to an area. Climate is a broader and longer-term event, and so climate change has obvious longer-term impacts.
At present, climate change is causing global temperatures to rise. This is why we hear so much about the need to keep temperatures within a certain range to avoid the worst and most catastrophic effects, including famine, mass extinction of wildlife and much more. Climate change is caused by an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, with carbon dioxide being the most abundant among them. These gases absorb the sun’s radiation and prevent it from escaping, making the planet increasingly warmer.
What Causes Climate Change?
When it comes to pinpointing the sources of climate change, most people look to modern-day industrialisation and the burning of fossil fuels for power and transport as the main culprits. In recent years, a few other sources have been held to account, such as deforestation and the manufacture of materials that have an impact on the atmosphere. However, the most significant contributor to the increase in the Earth’s temperature is indisputably the burning of fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are a form of energy extracted from coal and gas reserves in the ground. As they are burned, they emit large amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases into the atmosphere. This is why reducing the use of fossil fuels is seen as the most urgent action that needs to be taken in tackling climate change.
Can We Reverse Climate Change?
At present, the answer to whether we can reverse the effects of climate change is ‘not yet’. Scientists are working towards developing the technologies that can help us slow the effects of climate change and ultimately undo the damage, but many of these technologies are still in their early stages of development. In order to reverse climate change, we must first lower the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, but that is much easier said than done.
Despite this, there are already several effective ways to reduce the effects of climate change. These are explored further in the following sections.
Reducing Our Emissions
The most effective and direct way to reduce the effects of climate change is to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. This could be done in a variety of ways, such as switching to renewable energy sources or improving energy efficiency. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, have a much lower impact on the environment than the combustion of fossil fuels.
Using Land More Efficiently
By using land to store and capture carbon, we can help lessen the impact of climate change. A variety of techniques can be used to do this, such as afforestation (planting trees) and biochar (burying charcoal in the ground). By planting trees, we can absorb carbon dioxide and other emissions, whilst biochar acts as an effective carbon sink.
Creating Carbon Offsets
Carbon offsets are a way of counteracting the emissions of greenhouse gases produced by an organisation. Carbon offsets can be bought on the carbon market, where carbon credits are exchanged between those who purchase them and those who sell them. Carbon offsets are often used by organisations to offset the emissions caused by their activities.
Sequestration
Sequestration is the long-term storage of carbon dioxide. It is seen as a possible solution to climate change, as it involves dragging large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in a secure, long-term fashion. Examples of sequestration include burying the carbon dioxide in underground chambers and turning it into stone.
Whilst the answer to whether climate change can be undone is technically ‘not yet’, the good news is that there are already various ways of reducing its effects. By increasing the efficiency of energy use, switching to renewable energy sources and utilising land to store and capture carbon, we can lessen the impact of climate change. It is possible to reverse the effects of climate change, although in order to achieve this, much more needs to be done.
