What is climate change? It has been talked about for so many years, and many people still don't know the answer to this question. You can't blame them - during the pandemic period, society was dealing with other, relevant issues. However, it is impossible not to point out that sooner or later it will need to be talked about, because it can be dangerous in its effects. Find out what climate change is, how it is occurring and what its causes and consequences are.
Climate change - what is it?
What is climate change exactly? What does it consist of? These are the questions you may hear from many people who have heard of the term, but have never had the opportunity to study it in detail. And you should do so as soon as possible, because it affects every human being on the planet and more - animals too.
The simplest possible definition is that climate change is a change in the state of weather conditions that persists over a long period of time. This means that if, for example, in the last 10 years all winters and autumns have been warmer than they were 100 years ago - this is no coincidence and climate change has occurred.
Climate change has always occurred in the history of the Earth. They were caused by:
- Volcanic eruptions - volcanic ash entering the atmosphere;
- Milankovic astronomical cycles - external influences on the Earth's climate, dependent on the orbital cycles currently occurring;
- Greenhouse gases of natural origin - water vapour has the highest component percentage of all greenhouse gases;
- changes in the solar constant - the amount and intensity of energy from the sun's rays that reaches the planet is also important.
The problem is their intensification today. It is anthropogenic climate change that is the source of the trouble - there is already enough water vapour, and high CO2 emissions are causing it to build up excessively. Water from the oceans, under the influence of increased temperatures caused by the increased presence of greenhouse gases, evaporates even more strongly and faster. For some it is an abstraction, and for others it is a vicious circle that society must stop driving. 
What are the causes of climate change on Earth?
Society has become a witness to and participant in progressive climate change. Causes for this include global warming, which has been influenced by the increasing greenhouse effect. The felling of trees and animal husbandry also play a major role.
What causes climate change most? Scientists say the greenhouse effect. This is the process by which the Earth's temperature rises globally. It is caused by increased emissions of greenhouse gases, which destroy the ozone layer and at the same time trap the sun's heat, which without them - reflected off the planet - would return to space.
This is not the only cause of climate change on Earth, but reducing it alone would already have a big effect. This would require a large reduction in the use of fossil fuels (e.g. oil) for at least the next 50 years. Combined with a reduction in the occurrence of the other causes - the state of the Earth would be greatly improved, and the development of further destruction, almost halted. People who use a solution such as Paczkomat® actively contribute to improving the environment. InPost couriers, by driving to a single location instead of dozens of homes, reduce the carbon footprint caused by burning fuel (which the company needs less and less of anyway - the fleet of electric cars is constantly growing and exceeds 300 vehicles).
Climate change - what does it mean for people's lives?
It seems that the importance of man to climate change is greater than the importance of climate change to man. While this may sound optimistic - unfortunately the meaning of this sentence is hidden elsewhere. The importance attached by man to climate change seems small in terms of the actions he is taking to limit it. The situation that is unfolding before everyone's eyes is difficult to observe for an audience without access to information. One may not realise that the increased prices of fruit and vegetables are also due to droughts that have made it difficult to grow crops, which in turn has resulted in smaller yields that farmers have to sell for a higher price.
Earth's climate change is having a huge impact on people's lives and health, although many will look elsewhere for the causes of the unpleasant consequences. This is a big mistake, because it is the reason for reduced comfort in almost all areas of life. Worse living conditions, both in terms of health and financially - there is no doubt about it, all of this translates into the economy and economies of countries around the world. 
How does climate change affect people's lives?
People from all countries are increasingly affected by climate change. The symptoms? More heatstroke; respiratory problems; more intense allergic reactions; drowning due to increasingly frequent flooding and the growing problem of malnutrition in less developed regions. All this is caused by anthropogenic transformations of nature and has led to: rising temperatures; increasing air pollution; prolonged seasons of allergens; melting glaciers that raise water levels and droughts that destroy agricultural fields.
Unfortunately, the media most often only report on climate change when a tragedy has already occurred. The fires in Australia and in the Biebrza National Park or the flooding in Iran are good examples. Hectares of land that were the natural habitat of many animal species were irretrievably lost. These ecosystems have been destroyed by the increasing consequences of climate change.
The emphasis should be on communicating how to prevent climate change. Unfortunately, winters without snow, horrific droughts and flooding are a sad reality that will take a long time to improve. Provided the public is made aware that they are caused by progressive, further climate change. The current temperature is already too high, but without action it could get even higher, with heat waves even more severe and deadly.
Threats posed by climate change
Global climate change is called global because it affects every ecosystem in existence without exception. The more audacious and admirers of tropical conditions may say with a sneer that the warming of the climate conditions prevailing in Poland may be beneficial - you will be able to grow exotic fruits, vegetables and sunbathe in the middle of December. Nothing could be further from the truth, and even if it is - the number of negative consequences significantly outweighs the number of positive ones.
The Baltic Sea is already struggling with the problem of blue-green algae floating on its surface. This is because the conditions for its proliferation are becoming more favourable - higher water temperature, more frequent water vibrations and the nitrates and phosphates it contains. The lowest-lying cities in Poland, such as Elbląg, Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot - will succumb to flooding because the water level in the sea will rise. It may be warm enough to sunbathe, but there will be no place to take shelter from the heat.
Carbon dioxide is acidifying the water in the oceans, the ice is melting, water levels are rising, the air is no longer meeting standards and, most importantly, it is warming. A temperature rise of two degrees will drastically change the way the world works. Among other things, it will release 230 billion tonnes of carbon currently in the ground into the atmosphere. In what way? Heat accelerates the decomposition of chemical compounds, and this changes their form. This is another case that will indirectly increase the amount of water vapour in the air, and the Earth will become hotter even faster.
Changes in the atmosphere and climate increase the risk of injuries such as:
- hyperthermia;
- drowning;
- internal and external injuries;
- strangulation;
- food poisoning;
- getting sick, especially from infectious diseases (cholera, malaria).
The number of victims is higher in parts of the Earth where it is warmer. These are the same places where life is already difficult enough, due to a lower degree of civilisation development. Worst of all, these are also the places that, due to their poor economic development, are least responsible for the current climatic phenomena. This leads to a widening of class and racial disparities, as well as climate migration. 
What are the consequences of climate change?
Regarding climate change - we can divide the global impacts into:
- natural consequences;
- social risks;
- risks to the economy;
- territorial threats.
This is why early action against climate change is so important. It is a multifaceted process that will really, sooner or later, affect everyone and everything around - either directly or indirectly. Reduced access to natural resources can lead to new armed conflicts - the kind you might have read about in history books up to now.
Impact of climate change on global agriculture
Changes in the Earth's climate also have a very strong impact on the agricultural professions. Often droughts mean lower crop yields - which in turn translates into lower wages. It is a well-known fact that no one wants to take on a job that does not pay. This is all the more dangerous in this case, as the lack of active, working professionals in the field can further deplete the amount of food available.
Climate hazards in agriculture will cause massive damage:
- soil degradation;
- better conditions for invasive species;
- increased risk of disease and pest outbreaks;
- droughts (particularly through reduced rainfall and difficult access to water);
- spoiling the natural development cycles of plants (earlier flowering, which will translate into lower yields).
Although progressive climate change may not seem as threatening as, for example, a pandemic or armed conflicts around the world - its effects could be even worse. According to experts, if we do not react early enough (i.e. right now), the world will experience irreversible changes.
