# Reasons for Climate Change

Climate change results from both natural and human-driven factors, though the current rapid warming is overwhelmingly attributed to human activities.

## Human (Anthropogenic) Causes

- **Burning Fossil Fuels** – Coal, oil, and natural gas combustion for energy, transportation, and industry releases large amounts of CO₂ into the atmosphere.
- **Deforestation** – Clearing forests reduces the planet's capacity to absorb CO₂ and releases stored carbon.
- **Agriculture** – Livestock produce methane; rice paddies and fertilizer use release methane and nitrous oxide.
- **Industrial Processes** – Cement production, chemical manufacturing, and other industries emit greenhouse gases.
- **Waste Management** – Landfills generate methane as organic waste decomposes.

## The Greenhouse Effect (Mechanism)

Greenhouse gases (CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases) trap heat in the atmosphere that would otherwise escape into space, raising global temperatures.

## Natural Factors

- **Volcanic eruptions** – Can temporarily warm or cool the climate
- **Solar variability** – Small changes in the sun's energy output
- **Ocean circulation patterns** – El Niño/La Niña cycles
- **Orbital changes** – Long-term shifts in Earth's orbit (Milankovitch cycles)

## Key Point

Scientific consensus, supported by organizations like the IPCC, holds that **human activities since the Industrial Revolution** are the dominant cause of the warming observed since the mid-20th century, primarily through the dramatic increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.

Would you like me to explore any of these factors in more detail?
