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Question A friend says, “The Earth has always had climate changes in the past, so today’s global warming is nothing new.” How would you respond using what you’ve learnt in this and other chapters of your science book?
While Earth has experienced natural climate changes in the past (e.g., ice ages), today’s global warming is different because it is primarily driven by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, which release large amounts of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. These gases intensify the greenhouse effect, causing rapid warming, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and extreme weather, unlike slower natural changes. The triple planetary crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution) shows how human actions are disrupting Earth’s balance, threatening life. Unlike past changes, current warming requires urgent action, like using renewable energy, to protect ecosystems.