Global warming
The problems that plague our planet are numerous and varied, but can almost always be traced back to human activity. It is not uncommon for one problem to provoke another and the interrelationships between them are complex. When we talk about climate change, it is caused by the excessive emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2, whose heat-absorbing properties lead to a warming of our atmosphere. This warming causes a variety of changes and problems. The melting of the large areas of ice, which in turn reflect immense amounts of solar radiation, has the effect of increasing the heat-absorbing surface of the earth and causing sea levels to rise. The melting of the polar ice caps in turn leads to a reduction in the temperature differences between the polar regions and the tropics and favours a slowdown in the balancing winds, known as the jet stream. This slowdown results in weather phenomena such as cold snaps and hot spells.
Illustration of the greenhouse gas effect / warming of the earth’s surface
The large-scale current patterns of the oceans are also changing. It is assumed that weather phenomena such as “El Nino” could occur more frequently and be more pronounced off the Pacific coast of South America. This means that the Humboldt Current, which mixes the surface water with the nutrient-rich deep water, stops flowing every time. This effect leads to the collapse of entire food chains.
Another important function of ocean currents for the climate is the absorption of carbon dioxide and its transport to deeper layers of the ocean. With the sinking of large water masses into the depths and their further dispersion over great distances, in some cases across all oceans, the carbon dioxide emitted by humans is in some cases effectively removed from exchange with the atmosphere over long periods of time, from decades to centuries. However, global climate change is also warming the surface water of the ocean and fewer cold water masses are forming that can sink into the depths. This reduces the transport of carbon into the depths of the ocean through the so-called “physical pump”.
Melting of the polar ice caps caused by global warming
One component that tends to be neglected in the public debate is the gradual thawing of permafrost soils in the northern hemisphere. These soils conserve biomass, mostly the remains of plants. When temperatures rise, soil bacteria become active and begin to break down the organic material, releasing considerable amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, which in turn contribute to global warming. All these mechanisms interact with each other and favour each other to such an extent that it will become increasingly difficult to reverse the situation if we do not act now. It’s not too late! Our message: Plant trees with us and protect existing rainforests in the process!