Humans are increasingly influencing the climate and the earth’s temperature by burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests and farming livestock. This adds enormous amounts of greenhouse gases to those naturally occurring in the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect and global warming.

One likely future change is an increase in the overall global temperature due to global warming caused by an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This change could lead to other effects such as an increase in sea levels, a decrease in resources, an increase in disease, and ocean acidification.

It is predicted that legislation for global warming will actually have positive effects on industry. New jobs will be created through the introduction of new technology and processes and businesses should save money through pollution reducing practices and technology.

The main causes of climate change are: Humanity’s increased use of fossil fuels – such as coal, oil and gas to generate electricity, run cars and other forms of transport, and power manufacturing and industry. Deforestation – because living trees absorb and store carbon dioxide.

Natural causes of climate change Forces that contribute to climate change include the sun’s intensity, volcanic eruptions, and changes in naturally occurring greenhouse gas concentrations.

Human factors increasing global warming

• Burning fossil fuels, eg coal, gas and oil – these release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
• Deforestation – trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
• Dumping waste in landfill – when the waste decomposes it produces methane.

More frequent and intense drought, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans can directly harm animals, destroy the places they live, and wreak havoc on people’s livelihoods and communities. As climate change worsens, dangerous weather events are becoming more frequent or severe.

The Carbon Majors Database report names the following 10 companies as those which belch most carbon dioxide into the atmosphere:

• China Coal 14.3 %
• Saudi Aramco 4.5 %
• Gazprom OAO 3.9 %
• National Iranian Oil Co 2.3 %
• ExxonMobil Corp 2.0 %
• Coal India 1.9 %
• Petróleos Mexicanos 1.9 %
• Russia Coal 1.9 %

China