Defining global warming

Global warming fascinates as much as it frightens. The first actor in this worrying phenomenon is mankind. Since the industrial era began in the 19th century, human activity has caused an unprecedented increase in greenhouse gases. The meteoric rise in population, the excessive use of fossil fuels and massive deforestation have all had a considerable impact on our planet's climate.

The greenhouse effect, an essential condition for life on earth, has been transformed into a scourge by our industrial activities. Excess greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, trap the sun's heat, causing the Earth's atmosphere to heat up progressively. This reality is corroborated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a global scientific authority on global warming issues.

The industrial revolution, although a source of considerable economic development, is potentially the main cause of this phenomenon. It saw the advent of new technologies powered by coal, oil and natural gas. When burned, these fossil fuels release large quantities of CO2, increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Intensive agriculture, battery farming, deforestation and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves have also contributed to the darker picture.

The finger is now pointed at our development choices and consumption patterns. They have led to a significant increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, causing climate disruption with potentially disastrous consequences for our planet. It's a problem we can no longer ignore. However, if our past and present have been marked by a worrying ecological footprint, our future is not yet written.

Solutions do exist, and it's only by working together and realizing the crucial role we have to play that we can reverse the trend. Let's stop seeing sustainable development as a constraint, but rather as an opportunity to reinvent our world, by proposing a life in harmony with the Earth that shelters us.

When the mercury rises and our skies darken, it's global warming that's doing the damage. The climate upheaval we're currently experiencing is unequivocal, and the fallout is as palpable as it is potential.

First and foremost, rising sea levels are being felt like a sword of Damocles over coastal cities. This rise, caused by the thermal expansion of water and the melting of ice, could submerge entire regions, endanger millions of lives and provoke unprecedented humanitarian catastrophes.

The second shock concerns living species, including mankind. Ecosystems suffer greatly from extreme weather variations. Species migrate, are lost or become extinct; diseases that were once under control resurface; and agriculture, our lifeline, is struggling to cope with these shocks. In addition, air pollution linked to greenhouse gas emissions is responsible for millions of premature deaths worldwide every year.

The third blow comes from the severity of extreme climatic events. Hurricanes and heatwaves are more intense and frequent. Floods and droughts have their share of the calamity cake. Each of these phenomena, far from being isolated, are the teeth of a spiral whose human and financial cost continues to grow.

To complete this apocalyptic picture, global warming could also lead to a worldwide economic crisis. Rising temperatures are bound to make us sweat, not only because of the heat, but also because they can reduce worker productivity, damage infrastructure and impact industrial output.

Awareness of the immensity of the potential damage caused by global warming is a crucial step towards action. For it is only through learning and understanding that we will discover how to prevent its devastating effects and envisage a future where we coexist harmoniously with our planet.

The history of our planet has always been marked by natural climatic variations, from the glaciers of the Ice Age to the warmer periods of the Tertiary Era. However, the alarming acceleration in climate change that we have been observing since the industrial era is beginning to paint a very different picture.

Large-scale development, excessive exploitation of resources, exponential burning of fossil fuels - the industrial era marked the prologue to anthropogenic global warming, injecting a massive dose of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into our precious atmosphere. It is this reckless disregard for nature's fragile balance that has led to a warmer planet, with devastating consequences.

Our Victorian predecessors could not have foreseen the exorbitant environmental cost of their decisions. The smoking chimneys we once associated with progress are now silent witnesses to a period when economic growth was placed above respect for the environment. This is the historical burden we must shoulder and, at the same time, the challenge we face: to rewrite our history in a greener shade.

However, the historical impacts of climate change are not just a question of rising temperatures. They are also rooted in ecosystem disruption, species extinction, rising sea levels and food insecurity. The 1930s saw the infamous Dust Bowl in North America, an unprecedented drought and soil erosion exacerbated by irresponsible farming practices. Closer to home, Africa's Lake Chad lost 90% of its surface area in just a few decades, leaving the local population prey to increased poverty and instability.

Every extreme weather event, every endangered species and every displaced community is a disturbing reminder of our historic impact on this planet we call home. It's a lesson we must learn from our past, so that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past.

But it's not all bad news as we look back. We also have stories of progress to celebrate. The concepts of sustainable development and renewable energy have emerged, reorienting our trajectory towards a more sustainable future. Thanks to international agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol, we have succeeded in rallying the world around the need to curb global warming.

This is the story we must continue to tell: the story of mistakes made and lessons learned, but also of solutions found and successes shared. A story of warming and cooling, exploitation and sustainability, contempt and compassion. This is our climate story. And it is this story that will guide us towards a greener, more balanced future. Because with every day that passes, every decision made, and every action taken, we write the next line of our climate legacy.

In the face of the climate emergency, there are several clear signals of progress, or setbacks, showing us the trajectory of our planet. These clues are crucial in assessing our progress towards Earth vitality. So, what are these key markers?

The first indicator is the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, notably carbon dioxide (CO2). This indicator, whose concentration has been rising steadily since the industrial revolution, is a key indicator of global warming.

A second key indicator is the Earth's global temperature. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) points to an average global temperature rise of 1.1°C since pre-industrial times. This unprecedented warming is leading to an increase in the rate of natural disasters (fires, cyclones, floods).

The state of the polar ice caps is another worrying sign of global warming. The melting of polar ice caps, which is accelerating over the years, is causing rising sea levels and threatening coastal areas around the globe.

Ocean acidification is another key indicator, a lesser-known but equally serious effect of climate change. Caused by the excessive absorption of CO2 by the oceans, it disrupts marine life, affecting coral reefs and marine biodiversity.

The impact on biodiversity is also an important marker not to be overlooked. The accelerating disappearance of animal and plant species is a warning signal that underscores the urgent need to adopt a sustainable development model to preserve life on Earth.

Finally, economic indicators, such as the damage caused by natural disasters and agricultural losses due to drought or flooding, remind us that climate change has a real financial cost, impacting our societies and economies.

By decoding these signals, we get a more concrete idea of the challenges we face. The best way to combat them? The transition to clean energy sources, recycling, water conservation and tree planting are just some of the many actions everyone can take towards a sustainable future.

Crimson leaves in autumn, white flakes in winter: we love the natural variability of our environment. However, there is a mistaken belief that global warming is just another facet of this natural variability. Far from being a simple seasonal variation, global warming is an alarming trend caused by human intervention.

The increase in the Earth's temperature is not a myth, but a fact confirmed by the international scientific community. Yet some people still believe that the phenomenon is exaggerated. In fact, nearly 97% of climatologists agree that global warming is mainly due to human activity.

Another persistent myth insinuates that carbon dioxide (CO2) - the main greenhouse gas - is not dangerous because it is naturally present in the atmosphere. However, the problem lies not in the presence of CO2, but in its rapid accumulation. As we know, over-consumption of anything, even a basic element like water, can have deleterious consequences.

When it comes to sustainable development, the most common misconception is that ecology and economics are incompatible. However, a transition to renewable energy sources could generate thousands of jobs, while preserving our planet for future generations. Far from harming the economy, it could actually boost it.

There are also myths about solutions to global warming. Some people believe that all we need to do to solve the problem is plant trees. While reforestation is an asset, it is not a panacea. Our main objective should be to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and limit our greenhouse gas emissions.

Errare humanum est. We all make mistakes. But when those mistakes have an impact on the survival of our planet, that's another matter altogether. It's by dissecting these myths that we can begin to glimpse the facts: radical action is needed to tackle global warming and encourage a more sustainable future.

If we can break down the stereotypes and refute the myths, only then can we envisage a prosperous future for the Earth and its inhabitants. For isn't that the purpose of all development: to create, innovate and prosper together, while preserving our only home, the Earth?