Climate change is one the most crucial challenges mankind is facing. The warming is caused by the constantly rising amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere: the emission sources are mostly human-induced, but also caused by nature’s own processes. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) are unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years.
Climate change brings immense changes to the Earth, and to our life. To predict and mitigate this change, it is crucial to have long-term and standardised measurements of greenhouse gas emissions and sinks, as well as their evolution. It is also essential to pursue efforts and undertake global actions to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The greenhouse effect itself is a natural process. However, human activities increase atmospheric concentrations of both natural and synthetic greenhouse gases which enhances the greenhouse effect and leads to climate change.
Human activities have been the major contributor to the increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Actions need to be taken on every level to reduce the emissions.