This blog has the information about Natural Causes of Climate Change. These Natural Causes of Climate Change includes Green House Effect, Variation in Solar Activity, Ocean Currents, Earth’s Reflectivity, Natural CO2 Concentration, Earth’s Orbit and Rotation, Volcanic Activity etc. These natural causes contributed in triggering and causing Climate Change on Earth. It also contain Case Studies proving the facts about Natural Climate Change.

1. What do you mean by Natural Causes?

Natural causes means that the natural processes and Environmental Changes that gives rise to Environmental Problems such as Climate Change. These causes are completely associated with nature and do not need interference of Human Activities. But Impacts of Natural causes can be enhanced or become intense by Anthropogenic Activities. But these natural causes have a very less contribution as compared to the Anthropogenic Causes. We will have a complete Description and detail about the Natural Causes of Climate Change in this Blog.

2. What are the Natural Causes of Climate Change?

Climate Change is a very significant and speedy Environmental Problem that is damaging the Environment. There are many Anthropogenic and Natural Causes of Climate Change. Anthropogenic Causes completely relies on the Human Activities, and enhance the effects of Natural Causes of Climate Change. While Natural Causes completely rely on the Natural processes and phenomena that contributes in the Climate Change.

Natural Causes of Climate Change contributes at a great levels and harms the environment. Anthropogenic Causes are given more importance because they adds more severity in the factors causing Climate Change and enhance its Impacts in the World. Following are the Natural Causes of Climate Change:

These are some of the Natural Causes of Climate Change. We will have a complete description on each of the Natural Cause of Climate Change in this blog.

Natural Causes of Climate Change

3. What is the Contribution of Green House Effect in Climate Change?

Green House Effect is the Natural process that traps heat into the atmosphere. The atmosphere contain a Layer of gases that works as a trap for the Heat produced on the Earth’s surface. Green house gases can be produced by many natural and anthropogenic sources, but these are trapped because of Green House Effect. The process of Green House Effect contributes in Climate Change because it heats up the Earth by trapping Green House Gases within the Earth’s Atmosphere. The role of Greenhouse gases in Natural Climate Change cause Heat Waves, Sea Level Rise, Melting of Glaciers and many other such Environmental Problems on Earth.

If there will be no Green House Effect, the Earth would be Frozen and there will be no life on Earth. On the other hand, it captures and reflects back the hot gases that comes from the Earth’s surface into the Atmosphere and results in excessive heat and high Temperature. This ruins the Natural Environment of the Earth in many ways, by Damaging Biodiversity, Increase Ocean’s temperature, Increasing Global Warming and so many more associated problems.

Which Anthropogenic Activities triggers Green House Effects?

Following are the Anthropogenic Activities that Triggers Green House Effect:

4. What do you mean by Earth’s Reflectivity?

Earth’s Reflectivity is also called as Albedo. Earth shows different positive and negative feedback mechanisms in the form of its reflectivity and absorption of heat and energy. It is the power of Earth to reflect back incoming solar radiations. The Earth is able to reflect about 29% of the solar radiations that enters into the atmosphere. Albedo effect is produced through the snow, ice, airborne particles and also certain gases that makes this reflectivity possible. It is a useful property of the Earth because it does not let the excessive heat to stay on the Earth and increase the Temperature. Unfortunately the Earth’s Albedo is decreasing with time due to Rise of Ocean Temperature and Melting of Glaciers. These feedback mechanisms of Earth Climate Systems, drives the Climate Change.

Climate Change is causing the production of excessive heat on the surface of the Earth and these natural phenomena (rise in ocean temperature and Melting of Glaciers) are decreasing Earth’s albedo. Sometimes they work for mitigating Climate Change and sometimes it enhance the effects of Climate Change. So, Earth reflect the heat that it was reflecting previously. That is why Earth’s temperature is increasing every year. This natural phenomena contributes in Climate Change.

Which Anthropogenic Activities decrease the Albedo?

Following are the Anthropogenic Activities that decrease Albedo:

5. What is relation between Volcanic Activity and Climate Change?

Volcanoes are the openings or vents where lava, tephra and steam erupt onto the Earth’s surface. These provide path to lava and magma to come to the surface of the Earth. Volcanic Activity is a state where an active volcano eject lava, ash, magma and gases. These eruptions are drastic and fully forced. Volcanic activity is a big source of Green House Gases emissions. It adds many of the gases such as SO2 and NO2 into the atmosphere that are harmful to health and are a part of Smog. These gases from the Volcanic activity makes natural addition to the atmosphere and makes extreme impacts and there is a huge impact of Volcanic aerosols on Global Temperatures by acting as Global Cooling.

Volcanic Activity release gases in a drastic way and add these gases into the upper atmosphere and then they spread into the whole atmosphere, causing Climate Change. It increases the Photochemical reactions into the atmosphere that cause storms, heavy rainfall and other such Impacts. Volcano itself is a polluter that pollutes the land and air by adding toxic substances to it and enhance the effects of Climate Change.

6. What do you mean by Natural CO2 Concentration?

Anthropogenic Activities and Fossil Fuel burning is already heating up the atmosphere at great levels. In this extreme condition the concentration of Natural CO2 is a great factors that contributes in Global Warming. The problem is that, the natural concentration of CO2 fluctuates through the years so as Sources of Natural Co2 concentration includes Outgassing of Oceans, Decomposing Vegetation, and Volcanic Activity. All these adds natural CO2 into the atmosphere that adds with the other GHG emissions and harm the Earth’s Natural Environmental Composition. The Carbon Cycle on earth is a feedback mechanism of the Earth that highly effects the Natural Environment and Climate variability.

As we know that Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change are disturbing Earth’s Natural Environment by producing excessive heat. In this condition the Natural Concentration of CO2 also contributes as a trigger for Global Warming and Climate Change. We cannot deny its contribution in the Climate Change because it makes the GHGs emissions enhanced by its production. This cannot be controlled by Humans in any way.

What are the Anthropogenic Causes of CO2 production?

Following are the Anthropogenic Activities that Cause CO2 Production.

7. What do you know about Solar Activity and Earth’s Climate?

Solar Activity plays a great role in maintaining and changing the Climatic Conditions on the Earth. The variations in Solar Activities are characterized by levels of solar radiations coming on the Earth’s surface as well as the number and size of Sunspots in 11-year Sunspot Cycle. These variation have a significant effect on Climate Change and Weather patterns. Most of the heat that comes on the Earth’s surface is from the Sun. If any change or variation occurs into the Solar Activity it will cast impact on the Climate and Weather system.

When the sunspots are increased and when excessive Solar Radiations are reaching the Earth’s surface, it effects in the form of Global Warming and Climate Change. Solar activities effects the Climate at the scale of minutes to millions of years. It is believed that the Faster Variations in the Solar Activity cause Climate Change most of the time and their effects are extreme.

8. How do Orbital Variations effect Climate Change?

Earth orbit around the sun and its Rotation and orbit changes with time. Sometimes the direction of the Earth is away from the Sun while sometimes its orbit is near the sun. This enhance and decrease the Natural Heat reaching the Earth’s surface from the Sun. Sometimes it makes the Earth full of radiations from the sun, and sometimes the radiations reaching the Earth’s surface are less. In this way the Earth’s Orbital Variations and Rotation cast long-term Climate Change. These processes are also called as Milankovitch cycles. These are as follows:

Eccentricity:

Variations in the shape of Earth’s orbit around the sun, occurring approximately every 100,000 years.

Obliquity:

Changes in the tilt of Earth’s axis, occurring every 41,000 years.

Precession:

The wobbling motion of Earth’s axis, with a cycle of about 23,000 years. etc.

The rotation and direction of Earth around the Sun play a great role in maintaining and controlling heat radiations reaching the Earth. This makes the effects of Climate Change more extreme and sometimes minimizes the effects of Climate Change on the Earth’s Surface. So, we can say that Changing of Earth’s Orbit and Rotation highly effects Climate Change and Warming of the Earth.

9. How do Ocean Currents influence Climate?

As we know that most of the Earth’s surface is covered with Ocean. Anything that happens into the ocean effects the Earth’s Climate and Natural Environment at a great level. We can consider it as the Ocean-atmosphere interactions. Oceans undergoes many variations and their composition also varies because of the absorbed CO2 into it. Ocean Currents or Ocean Circulations that are powered by Wind, tides and Earth’s Rotation cause differences in Sun and Water. Ocean currents are also driven by Plate Tectonics at a great extent. This occurs when mountain ranges are produced or due to opening and closing of Ocean Gateways. These currents takes warm water on the surface of ocean and takes cold water back to the depth. These phenomena occurs in the form of El-Nino and La-Nina oscillations.

These ocean currents warms up the Earth’s Atmosphere. The Ocean’s Global Circulation System plays a great role in disturbing the heat energy, regulating Weather and Climate, and also Cycling Vital Nutrients and Gases. These Ocean Currents enhance the Effects of Climate Change and Global Warming on the Earth’s surface by providing excessive heat through Ocean currents.

10. What do you know about Earth’s Internal Variability?

Some of the changes in Climate does not occur because of Physical and External variations or Causes. These occurs from the internal variabilities of the Earth’s surface. These changes in Earth’s internal composition occurs by interactions within the Climate System. Variations in Earth’s internal area may cause temporary warming and cooling. This phenomena also effects the atmospheric circulation patterns and influence global climate. The internal variability also includes the Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift. This occurs when mountain ranges forms or due to opening and closing of Ocean Gateways. Both of them have significant effects on the Atmospheric composition and Ocean currents and eventually leads to Climate Change.

Another internal variability of the Earth occurs when the changes occurs in air patterns. Other than that, the sediment layers, tree rings and other paleontological records (Paleoclimatic Evidence) shows that Climate Change existed when there was no Anthropogenic Causes effecting Climate Change. These systems some of the Warm regions Warmer, and makes the cold regions more colder than usual. In this way Earth’s internal variability is a great Cause of Climate Change and Weather maintenance. It also includes the Volcanic activity, Earthquakes and other such activities going on internally in Earth’s crust.

11. What is the Comparative Analysis of Natural vs Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change?

Climate Change is a dangerous and abrupt phenomena in the Earth’s Environmental Problems. It is effecting the Natural Systems of the Earth and casting extreme impacts on the Biodiversity and Earth’s Environment. It is also responsible for varying the Natural Composition of the Environment at great extent. In the last blog, we discussed the Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change. These causes contributes at a great extent because of increase in Anthropogenic activities in favor of Climate Change.

In this blog, we discussed about the Natural Causes of Climate Change. They looks like biggest contributors in Climate Change effects, but the reality is that, they contribute very less as compared to the Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change. The total contribution of Natural Causes of Climate Change is plus or minus 0.1°C from the year 1890 to 2010. In this complete era, Natural Causes of Climate Change have Contribute a little in Climate Change so this shows that Anthropogenic Activities are the reason why Climate is becoming intense and difficult to control in the present time.

By controlling the Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change, we can control the effects of Climate Change on Earth’s Environment, Climate and Weather Conditions. If we will control these activities we will be able to fight with drastic changes by Climate Change.

Case Studies providing the Facts of Natural Climate Change:

European Heat Waves 2003 to 2006:

These were the hardest heat waves in the human history because it cause extreme weather events. This specific time-period led to high temperature, heat-related deaths and huge damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

Recent Dzud Disasters in Mongolia:

Dzud Disasters are Natural disasters that leads to severe winter conditions that cause death of livestock and damage of agriculture. Mongolia faced extreme Dzud disasters and so the impacts were addressed to mitigate damage.

Volcanic Activity at Mount Tambora:

Mount Tambora faces a huge Volcanic eruption in 1815. It worked by scattering solar radiations in the atmosphere because of Volcanic Aerosols. The year 1816 was known as “a year without summer”

These case studies shows the impacts of Natural Causes of Climate Change without any interference of Anthropogenic Activities.

Causes of Climate Change

12. Conclusion:

Climate change is a serious Environmental Problem of the Present time. It not only cause by Anthropogenic Activities, but many Natural systems and variations also effects and triggers Climate Change in few ways. These changes and processes includes Green House Effect, Volcanic Activity, Natural CO2 Concentration, Variation in Solar Activity, Changes in Earth’s Orbit and Rotation, Ocean Currents and also Earth’s Internal Variability.

All of these Natural Causes of Climate Change contributes in Climate Change but in a very small extent. Most of the Climate Change triggers by Human Activities or Anthropogenic Causes. By controlling and stabilizing the Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change we can Fight with Climate Change with great effectiveness.

To learn about More Topics, Click the links below:

What are Major Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change?

Introduction to Climate Change

Environmental Sciences

Biodiversity Conservation

Sustainable Development

Categorized in:

Climate Change