Debates on climate change may seem to have started in the 21st century, but that is not the case. This debate however began back in 1858, at a time when the Industrial Revolution had just kicked off. Since that time, arguments implicate human activities as the primary cause of climatic changes and global warming. There have also been contradicting arguments that climatic changes and global warming are natural processes and have nothing to do with human activities. One fact relating to these arguments is that in the 20th century, global temperatures recorded a 1.4F increase. By 2013, thousands of studies had been done, and about 97 percent of them concluded that human activities were the primary cause of climatic changes. Whereas some research indicates that more than 70 percent of climatic changes that took place after 1850 are part of the solar cycles, other research conclude that the past century had the fastest rate of global warming than it ever did over the past 12,000 years (Jaoua, 2018) . Moreover, some other studies show that the last glaciation took place about 450 to 500 million years ago. According to these studies, the levels of carbon dioxide then were almost six times what they are today.
Arguments that human activities cause climate change
There is numerous scientific evidence that explains how human activities are the primary cause global warming and climatic changes. The levels of gases released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities has risen. This gases in no doubt have directly caused the greenhouse effect that is experienced. As a result of the greenhouse effect, heat is trapped and hence brings about global warming (Jaoua, 2018) . It is certain that the high rise of carbon dioxide levels into the atmosphere over the last century has been a result of the tremendous human activities that have been taking place. The carbon dioxide that is building up to the atmosphere has been identified to be of a specific type and has been proven to have a connection to human activities. Scientists believe that there is no possibility for the natural climate to increase the earth's temperature as fast as it is creasing. In addition to that, the rate at which the Arctic ice cap is melting, is faster than ever before ( NT, 2017) . This melting of the ice cap is strongly believed to be as a result of greenhouse gasses which are produced due to human activities. Not only are sea levels rising as a result of the melting Arctic ice cap, but the rise in sea level is also attributed to thermal expansion of the warmer water at the oceans.
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Moreover, the level of acidity in the oceans has risen exponentially because of carbon dioxide emission caused by human activities. Since the temperature at the ocean is also on the rise, there are further climatic changes. Likewise, melting glaciers are also said to cause further effects of climate changes. As a result of human activities, heat and drought waves have become more intense and frequent compared to the past two or three centuries. This is proven by the dramatic changes seen in the levels of global precipitation (NT, 2017) . The other evidence is the rate at which permafrost is melting, which is considered to be faster than it has ever before hence leading to further changes in the climate.
Arguments that human activities do not cause climate change
Those arguing that human activities cause climatic changes are in no doubt extremely vocal and they have gone further and cited many supportive sources. Similarly, those against this argument are also exactly the same. The contradicts have always started their argument by explaining how we still have some 1000 to 2000 scientists who do to agree that human activities are linked to the tremendous climatic changes. According to such individuals, the earth's climate has always been going through periods of warming and cooling ( NT, 2017 ). They argue that what is being experienced today is the earth being in its warming phase and that it is within an acceptable range, and this should not cause any alarm.
Contradicts also believe that the high levels of carbon dioxide within the atmosphere have no connection with either climatic change or global warming. Their argument on this point is that “carbon sinks” such as oceans and forests absorb the carbon dioxide produced as a result of human activities. There is also a believe that that the saturation levels are high in the temperature and further addition of carbon dioxide regardless of whether it is manmade or natural, it would not affect or bring about climatic changes (NT, 2017) .
Moreover, those stating that climatic changes are not caused by human activities, also believe that global warming and cooling are just part of the natural fluctuations. In order to prove this, these people illustrate how the rate of climatic changes have drastically slowed down even though there is still some rise in the level of carbon dioxide. Contradicts also accuses these upholding the argument of using computerized models that have never at any time gave an accurate prediction. They hence believe that these computerized models could as well have given the wrong information.
Although both groups agrees to the fact that the seas levels are on the rise, contradicts have gone further and argued out that this is something that has been happening for many years and has nothing to do with today’s human activities. Similarly, contradicts also consider the higher level of acidity in the oceans to be at a normal range ( NT, 2017 ). Additionally, those against the argument also do not see anything new with the disappearing of glaciers since this is something that has been happening for many centuries.
Personal perspective
I have strong reasons to believe that human activities do not have any relationship with the climatic changes experienced today. One of these reasons is that carbon dioxide is not a result of human actives as most scientist wants people to believe. Carbon dioxide, however, is natural gas with natural sources. While exhaled by humans and animals exhale it, it is also produced during natural occurrences such as volcanic eruptions. Therefore, human actives cannot affect the concentration of this gas on a global scale. Secondly, no one seems to be sure why there is variance in climate. There is sufficient evidence proving that over the years, climatic changes and global warming have fluctuated significantly either due to internal variability within the climate system or due to unknown reasons. The fact that we still have a small percentage of scientists disagreeing that human activities causes global warming and climatic change, is enough proof that no one has sufficient information connecting the tremendous climatic changes to human activities. Thirdly, today’s warming trends is similar to the Medieval Warming Period –MWP- that experienced many years back. Because MWP was an event that occurred naturally, the current climatic changes and global warming are most likely caused by natural processes.
References
Jaoua, N. (2018). Linear-fractional model for global warming. International Journal Of Global Warming , 15 (2), 212. doi: 10.1504/ijgw.2018.092896
NT, A. (2017). Globalization and its impact on Environment. Scifed Journal Of Global Warming , 1 (3). doi: 10.23959/sfjgw-1000014.
