Hello steemians!
I was having a chat with someone close to me when @upwhaleme's post somehow popped in, I clicked on the post and saw a topic I find very interesting; Climate change/ Global warming. I know I have to write about this, and that was what birth this post.
[Image source](https://steemitimages.com/p/2bP4pJr4wVimqCWjYimXJe2cnCgnFeia25c1B1BeYYW?format=match&mode=fit&width=640)
# What is Climate change?
While I was still undergoing my primary school education and even up to my secondary school days, the question that keeps coming up in Geography is; what is the difference between weather and climate.
I want to start here because it is good we know the main difference between the two, then I can build on from that.
I liked the way Collins dictionary defined weather:
> "The weather is the condition of the atmosphere in one area at a particular time"
[Source](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/amp/english/weather)
This means that the state of the atmosphere at a set time either rainy, sunny, cloudy etc is what weather is.
Climate is the average weather condition of a place over a period of time, that is the prevailing weather condition of a place.
From these definitions, it shows climate is over a period of time. Which leads me back to what Climate change is.
> Climate change is the rise in average surface temperatures on Earth, mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels.
[Source](http://www.takepart.com/flashcards/what-is-climate-change/index.html)
Wikipedia said something worth noting about climate change:
> Climate change occurs when changes in Earth's climate system result in new weather patterns that remain in place for an extended period of time. This length of time can be as short as a few decades to as long as millions of years.
[Source](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_(general_concept))
This means climate change happens over time, not an instant.
[Image source](https://pixabay.com/photos/landscape-change-climate-nature-4684217/)
# What causes Climate change?
This is caused primarily by actions of men, almost the acts and process of modernisation leads to climate change. Eg. Burning of fossil fuels like coal & oil (which results in the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, gases like carbondioxide), deforestation also which leads to reduction of trees that coverts carbondioxide to oxygen which is more useful to the environment.
# It's impact on my environment
Climate change has done a lot and is still doing lots, the only thing about it is that it's effect gradual and not an instant thing.
The last dry season in my area is nothing to write home about, the heat was way too much. This led to people making joke about it, the most popular one was that the last person that entered hell left the door opened! This is to show how hot it was, I stay and live in Nigeria by the way.
Most people did not talk about the increase of vehicles in towns and cities except for traffic only the felling of trees to build houses and for furniture purposes without replacements.
It is warming up!
# Is it really an instrument of political agenda?
This can be argued and debated on from different views and angles. But I would state what is actually real and true about it.
The main things leading and causing global warming or climate change as the case might be are lucrative, any money grabbing political seat would always go and push for them.
Burning coals is cheaper and cost effective than going for electric, they would always pick burning coals and exposing the atmosphere to maximise profits.
It becomes an instrument as long as it is cheaper.
# How to manage it
I strongly believe there should be strict laws on industries and the rate at which these gases should be emitted, both local and internationally.
Trees should be planted more, afforestation should be encouraged and made easy. There was a time an operation 'fall a tree and plant two' was launched in my country, things like this can preserve the atmosphere and ozone layer over time.
Electric cars should be encouraged and made more easy to get compared to the fuel combustion type, and the ones using fuel should burn fuel more effectively.
Thanks to @upwhaleme for making me write on this, you can also join [here](https://steemit.com/self-power/@upmewhale/upmewhale-writing-contest-global-warming-and-climate-change-what-can-be-done)