The History of Climate Change: From 1880 to Today
Climate change, as we understand it today, traces back to humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels—a legacy tied to the Industrial Revolution. Starting in the late 18th century, this transformative era revolutionized industries and economies, sparking rapid innovation. Fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—became the bedrock of this revolution, offering vast energy reserves. Yet their origins lie far deeper in history, embedded in the remains of ancient plants, animals, and microorganisms that lived hundreds of millions of years ago.
This organic matter, which absorbed and stored carbon throughout its lifespan, became buried under layers of sediment over geological timescales. As immense pressure and heat transformed these remains into fossil fuels, their carbon was sequestered underground—effectively removed from Earth’s active carbon cycle. This burial process was vital, reshaping the carbon cycle and contributing to a climate conducive to life as we know it. For over 300 million years, this sequestration stabilized the atmosphere, creating a delicate balance that supported the evolution of mammals, ecosystems, and human civilization.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18th century and accelerated through the 19th century, disrupted this equilibrium. By extracting and burning fossil fuels, humans began reintroducing this stored carbon back into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂). This process, which continues to this day, has drastically increased atmospheric CO₂ levels—from approximately 280 parts per million (ppm) before the Industrial Revolution to over 420 ppm today. This unprecedented rise in CO₂ has thrown Earth's carbon cycle—and its climate—into disarray, contributing to global warming and widespread environmental changes.
The Carbon Cycle
The carbon cycle is a delicate system of exchange that sustains life on Earth, involving processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and the storage of carbon in carbon sinks like forests, oceans, and soil. These carbon sinks act as natural safeguards, absorbing excess carbon dioxide and preventing harmful buildup in the atmosphere. Fossil fuels, however, lie outside this active cycle. Hundreds of millions of years ago, organic matter absorbed carbon from the atmosphere, but when it was buried and fossilized, that carbon was stored underground—removed from the active carbon cycle. This long-term sequestration helped stabilize Earth's climate for over 300 million years, enabling the evolution of mammals and ecosystems that eventually supported human life. Earth's current carbon cycle emerged as a system finely balanced to sustain life both on and within the planet.
The Industrial Revolution started the reintroduction of once-sequestered carbon to Earth's atmosphere. By burning fossil fuels, humans began releasing massive quantities of ancient, stored carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO₂), reversing millions of years of natural carbon storage. This process, which continues to this day, drastically increased atmospheric CO₂ levels, throwing Earth's carbon cycle—and its climate—into disarray. The imbalance in Earth's climate system causes cascading disruptions that amplify greenhouse gas concentrations, trap more heat, and accelerate the warming of our planet.
The Greenhouse Effect
CO₂ and other greenhouse gases, such as methane (CH₄), trap heat emitted by Earth after sunlight is absorbed. While sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere as shortwave radiation unaffected by greenhouse gases, the heat Earth re-emits as longwave infrared radiation encounters a different fate. Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit this heat, creating a "blanket" effect that warms the planet. This natural process makes Earth hospitable, but as fossil fuel use surged, so did greenhouse gas concentrations. These gases amplify the "blanket" effect, driving the warming trend we see accelerating today. The more human activities release and reintroduce these greenhouse gases to Earth's atmosphere, the thicker this "blanket" becomes. As the blanket thickens, less heat escapes into space, causing the planet to warm at an increasingly dangerous rate.
Impacts of Climate Change
The impacts of this warming are profound. Glaciers and ice sheets that have stood for thousands of years are melting at alarming rates, contributing to sea-level rise. Since 1880, global sea levels have risen 8–9 inches, with about half of that occurring in just the last 20 years. Projections show that, if left unchecked, sea levels could rise by up to six feet by the end of this century, displacing millions and submerging coastal cities. Melting ice also disrupts ocean currents, like the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which regulate global temperatures and climate systems. Additionally, the loss of ice accelerates warming through the albedo effect, as darker ocean surfaces absorb more heat than reflective ice.
Beyond melting ice and rising seas, climate change is inflicting damage on vital ecosystems and exacerbating extreme weather events. The Amazon Rainforest, often referred to as the 'lungs of the planet,' is rapidly losing its ability to act as a carbon sink due to deforestation, increasing temperatures, and drought. If this continues, the rainforest could shift from absorbing carbon dioxide to becoming a net emitter of greenhouse gases, further accelerating global warming.
Coral reefs, another cornerstone of Earth's ecosystems, are on the brink of collapse. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification, driven by excess CO₂, are causing widespread coral bleaching. These vibrant underwater habitats, which support marine biodiversity and protect coastal communities, are losing their resilience. If warming persists, coral reefs could face near-total extinction, disrupting marine food webs and the livelihoods of millions who depend on them.
The frequency and intensity of wildfires are surging globally, fueled by hotter, drier conditions. Fires in critical ecosystems release massive amounts of stored carbon and destroy biodiversity, creating feedback loops that worsen climate change. Similarly, intense storms and hurricanes are becoming more destructive, powered by warming oceans. These storms devastate communities, damage infrastructure, and exact economic costs that are increasingly difficult to recover from.
Permafrost, which covers vast stretches of the Arctic, is thawing at an alarming rate. This process releases methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO₂—into the atmosphere. The resulting feedback loop further accelerates warming, intensifying the risks posed by already vulnerable ecosystems and populations.
If these impacts are allowed to continue unchecked, the world faces a future defined by loss: loss of biodiversity, loss of stability in Earth's climate systems, and loss of opportunities for sustainable progress. Addressing these challenges head-on is not only essential for mitigating climate change but also for preserving the delicate balance that makes life on Earth possible.
What Can Be Done?
- Restore the Carbon Cycle: Invest in technologies and natural solutions to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, stabilizing Earth's climate systems. Both direct air capture and efforts like reforestation and soil restoration are vital to restoring balance.
- Leave Fossil Fuels Untouched: Prevent further release of ancient carbon by halting the extraction and combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas.
We hope you now have an informed understanding of exactly what is causing Earth’s climate to get dangerously warm. If you have any further questions and want to get more information, we invite you to chat with AI.