What Is The Climate Crisis?

The term "climate crisis" refers to the global warming caused by human activities, as well as the climate change caused by this global warming. The fact that this issue is referred to as a "crisis" indicates how urgent and significant it is. This definition, which was used to emphasize the harms of changes in the balance of the climate of our world, is now a part of our life.
We will outline the definition, root causes, and recommended solutions for the climate issue in this article.

What Does The Climate Crisis Mean?

Scientists have proven repeatedly that the use of fossil fuels is the primary cause of the climate crisis. But what are we talking about when we say ‘climate crisis’?

In a nutshell, the rapid modernization that followed the industrial revolution increased the use of fossil fuels. With rapid urbanization, deforestation, and industrialization, the world's energy production has begun to rely on fossil fuels. When we say fossil fuels, we mean coal, oil, and natural gas in the most basic sense. Burning these fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. On the other hand, increasing carbon emissions cause what is known as the "greenhouse gas effect" in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere by accumulating significantly more than what should be present. Climate change, or "global warming," is brought on by the depletion of the ozone layer and an increase in the greenhouse effect.

So, what is the difference between the terms climate crisis, climate change and global warming? Throughout Earth's history, there have been significant natural changes in climate. As an example, consider the ice ages. We refer to these major changes in the atmosphere and climate as "climate change." However, the climate change that has occurred and accelerated since the industrial revolution is not natural. When we say "climate change," we are referring to a change caused by human activity. On the other hand, we refer to the human-caused climate change we are experiencing as "global warming" due to the increasing global average temperature. Global warming, which is mainly caused by the increasing use of fossil fuels, describes a human-caused climate change.

The climate crisis, on the other hand, is used to explain that the global warming experienced has reached a ‘crisis’ dimension.

What Causes The Climate Crisis?

The causes of the climate crisis caused by global warming are multidimensional. However, the use of fossil fuels is the one topic that keeps coming up. The fuels we use to generate electricity, heat up and carry out industrial production (oil, natural gas and coal) lead to greenhouse gas emissions.

The climate crisis caused by global warming covers the increasing warming of the world, drought, and the frequent occurrence of unexpected meteorological events. Among the effects of the climate crisis are the decimation of biological diversity, the increasing extinction of animal and plant species, water and air pollution, and extreme weather occurrences. So, why does the climate crisis occur?

As we have explained above, the biggest factor of the climate crisis is that our modern lifestyles rely on fossil fuels. The industrial revolution enabled the spread of petroleum and petroleum by-products. On the other hand, the increased usage of fossil fuels has led to an unprecedented warming of the planet's atmosphere. Today, industrialized nations' economies are still built on fossil fuels. We use fossil fuels for electricity, heating, transportation and industry. On the other hand, the loss of forested areas is a result of urbanization and the expansion of agricultural lands. Cutting down trees that absorb and store CO2 on the other hand increases the effects of global warming.

The industrialization of agriculture and animal husbandry is also a result of the growing global population. Agricultural and livestock production caused greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and nitrous oxide. In short, the production-consumption and development models that we base our societies and economies on are all closely linked with the climate crisis. Almost all socio-economic human activities lead to carbon emissions and contribute to global warming. In the 1960s, scientists began to study the causes and consequences of global warming for the first time. By the 1990s, Global warming had gained international attention.

Experts predict that the average global temperature will rise by 2-3 degrees by the end of the century. Even though 2-3 degrees may appear to be insignificant, they have major consequences. Even a one-degree rise results in higher rate of hurricanes and a rise in the frequency of forest fires. While it brings excessive rainfall and flooding disasters to some areas, it brings heat waves, drought, and desertification to others. Global warming triggers the disruption of biological balance (extinction of animal and lice species), thirst and food crisis. Pollution of the water and air, deforestation, and an increase in invasive (undesirable) species are all becoming more common. Every year, we observe the effects of global warming more clearly. While some countries in the world are flooded, some countries have already begun to struggle with drought. 

So, does the climate crisis only affect the environment and the economy?

The Social Dimension of the Climate Crisis

Rising sea levels and temperatures, intense rainfall, droughts, melting glaciers and permafrost... We are aware of the direct effects of global warming. The indirect consequences include food supply issues, hunger, thirst, and a loss of biological diversity... All of these effects will have an impact on countries' economies and cause major infrastructure problems.

However, the climate crisis's effects go beyond just the economic and environmental. It is anticipated that there would be a rise in "climate refugees" and that significant migrations from equatorial areas to the north will occur. To put it another way, it is becoming increasingly crucial to comprehend the societal impact of the climate crisis. According to scientists, famines will become more common, and the agricultural and livestock sectors will suffer greatly as a result of global warming.

The climate crisis also has a class dimension. The poorest 10% of the world's population causes 175 times as much carbon dioxide emissions as the richest 1% of the world's population. Furthermore, according to scientists, the poorest citizens of nations would be the most impacted by global warming if the essential investments are not made in the next ten years. The poor in developing countries will be most severely impacted by the famine and thirst that will occur.

Why Should We Use the Word Climate Crisis Instead of Climate Change?

The term "climate change" is actually used as an umbrella term, as we explained above. Throughout history, our 4.5 billion year old Earth has seen significant and natural climate changes. However, we are not referring to these natural changes when describing the current situation. The climate change experienced today is ’human-caused'. In short, the increase of fossil fuels leads to global warming and causes climate change.

This is where the term "climate crisis" comes into play. When we use the term "climate change," it is not fully understood that we are talking about an issue that needs to be solved. To emphasize that the consequences of global warming experienced as a result of human activities constitute an urgent challenge, this scenario must be referred to as a "climate crisis."

The key reason for using the term "crisis" is to create a "sense of urgency" and to strengthen people's emotional attachment to the issue. Furthermore, by using the term "crisis," it is intended to emphasize that there are "solutions" to the problems caused by global warming. What are these solutions?

Reducing the Effects of Climate Change

In the simplest form, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the solution to the climate crisis. Fossil fuel consumption needs to be reduced to achieve this. Investing in renewable energy sources is one way to reduce our economies' reliance on oil, natural gas, and coal. One of the primary solutions to the climate crisis is to generate energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind.

Reducing the use of cars and increasing the use of public transportation, increasing the sharing economy and switching to electric vehicles are among the solutions. Energy saving also plays a big role. The solutions that we can implement in our homes and workplaces (such as switching to LED bulbs) have a great impact on energy saving. Moreover, reducing plastic consumption and prohibiting single-use plastics are two major solutions.

The joint action of both states, private sectors and individuals is one of the most important topics in solving the climate crisis. States need to encourage investment in renewable energy, strong international cooperation, and individuals need to change their own life habits in a positive sense.

What Can Individuals Do?

There are many things that individuals can do to prevent climate change. For example: walking for short distances, preferring trains instead of airplanes, consuming less red meat, taking measures that will save energy both at home and work, contributing to recycling by separating waste, buying products we really need, staying away from single-use plastics.

Moreover, we should not underestimate the influence of customers on companies and citizens on governments. With the increasing awareness, it is becoming a part of our lives to demand both the government and institutions to take action on the climate crisis.

What Do We Do At Enerjisa?

At Enerjisa, it is our priority to be a role model in our industry and a pioneer in green energy. That is why 56% of our installed power is generated from domestic and renewable energy resources. We are working non-stop for Turkey and for future generations with our 12 hydroelectric power plants, 5 wind power plants and 2 solar power plants. Sustainability, on the other hand, is integrated into our entire organization and is at the center of our business. We do and will respect the right to life and the capacity for development of all living things today and in the future, and focus on the consequences of our services and products. We also support the equal empowerment of all people in order to create a low-carbon, cleaner, and greener energy industry. We determine all our investment and strategic priorities as part of sustainability. We carry out the sustainability transformation of businesses via our Enerjisa Energy of My Business services. The SENTRUM project we launched in Küçükköy, Ayvalık enabled us to create sustainable tourism practices of the future from today. Click for more information about SENTRUM and to review the Green Destination Küçükköy report. At Enerjisa, we will continue to shape tomorrow starting from today.