Infographic - The causes of global warming

Let's take a look at the different types of forcings that can cause global warming:

Natural sources

• Variations in the Earth's orbital characteristics
• Volcanic eruptions
• Variations in solar output
• Natural aerosols

Human sources

• Changes in greenhouse gas concentrations
• Deforestation and land use changes
• Sulfate aerosols
• Soot particles (black carbon)

The current cause of global warming is the increasing quantity of greenhouse gases in the our atmosphere produced by human activities, like the burning of fossil fuels or deforestation. These activities produce large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions which is causing global warming. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere to keep the planet warm enough to sustain life, this process is called the greenhouse effect. It is a natural process and without these gases, the Earth would be too cold for humans, plants and other creatures to live.

Greenhouse gases are produced both naturally and through human activities. Unfortunately, greenhouse gases generated by human activities are being added to the atmosphere at a much faster rate than any natural process can remove them. Global levels of greenhouse gases have increased dramatically since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the 1750s. Human-caused emissions have been increasing greenhouse levels which is raising worldwide temperatures and driving global warming.

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