When we burn fossil fuels to produce electricity, heat, and more, they emit greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. These gases trap the sun’s energy in Earth’s atmosphere as heat. As more and more GHGs are released, more heat gets trapped and the planet warms up, disrupting the long-standing, delicate climate systems that have made life on Earth possible.
The stronger storms and longer droughts we see becoming a dangerous new normal are a direct result. But how these impacts play off each other is far more nuanced. In many cases, the wildfires or disappearing glaciers we see in the headlines have unseen knock-on effects that lead to, well, more wildfires and disappearing glaciers.
Think of it like dominos lined up in an infinite spiral – once one domino falls, it creates a reaction that pushes over another and then another right on down the line.