Impacts of Agricultural Activities on Climate Change (Coursework Sample)

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Impacts of Climate Change
Introduction
Human beings have developed to be the greatest cause of air pollution that results in climatic changes. Continuous agricultural activities in a region can change the climate with time to a point where change is inevitable. Massive loss of lives amongst other health complications has been recorded in the past due to air pollution. The threats of polluting the environment will be more harmful in the future if society does not eliminate the pollutants (Ramanathan and Carmichael 224). Global warming has resulted in climatic changes, which pose a great threat to humanity and other living organisms, including plants and wild animals. Agricultural practices are the most common cause of environmental pollution in the current society. In 2012, agriculture contributed for ten percent of the European Union's (EU) total greenhouse-gas emissions. Between 1990 and 2012, the EU's agricultural emissions decreased by 24 percent due to a considerable fall in animal numbers, more effective fertilizer application, and improved manure management (EEA n.p). Pollution from agricultural practices have a catastrophic impact on the health of all living things and climate changes, and an immediate strategy is required to mitigate the consequences these climatic changes.
Impacts of Agricultural Activities on Climate Change
Destruction of the ozone layer as a result of inappropriate agricultural practices leads to acid rains which are harmful for booth plants and animals. Acid rains are caused by acidification of the soil after accumulating sulphur and nitrogen components, which mainly emanate from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Acid rains lower the productivity of farming lands and might lead to drought and famine. Usage of fertilizers in agricultural production causes eutrophication of water bodies and can be harmful if contaminated water is used for domestic purposes. Acid rains damages crops in their initial stages of growth.
Pollution as causes to global warming. Pollutants from agricultural practices such as chemicals for treating vegetables, block the sun rays from reaching the earth’s surface. Insufficient sun rays reduce the amounts of evaporation from large water bodies resulting in minimal precipitation leading to draughts and rains become rare. Moreover, they make the clouds appear brown as they contain carbon, sulphates, and nitrate components. Furthermore, they have a cooling effect whereby the particles are absorbed by sun rays instead of precipitates resulting in a global warming impact. The production of agricultural products in greenhouses is a major contributor to climate change.
The aftermath of climate changes caused by environmental pollution such as poor farming methods can be fatal and catastrophic to an individual, society, or nation. Changes in land use may also contribute considerably to climate change. Large-scale changes such as soil erosion, deforestation, and machine-intensive agricultural practices all have the potential to increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Soil erosion caused by wind, water, and tillage has a detrimental effect on agriculture as well as the global ecosystems. Soil loss and its accompanying consequences are one of the most serious environmental issues facing the world today.
The scope of environmental pollution, which has led to climate changes, is based on ethical issues whereby wealthy people have been the greatest polluters. The rich people use machines more often in accomplishing small tasks as compared to the poor. The wealthy cause pollution, but the poor individuals feel the impact. In case of climate changes that lower the production level, the poor people are the most affected as they are rendered unable to provide their necessities insufficiency results in increased vulnerability to death and health complications that may emanate from lack of balanced diets.
Solutions
Given the fundamental role of food in our lives, continued reductions in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions remain a significant challenge. Nonetheless, there is still room to cut greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production globally (EEA n.p). There are ways that can help in reduction greenhouse gas emission to the environment such as improved incorporation of novel technology into agricultural processes, for example, more efficient fertilizer usage, methane capture from manure, and increased efficiency in dairy and meat production. Along with such efficiency improvements, modifications in consumption may assist in extra reducing greenhouse gas release associated with food (EEA n.p). Post-farm processing and transport account for a negligible portion of food-related emanations. By minimizing food waste and increasing people’s consumption of food items from greenhouse, they can help agriculture reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions.
Furthermore, various methods can be implemented to mitigate the impact of climate changes in the agricultural sector without compromising the quality and quantity of the products. The most common sustainable agriculture methods are conservation farming, rotational farming, using cover crops, and minimal usage of chemicals like insecticides and fertilizers. Farmers can adopt regenerative agricultural means to ensure that soil is conserved. Regenerative agriculture is generally implemented to safeguard the status of the environment by improving soil fertility and soil water retention capabilities. Regenerative farming includes all farming and pastoral practices that are meant to restore soil fertility and biodiversity, which had been previously replenished due to inappropriate farming methods.
Efficient and considerate equipment should be used in agricultural practices. Farmers with small arms should use manual methods of cultivation rather than machines that emit corrosive fumes which pollute the environment and contribute to climate changes. Moreover, they should use electricity or solar-powered tools and equipment in agricultural practices rather than fuel machines that emit poisonous gases into the atmosphere resulting in air pollution. Equipment with emission reducers should be preferred to the ancient tools. Technology has extended to the agricultural sectors. The exhausts have been fitted with catalytic converters and fuel injector pumps that convert the exhaust fumes into fewer pollutant gases before they are released into the atmosphere.
Deforestation should be eradicated to reduce the impact of climate change. Since it increases the carbon contents in the atmosphere as there are no trees to utilize it. Accumulation of carbon particles in the atmosphere increases the chances of experiencing global warming as the pollutants block sun rays from reaching the earth’s surface. Sustainable agricultural practices should be implemented to ensure that forests are conserved by planting trees to replace those cut-down. Afforestation should be encouraged to ensure efficient gaseous exchange in the ecosystem. Farmers should consider planting trees continuously to retain the environment.
Regenerative agriculture consists of any farming and animal-keeping practices aimed at reversing climate change to the initial status. Some common practices of regenerative agriculture include less soil disturbance. Farmers should practice less tilling ac