Climate Crisis: Causes, Consequences and Pathways to Human Survival

Abstract

This review article discusses the escalating severity of global warming in the modern era has dangerously accelerated changes in the Earth's climate, resulting in a climate crisis that has caused extensive environmental damage, economic disruption, and threats to human livelihoods. In response to the significance of this issue, this article aims to disseminate knowledge and enhance understanding of the climate crisis by focusing on four key aspects: (1) the causes of the climate crisis, (2) the impacts of the climate crisis, (3) mitigation of the climate crisis, and (4) adaptation to the climate crisis. The findings reveal that a major cause of the climate crisis is the increasing accumulation of various greenhouse gases—especially carbon dioxide from human activities—in the atmosphere, which leads to a rise in the Earth's average surface temperature and results in global warming, ultimately triggering the climate crisis. The impacts include severe heatwaves, prolonged droughts, heavy rainfall, intense storms, and rapid melting of polar ice, all of which contribute to accelerated sea level rise. To mitigate the climate crisis and avoid the risks of future catastrophic disasters, three main strategies must be implemented in parallel: (1) reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, (2) removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and (3) capturing carbon dioxide at the point of emission. These mitigation efforts must go hand in hand with adaptation strategies. This article systematically synthesizes knowledge based on credible international academic sources to deepen understanding of the climate crisis and to urge serious action at all levels to prevent the crisis from escalating beyond the point of resolution.