Geography 2.2

• The growth of large urban areas, like Bangkok, New York City, and London, have resulted in the loss of forested areas.
• High concentration of vehicles in cities results in high levels of carbon emissions.
• Large demand for electricity to power household activities like heating, cooling and lighting is mostly met by fossil fuels.
• Anthropogenic factors contributing to climate change include changing land use, such as the growth of large urban areas.
• As populations grow, forests are cleared to make space for agriculture to meet the rising demand for food.
• Agriculture today contributes to 30% of annual greenhouse gas emissions globally.
• Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture can come from the use of chemical fertilisers, as nitrogen used in chemical fertilisers react with soil and turn to nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, which is emitted into the atmosphere.
• Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture can come from livestock rearing and natural decomposition processes, as livestock rearing releases methane through flatulence and burping, and methane is also produced when organic material in farms decompose.
• During photosynthesis, trees store carbon, and when these trees are burnt, the stored carbon is then released back into the atmosphere as CO₂.
• Deforestation occurs due to the need for resources such as timber and wood to produce paper and building materials, and land for urban development or agricultural needs.
• Deforestation increases CO₂ levels because there will be fewer trees that absorb CO₂ through photosynthesis.
• Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture can come from the use of farm machinery, which requires burning of fossil fuels.
• Deforestation of tropical forests contributes to 20% of annual greenhouse gas emissions globally.
• Rapid industrialization leads to clearing of forested areas and the growth of factories, as fossil fuels are burnt to run machinery in factories, and industries contribute to 43% of annual greenhouse gas emissions globally.
• Anthropogenic factors contributing to changes in land use include deforestation, agriculture, and industries.
• Soil exposed to sunlight results in carbon oxidation, which releases CO₂ into the atmosphere.
• Anthropogenic causes of climate change


  Burning of fossil fuels and changing land use
• Why does burning of fossil fuels to enhanced greenhouse gas effects


  Fossil fuels have high carbon content and burning them for human activities produces large amounts of CO2, contributing to enhances greenhouse gas effect. For example, the use of fossil fuels have increased since the industrial revolution in the 1880s, contributing to more than 35 billion of CO2 emissions per year