Human activities have had a tremendous impact on the climate over the past century. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, has released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping more and more heat and leading to rising temperatures. This is known as the greenhouse effect.

The release of these greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activity such as burning fossil fuels for energy generation and transportation, deforestation, and agricultural practices. The burning of fossil fuels for energy production has been the biggest contributor to the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide and other byproducts are released into the atmosphere. This increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, leading to an increase in global temperatures.

Deforestation is another major contributor to climate change. Trees and other plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and store it as carbon in their leaves, stems, and roots. When trees are cut down, this carbon is released back into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as much as 20% of current global warming can be attributed to deforestation.

Agricultural practices such as burning biomass and raising livestock also have an impact on climate change. Burning biomass releases large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere while raising livestock produces large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. In addition to these direct emissions, agricultural activities can also lead to increased land use which in turn can lead to deforestation and release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

Human activities are responsible for the majority of global climate change. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and agricultural practices all contribute significantly to rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and global warming. Reducing emissions from these activities is essential to curbing global climate change.