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Burning fossil fuels
Over the past 150 years, industrialised countries have burned large quantities of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. These gases released into the atmosphere trap the sun's heat and warm the Earth. This is the greenhouse effect. -
Deforestation
Forests absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere, which limits climate change. However, many tropical forests are being cut down to produce timber and palm oil and to make way for farmland, roads, oil mines and dams. -
Farming
The feeding habits of cows contribute to climate change, because when they eat, methane (a type of greenhouse gas) accumulates in their digestive system and is released in the form of a burp. -
Plastic
Since 1950, millions of tons of plastic have been dumped into the oceans and this is derived from materials made from fossil fuels (oil/gas) and therefore emits greenhouse gases.