Globalization

Gen Z Rising for Climate Action

digital generation · eco-driven · change-makers

We are Gen Z voices informed, empowered, and ready to turn awareness into action. This campaign focuses on the urgent reality of CLIMATE CHANGE, from hotter cities and stronger typhoons to environmental damage threatening people, wildlife, and future generations.

Causes of
Climate Change

02.Causes

Burning Fossil Fuels

The largest contributor to climate change is the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. This process releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide, which trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Electricity generation, transportation, and heating are major sources of these emissions, accounting for nearly 68% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Deforestation and Land Use Changes

Cutting down forests for agriculture, urban development, or logging reduces the planet’s ability to absorb CO₂. Trees act as carbon sinks, and their removal increases atmospheric CO₂ levels. Land use changes also release greenhouse gases from soil and vegetation.

Industrial Processes

Manufacturing and industry contribute significantly to climate change. Cement production, steelmaking, and chemical manufacturing release CO₂ and other greenhouse gases. Industrial activities also emit chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other synthetic gases that trap heat.

Agriculture and Livestock

Agricultural practices release methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Livestock produce methane during digestion, while fertilizers and manure release nitrous oxide. Rice paddies and other wetland farming also contribute to methane emissions.

Waste Management

Landfills and improper waste disposal generate methane as organic waste decomposes. Food waste is a major contributor, with discarded food in landfills releasing potent greenhouse gases that are about 25 times more effective at trapping heat than CO₂.

Use of Refrigerants and Industrial Chemicals

Certain chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and industrial processes, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), have extremely high global warming potential. Even small leaks can significantly contribute to climate change.

Effects of Climate Change

Climate change causes many harmful effects on people and the environment. These include stronger typhoons and storms, rising sea levels, droughts, floods, extreme heat, melting glaciers, loss of biodiversity, and food shortages. It also affects human health by increasing heat-related illnesses and spreading diseases

Global Warming & The Greenhouse Effect

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Increased concentrations of gases like CO₂ act as a blanket, trapping heat in the atmosphere. This has led to the last decade being the warmest on record, causing polar ice melt and rapid sea-level rise.

Key Detail: Global surface temperatures have risen by roughly 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era, with the Arctic warming nearly four times faster than the global average.

Loss of Biodiversity

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Climate change is a leading driver of the “Sixth Mass Extinction.” Shifting climate zones force species to migrate; those that cannot move fast enough or find suitable habitats face extinction.

Key Detail: Approximately 1 million species are currently at risk of extinction, many within decades, due to habitat loss and temperature extremes.

Air Pollution & Respiratory Health

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Rising temperatures increase the formation of ground-level ozone (smog). Additionally, more frequent wildfires (fueled by drought) release massive amounts of particulate matter (PM_2.5) into the air.

Key Detail: Air pollution is now linked to approximately 7 million premature deaths annually worldwide.

Methane & High-Intensity Emissions

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Methane (CH₄) is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential over 80 times higher than CO₂ over a 20-year period. It leaks from landfills, oil/gas wells, and livestock.

Key Detail: Reducing methane is considered the “fastest” way to slow warming in the short term because it breaks down in the atmosphere much quicker than CO₂.

Water and Soil Contamination

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Extreme weather causes “flash flooding” that carries pesticides, plastics, and industrial waste into freshwater systems. Simultaneously, saltwater intrusion from rising seas ruins fertile coastal soil.

Key Detail: Nearly 80% of global wastewater is discharged back into the environment without treatment, a problem exacerbated by climate-driven floods.

Ozone Layer Depletion & UV Exposure

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While the ozone layer is recovering thanks to the Montreal Protocol, climate change can delay this recovery by altering atmospheric circulation and cooling the upper stratosphere, which promotes ozone-depleting reactions.

Key Detail: A weakened ozone layer allows more UV-B radiation to reach Earth, increasing risks of skin cancer and damaging the base of the marine food web (phytoplankton).

Digital Roots, Global Shoots — Gen Z’s Climate Manifesto

We aren't just inheriting the climate crisis; we are the first generation with the digital architecture to dismantle it. From viral awareness to local zero-waste activism, our connectivity is the ultimate catalyst for a sustainable planet.

#EcoEcho #GenZForGreen #DigitalEarthMover #ClimateJusticeNow

Group Members

Meet the team behind this climate action project.

Jerome P. Renta

Leader

Aldrin A. Teope

Member

Princess Myles C. Villareal

Member

Genalyn T. Barte

Member

Princess Mae A. Banog

Member

References

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Frequently asked questions. https://www.ipcc.ch/help/frequently-asked-questions/

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2026). Global warming. https://www.britannica.com/science/global-warming

O’Brien, K. L., & Leichenko, R. M. (2000). Double exposure: Assessing the impacts of climate change within the context of economic globalization. Global Environmental Change, 10(3), 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-3780(00)00021-2

Kweku, D. W., Bismark, O., Maxwell, A., Desmond, K. A., Danso, K. B., Oti-Mensah, E. A., … & Adormaa, B. B. (2018). Greenhouse effect: greenhouse gases and their impact on global warming. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 17(6), 1–9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323223192_Greenhouse_Effect_Greenhouse_Gases_and_Their_Impact_on_Global_Warming

Cardinale, B. J., Duffy, J. E., Gonzalez, A., Hooper, D. U., Perrings, C., Venail, P., … & Naeem, S. (2012). Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity. Nature, 486(7401), 59–67. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature11148#citeas

Pinkerton, K. E., & Joad, J. P. (2006). Influence of air pollution on respiratory health during perinatal development. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 33(3), 269–272. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-1681.2006.04357.x

Schmale, O., Greinert, J., & Rehder, G. (2005). Methane emission from high-intensity marine gas seeps in the Black Sea into the atmosphere. Geophysical Research Letters, 32(7). https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL021138

Govil, P. K., & Krishna, A. K. (2018). Soil and water contamination by potentially hazardous elements: a case history from India. In Environmental geochemistry (pp. 567–597). Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444637635000239

Umar, S. A., & Tasduq, S. A. (2022). Ozone layer depletion and emerging public health concerns—an update on epidemiological perspective of the ambivalent effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure. Frontiers in Oncology, 12, 866733. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.866733

Sommer, A. (2016). Burning fossil fuels: impact of climate change on health. International Journal of Health Services, 46(1), 48–52. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0020731415625253

Moran, E. F., & Brondizio, E. S. (1998). Land-use change after deforestation. In People and pixels: Linking remote sensing and social science (p. 94). National Research Council, Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change. People and Pixels: Linking Remote Sensing and Social Science (National Academies Press).

Niñerola, A., Ferrer-Rullan, R., & Vidal-Suñé, A. (2020). Climate change mitigation: Application of management production philosophies for energy saving in industrial processes. Sustainability, 12(2), 717. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020717

Grossi, G., Goglio, P., Vitali, A., & Williams, A. G. (2019). Livestock and climate change: impact of livestock on climate and mitigation strategies. Animal Frontiers, 9(1), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfy034

Sharma, B., Vaish, B., Srivastava, V., Singh, S., Singh, P., & Singh, R. P. (2017). An insight to atmospheric pollution—improper waste management and climate change nexus. In Modern age environmental problems and their remediation (pp. 23–47). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-52138-7

Campbell, N. J., & McCulloch, A. (1998). The climate change implications of manufacturing refrigerants: a calculation of ‘production’ energy contents of some common refrigerants. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 76(3), 239–244. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957582098707475

Gen Z Rising for Climate Action

Causes of
Climate Change

Burning Fossil Fuels

Deforestation and Land Use Changes

Industrial Processes

Agriculture and Livestock

Waste Management

Use of Refrigerants and Industrial Chemicals

Effects of Climate Change

Global Warming & The Greenhouse Effect

Loss of Biodiversity

Air Pollution & Respiratory Health

Methane & High-Intensity Emissions

Water and Soil Contamination

Ozone Layer Depletion & UV Exposure

Gen Z Climate Action Plan

Action 1: Audit Your Digital Footprint

Action 2: Practice the “Refuse” Rule

Action 3: Advocate for Meat-Less Days

Action 4: Maximize Sustainable Transport

Action 5: Educate Through Creative Media

Digital Roots, Global Shoots — Gen Z’s Climate Manifesto

Group Members

Jerome P. Renta

Aldrin A. Teope

Princess Myles C. Villareal

Genalyn T. Barte

Princess Mae A. Banog

References

All research and data presented on this platform are scientifically anchored in the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 13, SDG 15, SDG 3, SDG 13, SDG 6, SDG 14, SDG 9, SDG 12, & SDG 17

Gen Z Rising for Climate Action

Causes of Climate Change

Burning Fossil Fuels

Deforestation and Land Use Changes

Industrial Processes

Agriculture and Livestock

Waste Management

Use of Refrigerants and Industrial Chemicals

Effects of Climate Change

Global Warming & The Greenhouse Effect

Loss of Biodiversity

Air Pollution & Respiratory Health

Methane & High-Intensity Emissions

Water and Soil Contamination

Ozone Layer Depletion & UV Exposure

Gen Z Climate Action Plan

Action 1: Audit Your Digital Footprint

Action 2: Practice the “Refuse” Rule

Action 3: Advocate for Meat-Less Days

Action 4: Maximize Sustainable Transport

Action 5: Educate Through Creative Media

Digital Roots, Global Shoots — Gen Z’s Climate Manifesto

Group Members

Jerome P. Renta

Aldrin A. Teope

Princess Myles C. Villareal

Genalyn T. Barte

Princess Mae A. Banog

References

All research and data presented on this platform are scientifically anchored in the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 13, SDG 15, SDG 3, SDG 13, SDG 6, SDG 14, SDG 9, SDG 12, & SDG 17

Causes of
Climate Change