Archives June 2025

According to data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), climate change is progressing rapidly and systematically. The decade from 2011 to 2020 was recorded as the hottest period in history, with the global average temperature rising by 1.1°C.

Global warming is merely the beginning of a climate crisis that could threaten human life. So, what exactly is causing this rapid climate change—and what real solutions can we pursue? Let’s explore the facts in this article.

What Are the Real Impacts of Climate Change?

Simply put, long-term climate change affects global weather patterns and temperatures. This results in unpredictable conditions involving heat, atmospheric pressure, and rainfall.

The main cause is the burning of fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, including:

• Methane (CH₄)
• Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
• Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

These gases trap heat from solar radiation, raising the Earth’s temperature beyond normal levels. When this condition becomes excessive, it can trigger several alarming consequences, such as:

• Rising sea levels
• Ecosystem disruption due to acid rain
• More frequent and intense storms
• Flooding
• Drought

These phenomena can damage the environment and pose serious threats to human health.

Read More: The Crucial Role of Alternative Electricity Sources in Shaping Our Future

What Are the Main Causes of Climate Change?

Human activities that are harmful to the environment—such as the use of fossil fuels and deforestation—have led to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Below are the key factors contributing to climate change:

1. Increased Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The greenhouse effect is a natural process essential for sustaining life on Earth. It allows the atmosphere to absorb some of the infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface and reflect it back, helping keep the planet warm.

However, when greenhouse gas concentrations rise too high, excessive heat becomes trapped in the atmosphere. This leads to a rise in the Earth’s average temperature and intensifies climate change.

Read More: Why Cutting Carbon Emissions Is Critical for the Planet’s Future?

2. Deforestation

Deforestation not only removes trees that naturally absorb carbon but also releases stored CO₂ back into the atmosphere when trees are cut or burned.

Through photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide and store it. Destroying forests reverses this process, increasing atmospheric carbon levels and intensifying the greenhouse effect.

3. Industrial Activities and the Energy Sector

Heavy industries, coal-fired power plants, and transportation systems rely heavily on fossil fuels. Unfortunately, their emissions pollute the air and contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect.

This dependency is a major driver of the climate crisis. It’s time for us to collectively support a transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources—meeting both industrial and public energy needs without harming the planet.

4. Fast Fashion and Consumerism

The rise of fast fashion also plays a role in greenhouse gas emissions. Large-scale clothing production consumes vast amounts of energy.

Environmental damage doesn’t stop at manufacturing—textile waste generated by the “buy-and-throw-away” culture adds further harm.

Textile waste is difficult to decompose and is not as easily recyclable as organic waste. The higher the rate of consumption and production, the greater the carbon footprint.

Read More: Top Benefits of Natural Gas, More Than Just Low Emissions

How LNG Can Be a Solution to Climate Change?

As global energy demands rise, the world needs solutions that are not only reliable but also environmentally friendly. In this context, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a promising transitional energy source.

Compared to other fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, LNG emits significantly less carbon dioxide (CO₂) when burned.

LNG also has practical advantages in storage and distribution. In its liquid form, it takes up less space and can be transported to remote areas that traditional energy networks cannot reach.

This makes LNG known as a “bridge fuel” to renewable energy. In other words, using LNG is a critical transitional step that supports global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the pace of climate change.

In 2023, the World Air Quality Report ranked Indonesia as the country with the worst air quality in Southeast Asia.

Air pollution is no longer a minor issue that can be overlooked. Deteriorating air quality poses a serious threat to public health, particularly through a rise in respiratory illnesses.

But beyond those immediate health effects, air pollution has many other serious consequences. Let’s take a closer look at the dangers of air pollution and explore the best energy solutions to combat it.

What Is Air Pollution and What Causes It?

Air pollution refers to the contamination of the air by harmful substances that pose risks to humans and other living organisms.

It can come from a wide range of sources, such as emissions from coal combustion, tobacco smoke, and vehicle exhaust.

Even in everyday household activities, air pollution can arise from waste burning or cooking processes, especially when grilling meat or fish.

In short, air pollution is a key indicator of environmental degradation caused by excessive pollutant levels. This reflects a decline in air quality due to the introduction of toxic elements into Earth’s atmosphere.

Read More: Top Benefits of Natural Gas, More Than Just Low Emissions

The Impact of Air Pollution on Human Health

Continuous exposure to air pollution undeniably harms human health, particularly the respiratory system. Here are some of the most concerning health impacts caused by polluted air:

Serious Respiratory Problems

Air pollution from vehicles, cigarettes, and industrial emissions can trigger severe respiratory issues such as asthma, ARI, and even lung cancer.

These problems arise because air pollution reduces the oxygen levels in the body, which can have serious consequences for human health.

Read More: Decarbonization, Why the World Must Shift to Clean Energy?

Reduced Oxygen in the Blood

Beyond the lungs, air pollution can also disrupt the circulatory system. Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure can bind with hemoglobin in the blood, reducing its ability to transport oxygen throughout the body. 

Polluted air also contains fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and other harmful substances that can trigger systemic inflammation. This may lead to increased blood viscosity and stimulate the release of inflammatory proteins, ultimately causing inflammation in blood vessels.

Increased Risk of Miscarriage

For pregnant women, air pollution presents serious risks to both mother and unborn child. Pollutants such as PM2.5, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide can cause oxidative stress and inflammation, potentially disrupting fetal development. This increases the risk of premature birth and, in some cases, miscarriage.

Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Long-term exposure to air pollution can raise the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. Toxic particles in polluted air can accelerate arterial hardening, trigger systemic inflammation, and impair heart function. Over time, this can lead to coronary heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes.

Read More: Why Cutting Carbon Emissions Is Critical for the Planet’s Future?

The Environmental Impact of Air Pollution

Air pollution doesn’t just affect human health—it also causes significant environmental damage. Here are a few major impacts:

Acid Rain

Air pollution can lead to acid rain, which is corrosive and harmful to plants. Acid rain damages leaves, interferes with soil nutrient absorption, and acidifies soil and water. This heightened acidity can threaten the survival of many animal species, including terrestrial wildlife and fish.

Read More: The Crucial Role of Alternative Electricity Sources in Shaping Our Future

Ozone Layer Depletion

Air pollution contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer. As ozone thins, harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetrates the Earth’s surface more easily, endangering human skin and disrupting ecosystems.

Global Warming Contributor

Air pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. As these gases accumulate, Earth’s average temperature rises, driving global warming.

This warming leads to climate change, melting polar ice, and rising sea levels—all of which have global, long-term impacts.

Read More: The Process of Global Warming: From the Beginning to Its Impact

How LNG Helps Reduce Air Pollution

To address the worsening air quality that threatens public health, serious efforts are needed from all parties—especially governments and industries.

One effective step is reducing coal usage and transitioning to cleaner, more environmentally friendly energy sources such as LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).

LNG is considered an ideal alternative fuel because it emits significantly less carbon, which helps lower air pollution levels.

By adopting LNG, we not only protect the environment but also enable industrial sectors to grow without jeopardizing human health and the planet’s sustainability.

According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Earth’s surface temperature has increased by 0.6°C over the past 100 years.

Although that rise may seem minor, it has had a serious impact on the issue of global warming. If this trend continues, it will undoubtedly pose a significant threat to human life.

Curious about how global warming happens and what we can do to reduce the risks? Let’s find out here.

What Is Global Warming?

Global warming refers to the rise in the Earth’s average surface temperature. Scientists have concluded that the main cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect (GHE).

According to a European Commission report, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere in 2020 had increased by 48% compared to pre-industrial levels before 1750.

These gases are produced mainly from burning fossil fuels like oil and coal. The situation is worsened by human activities such as deforestation and forest burning.

Read More: Why the Energy Crisis Poses a Serious Threat to the Global Economy?

How Does Global Warming Happen?

Here’s a breakdown of how global warming occurs and the factors that contribute to it:

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In essence, any human activity involving the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, or large-scale industrial operations leads to the release of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane, and other gases.

While these gases don’t directly heat the planet, they intensify the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming.

Read More: Why Cutting Carbon Emissions Is Critical for the Planet’s Future?

The Greenhouse Effect and Heat Trapping

Earth’s atmosphere plays a crucial role in maintaining a stable temperature through the natural greenhouse effect.

When sunlight reaches Earth as shortwave radiation, the planet’s surface absorbs and re-emits it as longwave (infrared) radiation back into space.

Greenhouse gases absorb some of this infrared radiation and then re-radiate it back to Earth’s surface, helping keep the planet warm.

Unfortunately, when greenhouse gas concentrations rise excessively, more heat gets trapped in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s temperature to gradually rise—this is what we know as global warming.

Read More: Why Switching to Green Energy Matters and How It Impacts the Planet?

The Impacts of Global Warming

The effects of global warming are far-reaching and impact many aspects of life on Earth. Here are some of the most notable consequences:

• Melting glaciers, rising sea levels and an increase in the frequency of flooding.
• More unpredictable weather patterns, such as irregular rainfall. As a result, animals and plants struggle to adapt, leading to rapid and widespread changes in ecosystems.
• Increased rainfall can make it easier for waterborne diseases to spread.

Read More: Why LNG Plays a Key Role in the Global Energy Transition?

The Role of LNG in Reducing the Impact of Global Warming

Considering the negative impacts of global warming, it’s clear that we need to transition to cleaner, more environmentally friendly energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One such alternative is LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)—a cleaner-burning fossil fuel that can help mitigate the effects of global warming.

Although LNG isn’t a zero-emission fuel, it produces significantly less CO₂ compared to oil or coal.

It also emits fewer air pollutants, which can help improve air quality and reduce the environmental effects of global warming.

Proper management and use of LNG can play a key role in the energy transition and in decreasing our dependence on non-renewable fuels that contribute to global warming.