D4.3.1—Anthropogenic causes
Anthropogenic climate change is driven by human releases of greenhouse gases that increase long-wave radiation absorption and global heating over time.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Objective
- D4.3.1
- Level
- HL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing9%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceNovember 2025
Most common paperPaper2
Typical marks1–3
Common command terms
- Explain
- Outline
- Discuss
- Describe
- State
Scoring notes
- Common mistake
- Confusing the greenhouse effect with ozone-layer depletion or ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth.
Recent exam appearances
November 2025Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ14(c)[ 2 ]D4.3.1—Anthropogenic causes
May 2025Paper1A ["HL"] · TZ140[ 1 ]D4.3.1—Anthropogenic causes
May 2025Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ32(b)[ 2 ]D4.3.1—Anthropogenic causes
November 2022Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ03(c)[ 1 ]D4.3.1—Anthropogenic causes
November 2022Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ03(b)[ 3 ]D4.3.1—Anthropogenic causes
Practice this objective
Coverage 2016–2025 · Updated 16 Jul 2026
Concept essentials
- The greenhouse effect is natural, but human activity enhances it by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations.
- Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, and nitrous oxides absorb long-wave infrared radiation.
- Fossil fuel combustion and deforestation are repeated causes of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide.