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
Anthropogenic climate change is driven by human releases of greenhouse gases that increase long-wave radiation absorption and global heating over time.

Coverage 2016–2025 · Updated 16 Jul 2026
Anthropogenic climate change is driven here by human-caused increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane, which absorb outgoing infrared radiation.
| Gas | Major anthropogenic sources |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide (CO₂) | Fossil-fuel combustion and deforestation/land-use change |
| Methane (CH₄) | Livestock and rice agriculture, waste decomposition, and fossil-fuel extraction or leakage |
Higher concentrations strengthen greenhouse forcing, altering Earth's radiative balance and raising long-term mean temperature.
Antarctic ice cores show a long-term positive correlation between CO₂ and temperature, but correlation alone does not establish causal direction. Infrared absorption physics, observations and climate models provide the additional causal evidence.
One weather event cannot demonstrate climate causation; attribution uses long-term patterns and multiple independent evidence sources.
This objective is assessed through structured response, commonly using Explain / Outline / Discuss.
Explain / Outline / Discuss / Describe / State
Build the answer around this relationship: The greenhouse effect is natural, but human activity enhances it by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations.
Confusing the greenhouse effect with ozone-layer depletion or ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth.
Representative question
Explain the impact of anthropogenic activity on climate change.
a. greenhouse effect describes that greenhouse gases trap long-wave radiation from the Earth's surface and absorbs it keeping the Earth warm
OR
increase in greenhouse gases trapped in atmosphere increases Earth's temperature;
b. burning of fossil fuels/peat/coal/natural gas by humans has released more CO2 into the atmosphere causing temperature rise on Earth;
c. raising livestock for feed has added methane/greenhouse gas to the atmosphere causing more heat to be trapped on Earth;
d. industrial processes / fertilizer production has increased the concentration of nitrous oxides/greenhouse gases in the atmosphere;
e. deforestation has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere/reduced an important sink for CO2;
f. increased temperatures have caused melting of land ice leading to changes to polar habitats/decreasing species ability to survive
OR
melting of ice/snow causes reduction in albedo, so there is more insolation absorbed at Earth's surface;
g. warmer surface water prevents upwelling of nutrients/decreases ocean productivity;
h. coral reef habitat destruction due to changes in water pH / temperature;
i. warmer temperatures/decreased snowfall has led to droughts and loss of life/habitats;
j. rates of decomposition of peat/organic matter increases greenhouse gases;
k. ocean/sea level rise from melting ice/thermal expansion of oceans has impacted coastal regions/loss of land;
I. changing weather patterns due to global warming has caused loss of life and infrastructure;
m. poleward migrations/migrations to more suitable places due to climate changes at lower latitudes;
7
Marking guidance:
max
Core D4.3 is secure when every climate impact is explained as a chain: human greenhouse-gas sources or feedbacks change climate conditions, which alter habitats, oceans, carbon stores, or species distributions. Carbon sequestration is the mitigation chain that stores atmospheric CO2.
Core climate-change transfer answers should not list endangered examples. They should identify the climate driver, explain the physical or chemical mechanism, then state the biological consequence. Use this for greenhouse gases, feedbacks, boreal forests, ice-dependent species, upwelling, range shifts, reefs, and carbon sequestration.