NASC 1001 week 5 Essay Discussion
Climate Change and its Effects
Climate change in the world can be caused by various activities. When climate change occurs; temperatures can increase a dramatically. When temperature rises, many different changes can occur on Earth. For example, it can result in more floods, droughts, or intense rain, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves. Oceans and glaciers have also experienced some changes: oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, glaciers are melting, and sea levels are rising. As these changes frequently occur in future decades, they will likely present challenges to our society and environment.NASC 1001 week 5 Essay Discussion
During the past century, human activities have released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Most of the gases come from burning fossil fuels to produce energy. Greenhouse gases are like a blanket around the Earth, trapping energy in the atmosphere and causing it to warm. This is called the greenhouse effect and it is natural and necessary to support life on earth. However, while greenhouse gases buildup, the climate changes and result in dangerous effects to human health and ecosystems. People have adapted to the stable climate we have enjoyed since the last ice age which ended several thousand years ago. A warmer climate can bring changes that can affect our water supplies, agriculture, power and transportation systems, the natural environment, and even our own health and safety. There are some climate changes that are unavoidable and nothing can be done about it. For example, carbon dioxide can stay in the atmosphere for nearly a century, so Earth will continue to warm in the future.
Global warming has really taken effect in the world over the last century. It is the unusually rapid increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century primarily due to the greenhouse gases released as people burn fossil fuels. Global warming is due to the enhancing greenhouse gases emission and build-up in the Earth’s environment. The gases that have an influence on the atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, dinitrogen-oxide, and methane. Almost 30 percent of incoming sunlight is reflected back into space by bright surfaces like clouds and ice. In the other 70 percent, most is absorbed by the land and ocean, and the rest is absorbed by the atmosphere. The absorbed solar energy heats our planet. This absorption and radiation of heat by the atmosphere is beneficial for life on Earth. Today, the atmosphere contains more greenhouse gas molecules, so more of the infrared energy emitted by the surface ends up being absorbed by the atmosphere. By increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases, we are making Earth’s atmosphere a more efficient greenhouse. Climate has cooled and warmed throughout the Earth history for various reasons. Rapid warming like we see today is unusual in the history of our planet. Some of the factors that have an effect on climate, like volcanic eruptions and changes in the amount of solar energy, are natural. Climate can change if there is a change in the amount of solar energy that gets to the Earth. Volcano eruptions can really affect climate, because when it erupts it spews out more than just lava and ash. Volcanoes release tiny particles made of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. These particles get into the stratosphere and reflect solar radiation back out to space. Snow and ice also have a great effect on climate. When snow and ice melts Earth’s climate warms, less energy is reflected and this causes even more warming.NASC 1001 week 5 Essay Discussion There are many different ways that plants, animals, and other life on our planet can affect climate. Some can produce greenhouse gases that trap heat and aid global warming through the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere by plants as they make their food by photosynthesis. During the night, plants release some carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Methane is made while farm animals, such as cattle and sheep digest their food. Cars and trucks can effect climate by releasing carbon dioxide when fossil fuels are burned to power them. When wildfires occur, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. However, if a forest of similar size grows again, about the same amount of carbon that was added to the atmosphere during the fire will be removed. Some effects that scientists have predicted in the past would result when global change was occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise, and more intense heat waves. Scientists have confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that the extent climate change effects on individual regions will vary over time and with ability of different societal and environmental systems mitigate or adapt to change (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). This has been the warmest decade since 1880. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2010 and 2005 has been the warmest years on record. The earth could warm by an additional 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit during the 21st century if we fail to reduce emissions from burning fossil fuels (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The rising of temperature will have great effects on the earth’s climate patterns and on all living things. Industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide from 280 parts per million to 379 parts per million in the last 150 years (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
In conclusion, we need to take part and try to stop global warming and other effects on climate change. If the earth’s temperatures continue to rise in the future, living things on earth would become extinct due to the high temperatures. If humans contribute to control global warming, this world would be cooler and the high temperatures we currently have would decrease. If everybody as one take stand and try to end most of the climate changes that are occurring, this world would be a safer place to live on.
Climate is a term used to denote the patterns of weather occurring in particular regions of the globe. Climate change denotes the long-term changes in weather patterns over extended time periods. In modern times, the term has been used to describe the rapid climatic changes as a result of global warming.
Climate change thus denotes fluctuations in the statistical properties of weather patterns when considered over periods longer than 10 years. As such, short fluctuations such as El-Niño, cannot be considered as climate change. There is a general consensus amongst the scientific community that the current increase in climate change is mainly due to human factors and the result of this climate change might have catastrophic consequences.NASC 1001 week 5 Essay Discussion
There are mainly two factors that influence climate change: Natural and human factors. First, under natural causes variations in the radiation outputs of the sun has been found to have a considerable effect on the earth’s climatic conditions.
According to scientists, solar output variation of 1% per century would result in a variation of the earth’s average temperature ranging between 0.5 and 1.00 Celsius (USNAS). Solar output causes surface heat fluctuations due to changes in heat absorption and radiation by the earth surface. Secondly, volcanic eruptions have been linked to climate changes. Volcanic eruptions of sufficient magnitude have the ability to alter the climate system of the whole world.
Volcanic ashes, dust and gases released during volcanic eruptions creates a blanket that obstructs solar radiation from the sun thus reducing the earth’s surface temperatures. The last important natural factor is orbital variations. Orbital variations lead to changes in the levels of solar radiation reaching the earth mainly due to the position of the sun and the distance between the earth and the sun during each particular orbital cycle.
During the 19th century, the industrial revolution commenced resulting in the extensive use of fossil fuel for energy purposes. The industrial revolution also resulted in human migration from rural areas to cities with people looking for a better life. Land that was previously filled with vegetation was now cleared to make room for buildings and roads.
Natural resources were extensively consumed for industries, construction and transport. As a result, the levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases increased considerably. Greenhouse gases are an integral part of the earth’s climatic system as they help in warming up the earth’s surface. The increased emission of greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide) has led to the accelerated warming of the earth’s surface (global warming).
Methane, emitted from oil drilling, waste dumps and landfills, is also another important greenhouse gas whose content has been continually increasing. The extensive use of fertilizer has also led to the rise in nitrous oxide emission, another important greenhouse gas. These are all responsible for global warming and the subsequent climate change.
Scientists from around the world have identified several impacts of climate change. First, climate change has resulted in the gradual increase in ocean levels (Trenberth, 244). This has mainly been attributed to expansion of warmer ocean water and the melting of polar glacier ice. Rising sea waters affects coral reefs, coastal communities and wetlands mainly through flooding and encroachment of the sea into dry land. Changes in climate have also led to changes in weather patterns.
The rise in surface temperatures has resulted into heavy rainfalls that cause flooding in many areas of the world. Increase in surface temperatures has also resulted into severe and prolonged drought in other parts of the world. Climate change has also resulted in the increase of occurrence and magnitude of extreme climatic events such as tsunamis and hurricanes. Changes in climate lead to changes in ocean currents which might result in the occurrence of such events.NASC 1001 week 5 Essay Discussion
Over the course of earth’s history, various instances of climate changes have occurred some more extensive than others e.g. the ice age. However, during the turn of the 20th century, it has been noted that the rate of climate change has been increasing. Many scientists believe that this increase is mainly due to pollution of the air and the environment due to human activities e.g. industrialization and deforestation. Climate change has had several impacts on the earth’s weather system.
The increase in natural disasters such as cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons can be attributed to global warming. In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, it is important for people to realize the part they play in climate change and take effective measures. Various governments and institutions have instituted greenhouse emission restrictions in order to address this issue.
Campaigns aimed at educating individuals on the appropriate strategies in reducing greenhouse emissions have also been instituted. We are all part of the world and it is in our best interest to undertake all necessary measures to curb climate change.NASC 1001 week 5 Essay Discussion