8/19/2019 Understanding the Effects of Climate Change and Global Warming

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Understanding the Effects of Climate Change and Global Warming

Increases of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the earth’s atmosphere throw the planet’s highly sensitive

ecosystem off-balance. This climate change, or global warming, results when gases trap warmth in the earth’s

atmosphere instead of letting the atmosphere release it.

Living with the greenhouse effect

Global warming is also known as the greenhouse effect  and the gases involved are called greenhouse gases because

concentrations of toxic gases in the arth’s atmosphere prevent heat from escaping back into space !ust as the glass

walls and roof of a greenhouse prevent heat from escaping a greenhouse.

Realizing that global warming doesn’t only mean higher temperatures

Global warming isn’t !ust about rising temperatures" it’s about the effects of those higher temperatures#

• tormier storms! $ising sea temperatures release more water vapor into the air above the ocean. %hen

hurricanes form, they pick up this increased vapor, which creates a more intense storm.

• Chillier cold!  In some northern areas, melting snow and ice cool the sea water that currently offers a

moderating effect on those areas.

• "rier deserts! &rid areas can expect to be drier for longer periods each year, and other areas may become

drier.

Wading into the effects of global warming on water 

'hanges in temperature affect the planet’s lakes, rivers, and oceans dramatically.

• "rought conditions# caused primarily by dried-up water sources and dramatically reduced rainfall. The

amount of land affected by drought worldwide has doubled in the last () years.

• $ncreased flooding due to rising sea levels, unusually heavy rainfall, and rapidly melting snow.

Understanding Greenhouse Gases

*lanet arth is warm enough to sustain life thanks to gases in the planet’s atmosphere that hold heat. These gases

are called greenhouse gasesbecause they act !ust like a greenhouse + trapping the heat inside the planet’s

atmosphere, making the average temperature on arth degrees ahrenheit /0 degrees 'elsius1. 2umans have

8/19/2019 Understanding the Effects of Climate Change and Global Warming

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increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by about ( percent. The more greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere, the warmer the average temperature gets.

%he main greenhouse gases

The two ma!or greenhouse gases both occur naturally and can be increased due to human activity.

• Carbon dio&ide 'C()*! $esponsible for 3( percent of global warming over time, and 0 percent in the last

years, this gas is produced from burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. It also occurs naturally as it flows in a

cycle between oceans, soil, plants and animals.

• +ethane 'C,-*! $esponsible for 0 percent of global warming, this gas is produced by rotting garbage and

wastewater, gas from livestock, and rice crops. 4wamps and anything that decomposes without air naturally

creates methane.

%wo main sources of greenhouse gases

•

Energy use! 2umans derive energy from burning fossil fuels, which releases almost three 5uarters of allhuman-produced greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. 2alf of all fossil fuels are burned to provide electricity

and heat" the next big users of fossil fuels are manufacturing and transportation.

• Land use! 2ow humans remove forests and use land contributes over one 5uarter of all human-produced

greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so  logging and clearing

forest land for agriculture and development means more carbon dioxide stays in the air.