Global Change
Introduction:
Global Change is a new mutli-disciplinary science which seeks to understand the various ways the environment is being altered by man's activities. The mechanisms of change are referred to as anthropogenic forcings and are usually involved with atmospheric alteration or land-use changes. The atmosphere is being altered by the addition of many chemicals including carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur compounds, halogen compounds and various aerosols. Land-use changes include habitat fragmentation, conversion to agricultural uses and biome conversion from introduced exotic species. As the human population continues to expand it puts increasing pressure on ecosystem services (Cairns, 1996). Ecosystem
…show more content…
The atmosphere is heated by sunlight. That heat is captured by individual gas molecules. Increasing the number of molecules able to store heat is believed to increase the total amount of heat stored. Different molecules have different heat storage capacities. Curiously the most important gas for heat retention in the atmosphere is water vapor. Water vapor is however not a direct concern for global warming researchers as man does not directly influence the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere and water vapor returns to the Earth very quickly after evaporation. The gases of concern are anthropogenically introduced and remain in the atmosphere for long periods of time allowing their concentrations to build up. The most important of these are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which can remain in the atmosphere for 50-200, 10 and 150 years respectively (Berner, 1994). Current information is maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy at the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, where David Keeling's original data can be viewed.
Ozone Depletion
In 1986, three british scientists published a landmark article in the journal Nature showing wide yearly fluctuations in stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic. Statospheric ozone is responsible for most of the atmosphere's absorption of UV-B radiation. UV-B radiation degrades DNA which can induce many forms of cancer. The ozone hole over the Antarctic is derived from a complex mixture of
Everyone talks about climate change and how the Earth is slowly deteriorating, but no one seems to have specific examples. In Linnea Saukko’s “How to Poison the Earth,” she does use specific examples of what is causing climate change. She uses satire with a hint of sarcasm in her essay. She gives the reader specific examples of how to poison the Earth, but not really wanting to poison the Earth. Gretel Ehrlich writes her essay, “Chronicles of Ice,” a little differently. She uses personal experiences of visiting a glacier and the way that it is falling apart to explain climate change. She uses detailed, sensory description to explain
Climate change is a rising issue of importance in our day and age, and one that is threatening our global society on many levels. In the past few decades, scientists have discovered that our planet’s climate has been changing at an alarming rate. The way in which we have changed the land to
NGS integrates greenhouse into other major policy initiatives, such as the Natural Heritage Trust, and launches new measures to increase greenhouse emission reduction activities across the Australian community. It provides the strategic framework for an effective greenhouse response and for meeting current and future international commitments. It will provide a fresh impetus for action by governments, stakeholder groups and the broader community and set directions for that action into the next century.
An issue that is felt throughout the world is Anthropogenic Climate Change formally known as Global Warming. This word wide problem is one that needs to be addressed immediately as well as long term. Anthropogenic Climate Change is the rise of the earth’s temperature caused by human activities. The continuing rise in the earth’s temperature will cause extreme change in our earth’s ecosystems. The predetermined course to our ecosystems relies on climate change and its effects on ecosystems and life as we know it is at a vulnerable state. Anthropogenic Climate Change shifts relations with human life and presents severe biodiversity in
Human activities which include emission from motor vehicles, pollution, cutting down of trees have been attributed to be the major causes of warming to the earth leading to changes in climatic conditions. The warming in the earth has a lot of detrimental effects on the ecosystem leading to damages as well as loss of population diversity. The warming also causes the shifting in biomes as well as modifications in the phenological activities for different species. Due to the changes in climatic conditions, there is intense competition amongst many plant and animal species to enhance their survival which has led to species invading areas which was previously occupied by another species. On the other hand, changes in vegetation cover, has necessitated the relocation of human beings and other animals who depended on them and therefore they must change and adapt effectively to the new environments. The disruptions in the ecosystems especially where there are endangered species and interdependent species have adverse effects on the diversity and at times leads to extinction as well as affecting the biogeochemical cycles. The climatic changes have effects on ecosystem structures and functions as well affecting the benefits human beings derive from the ecosystems such as food, water and wood products
Climate is the average condition of temperature, amount of water vapor in air that is humidity and rainfall that has persisted over years and centuries and millenniums. Does climate ever change? Yes! It had changed! Earth, when newly made, was hot and red! Eventually it cooled and biological life started. Then Ice age eclipsed whole of the Earth, with chilled winds blowing all over the place. Gradually, the climate again changed to normal. Then the question arises, “What is actually normal temperature?” It might be the range of level of mercury in which life can persist. The climate, therefore, has changed, starting from hot to normal to cold and then it began reversing
The word ‘Climate Change’ may seem familiar people more often these days. In the last century. Nearly every aspect of today’s technology was influenced back then by the Industrial Revolution; therefore, it could be regarded as a significant turning point in history. It also inspired the later emergence of the modern capitalist economy and opened up a new era of manufacturing. Economic historian has no doubt that the Industrial Revolution marks considerably one of the most important event in the history of humanity. (Hobsbawm 27) However, it contributes Other side effects such as global warming and climate change. Still, many of the inventions today are improvement of the Industrial Revolution and other invention paved the way for the technological advancements that we can benefit from in today’s world. (McCloskey & Deidre). Despite the fact that climate change has influenced the environment to a great extend in recent decades, it is not too late to save it from its further negative changes.
The data of the Table: 4.1 specifies the total respondents into three categories, where 72 percent people in Jessore district and 46 percent people in Mymensingh district were agree about climate change.
Though gasoline cars make lives of humans easier to travel, it threatens the environment. Climate is defined as weather conditions existing in a particular area over a period of time. When changes in weather patterns start to occur, this is called climate change. Peter Singer describes carbon emissions would extinguish human life. Climate change is a disastrous event because there is a wide range of environmental impacts affecting life expectancy. In different geographical areas, climates will change if temperatures influence them to fluctuate. The major cause of climate change is human expansion of the greenhouse effect. Kolbert presents scientific research about climate change and global warming leading to a global catastrophe. Any process that causes the Earth’s temperature to become imbalanced affects the climate. While climate change is a natural process, purchasing a SUV and doing human activities of all kinds has impacted on the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for energy.
The Association of Climate Endangered Countries (ACEC) represents countries all over the world whose populations have or will be drastically impacted by climate change. With sea levels rising about a millimeter per year multiple countries and millions of people are in danger, not only due to being submerged but also major flooding, storms, and erosion. For some coastal cities new drains and rising roads may be a short term solution, however for island the battle may already be lost. Tens of millions of ACEC citizens may be without homes and countries due to them being uninhabitable. There is no way to stop or reverse the rising levels the only option left is relocation. A refugee is normally someone classified as a person fleeing from a
U.S. Conditions like Florida and other states with a high range of hot spells are perfect
In this portion of the essay I have critiqued and evaluated the following articles and papers. The names are:-
The establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has made efforts to address the effects of climate change. The goal of this convention to facilitate international efforts discuss commitments to mitigation greenhouse gas emissions within industrialized and developing countries through annual COPS. Throughout the years, the UNFCCC has reached many negotiations that have both positive and negative outcomes.
Changes in the Land analyzes the changes in ecosystem that was created by the introduction of Europeans into England. It shows the shift of life from Natives to Europeans and many of the changing circumstances. More than the environment being affected, the author goes into detail about how the lives of the Natives and Europeans heavily differed. The European contact drastically altered the land and ecosystem in the environment once settlers were introduced into the picture.
The concept of sustainable development has become a major topic among intellectuals from various fields. Sustainable development has gone through various changes in its definitions and at present does not have a commonly accepted definition. The origination of the concept of sustainable development is debatable. In 1974 at a conference on Science and Technology for Human Development by the World Council of Churches the concept of a “sustainable society” is believed to have been first noted. This early concept focused on equitable distribution of scarce resources and the need for democratic decision making. In 1980 the currently used term of sustainable development emerged in the