Global Climate Change Indicators. IntroductionWarming ClimateHuman InfluenceMore Information Introduction Many lines of scientific evidence show the Earth's climate is changing. This page presents the latest information from several independent measures of observed climate change that illustrate an overwhelmingly compelling story of a planet that is undergoing global warming. It is worth noting that increasing global temperature is only one element of observed global climate change. Precipitation patterns are also changing; storms and other extremes are changing as well. How do we know the Earth's climate is warming? Thousands of land and ocean temperature measurements are recorded each day around the globe.
The Global Surface Temperature is Rising Global annual average temperature measured over land and oceans. Global average temperature is one of the most-cited indicators of global climate change, and shows an increase of approximately 1.4°F since the early 20th Century. U.S. Sea Level is Rising Glacier Volume is Shrinking. Global warming could drive world temperatures up 7 degrees by 2100. Another piece of the global warming puzzle has been revealed.
According to new research published on Jan. 1 in the journal Nature, increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will reduce the number of clouds that form. This, in turn, will cause temperatures to rise much higher than previous climate-change models have predicted. According to this new research, global temperatures could rise 4 degrees Celsius or 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100, and twice that by 2200.
Lead researcher Steven Sherwood at the Climate Change Research Center at Australia's University of New South Wales, told The Guardian that this level of climate change would be "catastrophic rather than simply dangerous. For example, it would make life difficult, if not impossible, in much of the tropics, and would guarantee the eventual melting of the Greenland ice sheet and some of the Antarctic ice sheet. " Related on MNN: What Causes Pollution That Leads to Global Warming? The Top 10 Worst Effects of Global Warming. Global warming is the long-term, cumulative effect that greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane, have on Earth's temperature when they build up in the atmosphere and trap the sun's heat.
It's also a hotly debated topic. Some wonder if it's really happening and, if it's real, is it the fault of human actions, natural causes or both? When we talk about global warming, we're not talking about how this summer's temperatures were hotter than last year's. Instead, we're talking about climate change, changes that happen to our environment, atmosphere and weather over time. Think decades, not seasons. Scientists studying our climate have been able to observe and measure changes happening around us. In this article, we'll look at 10 of the worst effects of climate change, including some immediate effects observed and some hypothesized through climate modeling. 10.
You can't have as much fun in the sun when the beach is underwater. 9. 8. 7. Climate Change Cause and Effect. By CHRISTINE EBADI Published: February 13 2012.
Causes of Climate Change. Key Points Both natural and human factors change Earth’s climate.
Before humans, changes in climate resulted entirely from natural causes such as changes in Earth’s orbit, changes in solar activity, or volcanic eruptions. Since the Industrial Era began, humans have had an increasing effect on climate, particularly by adding billions of tons of heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Most of the observed warming since the mid-20th century is due to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Earth’s temperature is a balancing act Earth’s temperature depends on the balance between energy entering and leaving the planet’s system . View enlarged image. Official prophecy of doom: Global warming will cause widespread conflict, displace millions of people and devastate the global economy - Climate Change - Environment. The second of three publications by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, due to be made public at the end of this month, is the most comprehensive investigation into the impact of climate change ever undertaken.
A draft of the final version seen by The Independent says the warming climate will place the world under enormous strain, forcing mass migration, especially in Asia, and increasing the risk of violent conflict. Based on thousands of peer-reviewed studies and put together by hundreds of respected scientists, the report predicts that climate change will reduce median crop yields by 2 per cent per decade for the rest of the century – at a time of rapidly growing demand for food. This will in turn push up malnutrition in children by about a fifth, it predicts.
Loading gallery While the impact on the UK will be relatively small, global issues such as rising food prices will pose serious problems. Coastal systems and low-lying areas Food security.