Climate Change
Abstract
Human influences and pressure is triggering a range of environmental changes. These changes on the geography of the Earth within such a small time frame are unheard of, and may be irreversible. Climate change has a wide range of adverse effects on the natural world and manmade systems. The main concerns are the risks posed on the Earths geophysical and ecological processes. Many causes influence climate change with the main cause being increased atmospheric greenhouse gases. Other major causes include deforestation, land-use changes, and chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs)—leading to a warmer atmosphere. Increasing amounts of evidence of natural disasters are becoming more frequent, as a result of the higher temperatures. Disasters include: floods, droughts, melting glaciers and deteriorating health. Sea levels are rising and affecting the coastal areas and marine ecosystems. Also some businesses like fisheries are working under staggered conditions. This paper presents the recent position of climate change and its causes, also some considered methods to reduce climate change impacts.
Introduction
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines climate change as: ‘a large change in the climate system that persists over an extended period; usually decades or longer. It refers to any change in climate, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (IPCC, 2007)’
Over time the Earth’s surface-geography changes because of varying climate conditions. Some natural factors which influence the climate over thousands of years include: change in the energy output of the Sun (intensity), Earth’s rotation and spin around the axis, volcanic activity, and the water-vapour greenhouse effect (Solomns et al, 2007). Svante Arrhenius predicted in 1896 that carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations would increase twice as much due to the burning of fossil fuels; making the Earth’s surface warmer (Pittock, 2005). According to Pittock (2005),
Human influences and pressure is triggering a range of environmental changes. These changes on the geography of the Earth within such a small time frame are unheard of, and may be irreversible. Climate change has a wide range of adverse effects on the natural world and manmade systems. The main concerns are the risks posed on the Earths geophysical and ecological processes. Many causes influence climate change with the main cause being increased atmospheric greenhouse gases. Other major causes include deforestation, land-use changes, and chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs)—leading to a warmer atmosphere. Increasing amounts of evidence of natural disasters are becoming more frequent, as a result of the higher temperatures. Disasters include: floods, droughts, melting glaciers and deteriorating health. Sea levels are rising and affecting the coastal areas and marine ecosystems. Also some businesses like fisheries are working under staggered conditions. This paper presents the recent position of climate change and its causes, also some considered methods to reduce climate change impacts.
Introduction
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines climate change as: ‘a large change in the climate system that persists over an extended period; usually decades or longer. It refers to any change in climate, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (IPCC, 2007)’
Over time the Earth’s surface-geography changes because of varying climate conditions. Some natural factors which influence the climate over thousands of years include: change in the energy output of the Sun (intensity), Earth’s rotation and spin around the axis, volcanic activity, and the water-vapour greenhouse effect (Solomns et al, 2007). Svante Arrhenius predicted in 1896 that carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations would increase twice as much due to the burning of fossil fuels; making the Earth’s surface warmer (Pittock, 2005). According to Pittock (2005),