6.3.3 Climate Change
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6.3.3 Climate Change
One of the strongest influences of economic growth on the environment is the effect on the world's climate. The climate is continuously changing, but human activity including
industrialization and increasing world population growth have important roles today.
Climate change can result from natural changes to the earth's weather, but most of the world's scientific community, including the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, support the position that "most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities."
( International Panel on Climate Change)
Global warming is the most significant effect of climate change. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans in recent years. The Earth's average temperature rose from 0.2 to 0.6 degrees C during the 20th century. That does not sound like much change, but the effects are significant and greater changes are predicted for the future.
Climate change can result from natural changes to the earth's weather, but most of the world's scientific community, including the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, support the position that "most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities."
( International Panel on Climate Change)
Global warming is the most significant effect of climate change. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans in recent years. The Earth's average temperature rose from 0.2 to 0.6 degrees C during the 20th century. That does not sound like much change, but the effects are significant and greater changes are predicted for the future.
The greenhouse effect: Global warming is caused primarily by people through the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing (burning), and agriculture — all of which lead to increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Other results of global warming: An increase in global temperatures can also lead to other changes, including rising sea levels and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation-all of which lead to increases in extreme weather such as droughts, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, and tornados. As well, it can lead to higher or lower agricultural production, species extinction, the retreat of glaciers, and reduced river and stream levels.
Other results of global warming: An increase in global temperatures can also lead to other changes, including rising sea levels and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation-all of which lead to increases in extreme weather such as droughts, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, and tornados. As well, it can lead to higher or lower agricultural production, species extinction, the retreat of glaciers, and reduced river and stream levels.
Reflect
Is our prosperity sustainable if climate change continues? Can human life as we know it continue if the trends in climate change continue at the same rate? Obviously, reduced agricultural output, reduced amounts of water, and extreme storm activity will have negative effects on the planet for most species, including humans. That is the reason many governments support action on climate change.