Climate Change
Climate change is triggered by a shift in the earth's energy balance, which determines how much of the sun's energy enters the earth (and its atmosphere) and is released back into space.The earth gains energy as we reduce the amount of solar energy reflected into space, just as people gain weight when their calorie intake and expenditure are out of balance.Human activities have released massive amounts of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution began over 200 years ago. Instead of letting the sun's energy and heat reflect into space, these GHG act as a greenhouse (or a blanket or a car windshield) to trap it. When GHG concentrations are too high, too much heat is trapped, and the earth's temperature rises beyond its natural range.
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Climate change is causing five critical global environmental changes:7
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Warming temperature of the earth’s surface and the oceans:
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Changes in the global water cycle (‘hydrologic’ cycle)
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Declining glaciers and snowpack: Across the globe, nearly all glaciers are decreasing in area, volume and mass. One billion people living in river watersheds fed by glaciers and snowmelt are thus impacted
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Sea level rise: Warmer water expands, so as oceans warm the increased volume of water is causing sea level rise. Melting glaciers and snowpack also contribute to rising seas.
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Ocean acidification: Oceans absorb about 25% of emitted CO2 from the atmosphere, leading to acidification of seawater. These global changes result in what we experience as changes in our local weather and climate:
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Greater variability, with “wetter wets”, “drier dries” and “hotter hots” ° More frequent and severe extreme heat events ° More severe droughts ° More intense precipitation, such as severe rains, winter storms and hurricanes
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Higher average temperatures and longer frost-free seasons
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Longer wildfire seasons and worse wildfires
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Loss of snowpack and earlier spring runoff
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