Climate change is a global-scale atmospheric externality. It is an issue that must be understood and addressed globally. Environmental trends based on scientific and observed studies have shown an increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, an increase of the Earth’s surface and ocean temperature causing a decline in sea ice, and more prevalent extreme weather patterns- all due to human influence. However, trying to understand each of these trends separately will not fully explain the causes of climate change- in its entirety. These trends must be incorporated together into complex computerized models that can be used to define these occurrences as a whole picture, predict future trends, and hopefully return the greenhouse effect to its
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This is because taking measurement so of CO2 in local cities can cause discrepancies in the readings due to the constant emission of carbon by vehicles, factories, etc. Another interesting trend of atmospheric carbon dioxide is the varying CO2 levels during the different seasons of the year. This observation is attributed to the growing and dying of plants during certain seasons in which changes to the uptake (sinking of CO2 levels) and output (elevation of CO2 levels) of carbon dioxide by plants occurs. The uptake and output of CO2 by plants is known as the process of photosynthesis (RealClimate, 2004). Historic carbon dioxide levels are determined by drilling ancient ice cores in which small bubbles deep in the ice are tested for traces of CO2 and other climate variables, recreating historic climates (Bender, Sowers, & Brook, 1997). Historic temperatures are also determined in a similar manner in which traces of climate variables left behind in tree rings, ocean sediments, and ice caps are examined and used to estimate climate temperatures dating back years ago (Lemonick, …show more content…
This conclusion is drawn from research studies that have reported the melting of polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and the increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (IPCC, 2013). “Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850” (IPCC, 2013). However, there are some scientific trends that, if not understood properly, are assumed to provide contradictory evidence to the pervious statement. For example, there has been an increase of snowfall reported in some regions of the world, specifically North America and Europe (IPCC, 2013). How can there be, reportedly, stronger winters if the Earth’s surface temperature is increasing? This is because, as temperature rises, the percentage of water molecules (moisture) in the air also increases, leading to heavy precipitation (EPA, 2015). This is known as a positive correlation, or a linear relationship. The relationship between the increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the increase of the Earth’s surface temperature is also positive. When solar radiation from space enters Earth’s surface and as the energy is being reflected back into space, the increased density of carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere, which have a positive radiative forcing, cause a greater absorption of that energy in the atmosphere. This storage
This is because taking measurement so of CO2 in local cities can cause discrepancies in the readings due to the constant emission of carbon by vehicles, factories, etc. Another interesting trend of atmospheric carbon dioxide is the varying CO2 levels during the different seasons of the year. This observation is attributed to the growing and dying of plants during certain seasons in which changes to the uptake (sinking of CO2 levels) and output (elevation of CO2 levels) of carbon dioxide by plants occurs. The uptake and output of CO2 by plants is known as the process of photosynthesis (RealClimate, 2004). Historic carbon dioxide levels are determined by drilling ancient ice cores in which small bubbles deep in the ice are tested for traces of CO2 and other climate variables, recreating historic climates (Bender, Sowers, & Brook, 1997). Historic temperatures are also determined in a similar manner in which traces of climate variables left behind in tree rings, ocean sediments, and ice caps are examined and used to estimate climate temperatures dating back years ago (Lemonick, …show more content…
This conclusion is drawn from research studies that have reported the melting of polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and the increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (IPCC, 2013). “Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850” (IPCC, 2013). However, there are some scientific trends that, if not understood properly, are assumed to provide contradictory evidence to the pervious statement. For example, there has been an increase of snowfall reported in some regions of the world, specifically North America and Europe (IPCC, 2013). How can there be, reportedly, stronger winters if the Earth’s surface temperature is increasing? This is because, as temperature rises, the percentage of water molecules (moisture) in the air also increases, leading to heavy precipitation (EPA, 2015). This is known as a positive correlation, or a linear relationship. The relationship between the increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the increase of the Earth’s surface temperature is also positive. When solar radiation from space enters Earth’s surface and as the energy is being reflected back into space, the increased density of carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere, which have a positive radiative forcing, cause a greater absorption of that energy in the atmosphere. This storage