Climate change and global warming are terms used to indicate the climate trends seen today. Climate change is known as a change in climate patterns on a global or regional scale. Global warming is when the global temperature experiences an overall increase. The source of global warming and climate change are an increased amount of greenhouse gases that then cause the greenhouse effect. Over the past 250 to 300 years, humans have increased the concentrations of seven greenhouse gases that in turn, enhances the greenhouse effect(Brennan, Withgott pg. 495). Climate change is an important issue, because it affects the environment and people in mostly negative ways. That is why solutions have been made and continue to be created to fix the global
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Since 1998, average global temperatures demonstrate that the top ten hottest years have occurred since then(U.S. and Global Temperature). The greenhouse effect has caused temperatures to rise on a global scale, however, some places are hit harder than others. In the United States, the summers have been much warmer and numerous heat waves occur(High and Low Temperatures). A possible problem that may be caused by climate change is the frequency in storms and their intensity. A record number of hurricanes that occurred in 2005 raised the thought that climate change was the cause, but when scientists studied storm data it indicate that warmer seas may not be increasing the frequency of storms, yet they may be increasing the intensity of them(Brennan, Withgott pg. 504). Rising sea levels have been occurring in recent patterns of climate change. This is due to the increasing temperatures, which heats the ocean and as it’s temperature increases the water expands. Another reason sea levels are rising is because ice sheets and glaciers are melting and the excess water runs off into the oceans(Brennan, Withgott pg. 507). Many Islands are also threatened of disappearance due to rising sea levels. The IPCC predicts that by the end of the 21st century, the sea level will be 18-59 cm taller than present sea levels, however it depends on the level …show more content…
Some regions receive too little precipitation, while others may receive too much. In areas that are dry and humid have recently had severe rainstorms that cause flooding, like in 2008 a flood in the Midwest of the U.S. killed thirteen people and left many homeless(Brennan, Withgott pg.505). The opposite has occurred in places with less rain that has increased droughts.For example, the southwest of the United States is a sensitive region, so a change in temperature makes it susceptible to drought that impacts the ecosystems there and agriculture(Drought). Now another pattern seen from climate change is the melting ice sheets and glaciers. In fact, glaciers have shrunk throughout the globe since the 1960s, and the rate it is melting has increased in the past decade(Summary of Key points). Lately, the Arctic ice has been melting, which causes it to melt even more. This is because once the ice and snow melt, the less-reflective areas appear and decreases the planet’s albedo(Brennan, Withgott pg.
Since 1998, average global temperatures demonstrate that the top ten hottest years have occurred since then(U.S. and Global Temperature). The greenhouse effect has caused temperatures to rise on a global scale, however, some places are hit harder than others. In the United States, the summers have been much warmer and numerous heat waves occur(High and Low Temperatures). A possible problem that may be caused by climate change is the frequency in storms and their intensity. A record number of hurricanes that occurred in 2005 raised the thought that climate change was the cause, but when scientists studied storm data it indicate that warmer seas may not be increasing the frequency of storms, yet they may be increasing the intensity of them(Brennan, Withgott pg. 504). Rising sea levels have been occurring in recent patterns of climate change. This is due to the increasing temperatures, which heats the ocean and as it’s temperature increases the water expands. Another reason sea levels are rising is because ice sheets and glaciers are melting and the excess water runs off into the oceans(Brennan, Withgott pg. 507). Many Islands are also threatened of disappearance due to rising sea levels. The IPCC predicts that by the end of the 21st century, the sea level will be 18-59 cm taller than present sea levels, however it depends on the level …show more content…
Some regions receive too little precipitation, while others may receive too much. In areas that are dry and humid have recently had severe rainstorms that cause flooding, like in 2008 a flood in the Midwest of the U.S. killed thirteen people and left many homeless(Brennan, Withgott pg.505). The opposite has occurred in places with less rain that has increased droughts.For example, the southwest of the United States is a sensitive region, so a change in temperature makes it susceptible to drought that impacts the ecosystems there and agriculture(Drought). Now another pattern seen from climate change is the melting ice sheets and glaciers. In fact, glaciers have shrunk throughout the globe since the 1960s, and the rate it is melting has increased in the past decade(Summary of Key points). Lately, the Arctic ice has been melting, which causes it to melt even more. This is because once the ice and snow melt, the less-reflective areas appear and decreases the planet’s albedo(Brennan, Withgott pg.