Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

1. Causes

   • Industry
     • 22%
     • Transportation
       • 28%
       • Cars
       • Planes
       • Boats
       • Trains
     • Electricity
       • 28%
       • Coal
       • Natural Gas
       • Oil
     • Agriculture
       • 9%
       • Pesticides
       • Machinery
     • Production of goods/processing of raw materials
       • ULAB
       • Mining/Ore Processing
       • Lead Smelting
       • Tannery
     • Dumpsites
       • Liquid Waste
       • Toxic/Hazardous Waste
       • Solid Waste
   • GHG's
     • CO2
       • CO2 is the main "man made" (not really man made but humans are largely responsible for the flux into the carbon pool that is the atmosphere) greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Almost every industry releases CO2 into the atmosphere through the burn of Fossil Fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.
     • Methane
       • Methane is another one of the 3 main GHGs in the atmopshere. It has been released naturally but the breeding of cows has made values sky rocket as they release it through their farts (flatulence).
     • H2O
       • H2O or water vapor makes up about 49% of the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. It is naturally released through ocean vaporization
   • Natural Causes
     • Forest Fires
       • Forest Fires and volcanic eruptions are both natural disasters that release a lot of carbon into the atmosphere.
     • Volcanic Eruptions
     • Plant and Animal respiration
       • An big natural source of carbon dioxide is plant and animal respiration, which accounts for 28.56% of natural emissions.
     • Soil Respiration and decomposition
       • Another major natural source of carbon dioxide is soil respiration and decomposition, which accounts for 28.56% of natural emissions. Many organisms that live in the Earth's soil use respiration to produce energy. Amongst them are decomposers who break down dead organic material. Both of these processes releases carbon dioxide as a byproduct.
     • Ocean Atmosphere exchange

2. Effects

   • Ocean
     • Ocean Levels
       • Global climate change melts ice caps, causing an increase in Ocean levels.
     • Ocean Acidification
       • Oceans absorb a 3rd of all carbon emitted into the atmosphere, making world oceans increaseingly more acidic.
   • Weather
     • Changes in Temperature
       • Ever since the industrial revolution in the early 1800s, earth's temperatures have been increasing. Since 1890s, the earth's mean temperature has increased by almost 2 degrees which might not seem like a lot, but can have a drastic effect on life on earth as habitats change and ocean levels increase.
     • Extreme Weather Conditions(storms, wildfires, etc.)
       • With an increase in temperature, the Wildfire season in the US has gotten longer as forest are hotter and drier for an extended period of time. Research also shows that hurricanes and storms in general are getting stronger and more frequent since the 1970s. 
     • Change in Season and Weather Patterns
       • Shifting seasons are directly linked to warmer global temperatures. A slight change in temperature is enough to push the start of spring to the earlier months of the year, and delay fall and winter: Animals' hibernation is also cut short as winters are getting shorter.
   • Plants and Animals
     • Plants
       • Just like animals, plants are affected by climate change through their habitats changing but also through the change in seasons. As the earth gets warmer, plants' blooming season start earlier in spring and end later in the fall than usual.
     • Animals
       • Habitats/Niches
         • Global Warming changes animals' habitats and forces them to migrate in order to survive.
       • Risk of Extinction
         • A sudden change in temperature can be very fatal to animals and even lead to extinction if they do not adapt or find a new habitat in time.