Article 4 Climate Change: Causes and Impacts
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- Navigate this page:
- Surface Temperature
- Sea Level Rise
- Can We Slow Down Climate Change
- The Paris Agreement
| Ocean Acidification: As the oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they become increasingly acidic, which can be dangerous to coral and marine life.
How Is Climate Change Measured? Given that climate change is something that occurs over a long period of time, measuring it can be challenging. The evidence of climate change relies on tracking specific metrics to measure and monitor these changes, including (in the order of importance): Surface Temperature: This is the temperature of the air, land, and water on the surface level. It is a direct indicator that climate change has occurred. It's important because measuring the rate of change in temperature helps scientists project how much it will warm or cool over time. Sea Level Rise: While this is a slower process, melted ice causes sea levels to rise, and monitoring that rise can help scientists project how much the oceans will grow in size. This is essential as rising sea levels threaten to displace millions of people. Parts per Million of Greenhouse Gases: This is the measurement of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For example, when scientists measure how much CO2 humans are emitting into the atmosphere, they can better predict future levels of global warming that will occur as a result Can We Slow Down Climate Change? Although there are many causes of climate change, humans play a significant role. As such, we must do our part to slow down the process. There has been a history of climate change efforts such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement that have tried to slow down climate change. The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty that the US never ratified. It would have helped slow down climate change by reducing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane emissions. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty detailing how to help climate change, and it was signed in 2016 with 147 countries as signatories. This treaty is important because it sets the goal of keeping global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Climate scientists believe that global temperatures need to stay below that level to protect human life. While climate change solutions may seem like they’re out of our individual control, true change happens when personal responsibility merges with collective efforts. Together, humans can choose to make changes in our everyday lives that will help reduce the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. One way we can all work together is with the wholesale adoption of photovoltaic (PV) systems to meet our electricity needs. Turning to solar panels and solar energy is a great way to reduce the amount of pollution and greenhouse gases we emit, and it has the added benefit of helping to lower your monthly energy bills. Other steps we can take to slow down climate change include: Electing people at every level of government who are committed to passing laws and enacting policies that defeat climate change Reducing the amount of single-use, disposable plastic items, including bags, bottles, and silverware, as the production of these cheaply-made items release high levels of greenhouse gases Turning off lights and electrical appliances when they're not in use Eating less meat in our diets, as agricultural meat production is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emission Taking shorter showers and using water only when needed, since unnecessary heating of water drives up energy usage These changes may seem small, but every effort counts. When we work together, we can make a significant difference to help reduce the effects of climate change. Download 20.43 Kb. Share with your friends:
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