As the temperature rises, the earth is going to do everything it can to maintain equilibrium. This means that the planet will react to the increased temperatures by emitting more heat.
The increased temperatures will increase the rate of evaporation, thus making the air moister. The increase in moisture in the air will in turn lead to more cloud cover. These clouds will reflect the sun’s light and will prevent the heat from escaping into space.
Each year, the average temperature of the Earth rises. The effects of this rise are varied and may be seen in many different ways.
Increased temperature can lead to changes in weather patterns, resulting in the melting of polar ice caps, and lead to sea-level rise. The increased amount of carbon dioxide in the air can also lead to acid rain and the increased frequency of heatwaves and droughts.
Many scientists believe that increases in global temperatures are warming the oceans. As a result, ice sheets are melting, sea levels are rising, and weather patterns are changing.
These changes are called “ climate change ” or “global warming”. These changes affect all of us. Some of the most important things you can do to help slow climate change are to drive less, use less energy, and recycle more.
Climate Change Definition vs. Global Warming Definition
Which is it? Global warming or climate change? It turns out these two terms are used interchangeably. To some, these are two different things. To others, they are one and the same. So, what is the difference between climate change and global warming?
We hear the phrase “climate change” thrown around pretty loosely in the media these days, but is it the same thing as “global warming”? Or is one a subset of the other?
To answer these questions, we need to define our terms. “Global warming” is the broader of the two terms, when defined by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The UNFCCC defines global warming as “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.”
Climate Change Definition: The term “climate change” refers to a broad range of global phenomena caused by human activities that affect the atmosphere. These include greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, and the destruction of the ozone layer.
The primary cause of climate change is the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG) through the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas.
Global Warming Definition: Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth’s near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation.
Climate change and global warming are two different concepts, although they are related. Climate change is a change in the Earth’s climate in which the temperature near the surface of the Earth increases or decreases.
The warming of the Earth will cause changes in rainfall patterns, plant and animal habitat, and weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning and snowfall. Global warming is an increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature due to the greenhouse effect.
There are also other contributing factors that include human activities, solar activity , and volcanic activity.
Global Warming and Large Scale Climate Phenomena
The effects of global warming are apparent in many areas. In some areas, we already see changes in plant and animal populations, while in others, we see changes in patterns of precipitation and storms.
The changes in climate are being reflected in an increase in large-scale climate events that are more frequent and/or more severe than we have seen in the past. Examples of these events include droughts, floods, and hurricanes.
The Earth is made up of a complex system of moving parts. In this system, energy is constantly being exchanged between the Sun, the Earth, and the atmosphere.
The amount of energy the Earth receives from the Sun is considered “insolation,” and the amount of energy that is reflected back into space is called “albedo,” or the planet’s reflectivity.
The Earth’s atmosphere, which is made up of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases, is also considered a part of the system; it holds in energy and helps regulate surface temperatures.
Changes due to glacier retreat
In the past century, the glaciers in the Alps have receded by more than 1,000 metres, and the consequences have not just been environmental.
The water released from the receding glaciers has had a direct impact on a number of Alpine rivers, which is partly why there has been a tenfold increase in floods in the area over the past century.
“The Rhône river has been the most affected, followed by the Rhine in the north of France, and the Po in Italy and France, which have all experienced increases in flooding,” said the team of researchers behind the study.
Although experts are still debating whether global warming is the cause, glaciers in the world’s mountains are rapidly retreating. A recent expedition to the North Pole uncovered evidence of this retreat—the team found that the glacier they were traveling on was a quarter-mile farther from the pole than it was during a trip in the 1950s.
This of course means that ice and snow that typically would have been reflected in the satellite images of the region are now appearing as dark blue on those images instead.
This loss of ice and snow effectively raises sea levels, since ice and snow on land are already displacing a significant amount of water.
Changes in glacier forefields
“Forefield” is a term that climate scientists use to describe the land where a glacier originates. As glaciers retreat and ice melts, the once-frozen land where a glacier starts to flow becomes exposed.
As the ice retreats, the forefield is the first area to thaw, and it is often free of glacial sediments. This makes the forefield very susceptible to erosion. Streams and rivers erode a large portion of the exposed forefield. The streams carry away sediment and deposit it downstream.
This process continues until the streams run into a glacial moraine. The streams also have a tendency to carve deep channels into their banks. A bank is a land along the stream where the water flows.
It is commonly believed that glaciers have existed for as long as the earth has been around. In actuality, the appearance of glaciers coincides with the beginning of the Quaternary era. This is considered the last era that is currently active.
The Quaternary is an era of climate change. The climate change that occurred during this time resulted in what we now consider the drastic climate change that we are now experiencing today.
Last Words
Even if you think you know everything about global warming and what to do about it, take this chance to learn more. There have been many changes in climate that have occurred in the past and that are currently occurring. It is our responsibility to learn more about these changes and the part we play in contributing to them.
