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Did You Know?
Did You Know?
... throughout the history of Earth have occurred various processes of climate
change? What is different in the current process in relation to historical climate
change is that the rate at which they are occurring today is much higher and
unusual than in the past.
... can you get an idea of what the climate was like millions of years ago when
analyzing climate indicators such as rings of ancient trees, animal remains and
plants preserved in rocks or oceanic sediments?
... the oceans absorb some of the atmospheric carbon dioxide and that this
absorption has had a significant effect on their acidification? This phenomenon
has negative impacts on the marine ecosystems and gives the name of
acidification of the oceans.
... the last time polar regions were significantly hotter than today, for a prolonged
period (about 125,000 years ago), the reduction in polar ice volume led to a rise
of 4 to 6 m average global sea level?
... paleoclimatic studies (from the science that studies the history of the Earth)
support the interpretation that the global warming of this last half century is
unusual, comparing the last 1300 years?
... is the continued emission of greenhouse gases intensifying global warming and
lasting changes in the climate system? These, in turn, are increasing the
likelihood of serious, widespread and irreversible impacts on people and
ecosystems, such as floods, heat waves, extinction, etc.
... Did you know that the human influence on the climate system is unequivocal
and is mainly due to the unprecedented emission of greenhouse gases?
... the increase in the overall average global surface temperature forecast for the
end of the 21st century, compared to the period 1986-2005, is 0.3 ° C (lower
limit of the scenario of lower greenhouse gas emissions) to 4.8 ° C (upper limit of
the highest emission scenario)?
Figure: Anomalies of global mean surface temperature. For the production of this
graph, the mean anomalies of global surface and ocean surface temperatures
were calculated for each year, using the average for the period 1986 to 2005. The
different colors indicate different datasets (IPCC, 2014, p. 3).
But apart from this natural greenhouse effect, there are a number of greenhouse
gases responsible for additional warming of the atmosphere, the origin of which
is due to a variety of human causes. Most of these gases come from the burning of
fossil fuels in vehicles, factories, and power plants. Of all the gases present in the
atmosphere, the main cause of global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2).
However, other gases also contribute to the same phenomenon, such as methane
released from landfills and agricultural activity (in particular in the digestive
process of cattle), nitrous oxide released by fertilizers, and gases used in
industrial and refrigeration processes . Deforestation also has consequences, as
fewer trees are available to absorb CO2.
If the planet continues to heat up, some of the following changes may occur:
Sea level will rise, as water expands with rising temperatures, and oceans
absorb more heat than land.
The same will happen due to the melting of the glaciers and the banquisas
(sea ice).
Some coastal cities may be flooded.
Some areas with heavy snowfall and rainfall may become warmer and
drier.
The beds of some rivers and lakes may dry up.
The number of droughts may increase, damaging crops.
Reserves of drinking water for consumption, hygiene, agriculture and
food production may decline.
The extinction of many animal and plant species may occur.
Certain extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, tornadoes and other
storms, which are caused by changes in temperature and the evaporation
mechanism of water, may become more frequent.