* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Climate Change - What does it mean? Fact Sheet
ExxonMobil climate change controversy wikipedia , lookup
2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference wikipedia , lookup
Heaven and Earth (book) wikipedia , lookup
Low-carbon economy wikipedia , lookup
Climate change denial wikipedia , lookup
Climate governance wikipedia , lookup
Climate-friendly gardening wikipedia , lookup
Climate change mitigation wikipedia , lookup
Climate change adaptation wikipedia , lookup
Citizens' Climate Lobby wikipedia , lookup
Economics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Global warming controversy wikipedia , lookup
Global warming hiatus wikipedia , lookup
General circulation model wikipedia , lookup
Climate sensitivity wikipedia , lookup
Fred Singer wikipedia , lookup
Climate engineering wikipedia , lookup
Media coverage of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in Tuvalu wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on human health wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and agriculture wikipedia , lookup
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in Australia wikipedia , lookup
Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment wikipedia , lookup
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme wikipedia , lookup
Instrumental temperature record wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in Canada wikipedia , lookup
Mitigation of global warming in Australia wikipedia , lookup
Surveys of scientists' views on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Politics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Public opinion on global warming wikipedia , lookup
Scientific opinion on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and poverty wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on humans wikipedia , lookup
Global warming wikipedia , lookup
Climate change, industry and society wikipedia , lookup
Climate change feedback wikipedia , lookup
Solar radiation management wikipedia , lookup
Climate Change – what does it mean? Climate change is a global issue that affects us all. Changes in climate patterns mean that extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, storms, droughts and bushfires will become more frequent, more widespread or more intense. This increased concentration is known as the enhanced greenhouse effect, which is contributing to a warming of the Earth’s surface. What activities produce greenhouse gases? What causes climate change? Climate change is the result of changes in our weather patterns because of an increase in the Earth’s average temperature. This is caused by increases in greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. These gases soak up heat from the sun but instead of the heat leaving the earth’s atmosphere, some of it is trapped, making the Earth warmer. Climate change is also known as global warming. Have greenhouse gases always been in the Earth’s atmosphere? Yes. Greenhouse gases have always been a natural part of the atmosphere. They absorb and re-radiate the sun’s warmth and maintain the Earth’s temperature at a level necessary to support life. However, since the Industrial Revolution there has been a steep rise in the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere because of human activity. Greenhouse gases are produced by human activity, including: • • • • • • burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil or gas using energy generated by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) some aspects of farming, such as raising cattle and sheep, using fertilisers and growing some crops clearing land, including logging breakdown of food and plant wastes and sewerage some industrial processes, such as making cement and aluminium. The main greenhouse gases generated by human activity are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, and some manufactured gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halocarbons and some of their replacements. Water vapour is also a powerful greenhouse gas but the amount in the atmosphere is not directly linked to human activity. What are the effects of climate change? Research by the world’s leading scientists suggests that without actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth’s surface temperature is likely to rise by 1.0ºC–6.4Cº by the end of this century. Likely outcomes are reduced water availability, more heat waves, fewer frosts, less snowfall, more storms, stronger tropical cyclones and rises of 18-59cm in sea levels. For Australia, it is impossible to precisely predict what the impacts of climate change will be as they will vary with each region. However, best estimates indicate that by 2030 Australia will face: • around 1ºC of warming in temperatures • up to 20 per cent more drought-months • up to 25 per cent increase in days of very high or extreme fire danger • increases in storm surges and severe weather events. Australia is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. If levels of greenhouse gases continue to rise, the resulting climate change could lead to serious impacts on coastal communities, iconic areas such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Kakadu wetlands, biodiversity, agriculture, water supplies, human health, transport and communications infrastructure.