Planet Earth First !
@UN Climate Conference (COP23):
Mankind is at risk of losing all this and much more !
Some facts about global warming:
Global warming is the current increase in temperature of the Earth's surface (both land and water) as well as it's atmosphere. Average temperatures around the world have risen by 0.75°C (1.4°F) over the last 100 years about two thirds of this increase has occurred since 1975. In the past, when the Earth experienced increases in temperature it was the result of natural causes but today it is being caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere produced by human activities.
The natural greenhouse effect maintains the Earth's temperature at a safe level making it possible for humans and many other lifeforms to exist. However, since the Industrial Revolution human activities have significantly enhanced the greenhouse effect causing the Earth's average temperature to rise by almost 1°C. This is creating the global warming we see today. To put this increase in perspective it is important to understand that during the last ice age, a period of massive climate change, the average temperature change around the globe was only about 5°C.
Greenhouse gases are produced both naturally and through human activities. Unfortunately, greenhouse gases generated by human activities are being added to the atmosphere at a much faster rate than any natural process can remove them.
Global levels of greenhouse gases have increased dramatically since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the 1750s. Only a small group of human activities are causing the concentration of the main greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) to rise:
The majority of man-made carbon dioxide emissions is from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil so that humans can power various vehicles, machinery, keep warm and create electricity. Other important sources come from land-use changes (ex: deforestation) and industry (ex: cement production).
Methane is created by humans during fossil fuel production and use, livestock and rice farming, as well as landfills.
Nitrous oxide emissions are mainly caused by the use of synthetic fertilizers for agriculture, fossil fuel combustion and livestock manure management.
Fluorinated gases are used mainly in refrigeration, cooling and manufacturing applications.
Global warming is harming the environment in several ways including:
Desertification
Drylands are already fragile. As they become degraded, the impact on people, livestock and environment can be devastating. Some 50 million people may be displaced within the next 10 years as a result of desertification.
The issue of desertification is not new though — it played a significant role in human history, contributing to the collapse of several large empires, and the displacement of local populations. But today, the pace of arable land degradation is estimated at 30 to 35 times the historical rate.
Increased melting of snow and ice
Perennial ice cover in the Arctic is melting at the rate of 11.5% per decade and the thickness of the Arctic ice has decreased by 48% since the 1960s.19 During the past 30 years, more than a million square miles of sea ice has vanished, an area equivalent to the size of Norway, Denmark and Sweden combined.20 The continent of Antarctica has been losing more than 100 cubic kilometers (24 cubic miles) of ice per year since 2002.21 Since 2010, the Antarctic ice melt rate has doubled.
Sea level rise
The Earth's sea level has risen by 21 cm (8 inches) since 1880.23 The rate of rise is accelerating and is now at a pace that has not been seen for at least 5000 years.24 Global warming has caused this by affecting the oceans in two ways: warmer average temperatures cause ocean waters to expand (thermal expansion) and the accelerated melting of ice and glaciers increase the amount of water in the oceans.
Stronger hurricanes and cyclones
ropical cyclone activity has seen an obvious upswing trend since the early 1970s.25 Interestingly, this matches directly with an observed rise in the oceans' temperature over the same period of time. Since then, the Power Dissipation Index which measures the destructive power of tropical cyclones has increased in the Pacific by 35% and in the Atlantic it has nearly doubled.26 Global warming also increases the frequency of strong cyclones. Every 1 degree C increase in sea surface temperature results in a 31% increase in the global frequency of category 4 and 5 storms.
Do we really want all that ?
Tetachuck Lake, Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, BC, Canada
Planet Earth First !
@UN Climate Conference (COP23):
Mankind is at risk of losing all this and much more !
Some facts about global warming:
Global warming is the current increase in temperature of the Earth's surface (both land and water) as well as it's atmosphere. Average temperatures around the world have risen by 0.75°C (1.4°F) over the last 100 years about two thirds of this increase has occurred since 1975. In the past, when the Earth experienced increases in temperature it was the result of natural causes but today it is being caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere produced by human activities.
The natural greenhouse effect maintains the Earth's temperature at a safe level making it possible for humans and many other lifeforms to exist. However, since the Industrial Revolution human activities have significantly enhanced the greenhouse effect causing the Earth's average temperature to rise by almost 1°C. This is creating the global warming we see today. To put this increase in perspective it is important to understand that during the last ice age, a period of massive climate change, the average temperature change around the globe was only about 5°C.
Greenhouse gases are produced both naturally and through human activities. Unfortunately, greenhouse gases generated by human activities are being added to the atmosphere at a much faster rate than any natural process can remove them.
Global levels of greenhouse gases have increased dramatically since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the 1750s. Only a small group of human activities are causing the concentration of the main greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) to rise:
The majority of man-made carbon dioxide emissions is from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil so that humans can power various vehicles, machinery, keep warm and create electricity. Other important sources come from land-use changes (ex: deforestation) and industry (ex: cement production).
Methane is created by humans during fossil fuel production and use, livestock and rice farming, as well as landfills.
Nitrous oxide emissions are mainly caused by the use of synthetic fertilizers for agriculture, fossil fuel combustion and livestock manure management.
Fluorinated gases are used mainly in refrigeration, cooling and manufacturing applications.
Global warming is harming the environment in several ways including:
Desertification
Drylands are already fragile. As they become degraded, the impact on people, livestock and environment can be devastating. Some 50 million people may be displaced within the next 10 years as a result of desertification.
The issue of desertification is not new though — it played a significant role in human history, contributing to the collapse of several large empires, and the displacement of local populations. But today, the pace of arable land degradation is estimated at 30 to 35 times the historical rate.
Increased melting of snow and ice
Perennial ice cover in the Arctic is melting at the rate of 11.5% per decade and the thickness of the Arctic ice has decreased by 48% since the 1960s.19 During the past 30 years, more than a million square miles of sea ice has vanished, an area equivalent to the size of Norway, Denmark and Sweden combined.20 The continent of Antarctica has been losing more than 100 cubic kilometers (24 cubic miles) of ice per year since 2002.21 Since 2010, the Antarctic ice melt rate has doubled.
Sea level rise
The Earth's sea level has risen by 21 cm (8 inches) since 1880.23 The rate of rise is accelerating and is now at a pace that has not been seen for at least 5000 years.24 Global warming has caused this by affecting the oceans in two ways: warmer average temperatures cause ocean waters to expand (thermal expansion) and the accelerated melting of ice and glaciers increase the amount of water in the oceans.
Stronger hurricanes and cyclones
ropical cyclone activity has seen an obvious upswing trend since the early 1970s.25 Interestingly, this matches directly with an observed rise in the oceans' temperature over the same period of time. Since then, the Power Dissipation Index which measures the destructive power of tropical cyclones has increased in the Pacific by 35% and in the Atlantic it has nearly doubled.26 Global warming also increases the frequency of strong cyclones. Every 1 degree C increase in sea surface temperature results in a 31% increase in the global frequency of category 4 and 5 storms.
Do we really want all that ?
Tetachuck Lake, Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, BC, Canada