What is weather? Weather is the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind,
temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc.
What is climate? Climate is the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions
of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and
winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.
How is global climate changing? The climate is changing. The earth is warming up,
and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced.
With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances
for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing.
What could be causing global climate change? Climate is the average pattern
of weather over the long term. The earth’s climate has warmed and cooled for millions of years,
since long before we appeared on the scene. There’s no doubt that the climate is growing
warmer currently; indications of that change are all around us. Though climate change isn’t
new, the study of how human activity affects the earth’s climate is. The exploration of climate
change encompasses many fields, including physics, chemistry, biology, geology, meteorology,
oceanography, and even sociology.
How does the changing climate impact biota: turtles, polar bears, penguins,
migratory birds, humans, food production? Food Production: Climate change will
impact agriculture and food production around the world due to: the effects of elevated
CO2 in the atmosphere, higher temperatures, altered precipitation and transpiration regimes,
increased frequency of extreme events, and modified weed, pest, and pathogen pressure (
Easterling et al., 2007:282).[23] In general, low-latitude areas are at most risk of having decreased
crop yields (Schneider et al., 2007:790).[10] With low to medium confidence, Schneider et al.
(2007:787) concluded that for about a 1 to 3°C global mean temperature increase (by 2100,
relative to the 1990-2000 average level) there would be productivity decreases for
some cereals in low latitudes, and productivity increases in high latitudes. With medium
confidence, global production potential was predicted to:
o
o
increase up to around 3°C,
Very likely decrease above about 3 to 4°C.
Most of the studies on global agriculture assessed by Schneider et al. (2007:790) had not
incorporated a number of critical factors, including changes in extreme events, or the spread
of pests and diseases. Studies had also not considered the development of specific practices
or technologies to aid adaptation.
Global warming affects Penguins- Because of the extra heat, the penguins that
live in Antarctica and other cold places are now at a loss for homes, because the icebergs that
the penguins used to live on are melting. Huge chunks have been breaking off in the past few
months, and just recently, a chunk the size of Rhode Island broke off. That is also affecting
the planet because the chunks that are falling off are melting and adding more water to the
oceans all over the world. And they say global warming is a hoax.
Global warming affects polar bears- Global Warmings effect has serious consequences
for all living organisms, but it is of especially great concern for the polar bear. According to
the U.S. Geological Survey Office, reduction in sea ice in the Arctic can see a loss of 2/3rds of
the entire word’s Polar Bear population over the next 50 years.
Last year, the Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, proposed adding Polar Bears to the
threatened species list. The decision will be made whether or not to include Polar Bears on the
list in January of 2008. Polar bear deaths due to global warming are of increasing concern, and
new studies speculate that Polar Bears may face possible extinction. Most dangerous is the
fact that as global warming increases, Polar Bears will have a difficult time finding food. In
fact, numerous polar bears are feeling the effects of a shortage of food and are facing
starvation.
Polar Bears as the Symbol of the tragedy of
Global Warming !
Film by Canadian environmentalists!
There are an estimated 20,000 Polar Bears in the wild and they depend upon the arctic weather
for their livelihood. Today, there are many accounts of Polar Bear, global warming deaths
attributed to drowning. The Polar Bear is doomed if something isn’t done to reverse the
dangers of global warming. Polar Bears depend upon the natural habitat of the Arctic, however
global warming has contributed to the growing loss of Arctic Ice. In fact, polar bears have
been photographed clinging to tiny ice formations as their natural environment simply melts
away, leaving them at the mercy of a climate that they cannot survive in.
Global warming affects sea turtles- Turtles lay their eggs underground. The
temperature underground determines the gender of the baby turtle. If the temperature
underground is warmer because of global warming then all of the babies will be female leading
to a decrease in the male population.
Global warming affects migratory birdso
84 percent of migratory birds have the potential to be affected by climate change
warned the United Nations Monday. Lowered water tables, changes in food supplies
and prey range, rising sea levels, and increased storm frequency are the greatest threats
to birds, said officials with the African Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds Agreement
(AEWA) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), two United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Treaties for the conservation of wildlife.
"Migratory birds are particularly vulnerable because of their use of several habitats
during migration as stopover sites for feeding, resting or to sit out bad weather." said
Mr. Bert Lenten, Executive Secretary of the AEWA Agreement and initiator of the
World Migratory Bird Day campaign, an international public awareness event focusing
every year on a different threat or obstacle to migratory bird species.
How does global warming affect us?- Violent Storms & Climate Shifts ECT.
How the olypyics affected global warming -The mountain has been plagued by a lack of
snow caused by warmer temperatures reaching un-seasonal highs of around 50 degrees
Fahrenheit during the daytime. The temperatures and lack of snow will wreak havoc on many of
the events held on the mountain.
Tons of snow have been transported in from elsewhere in an attempt to ready the area
for the Games. Media outlets looking for news of the situation have been banned from visiting
as the IOC works feverishly to be ready on time.