SCIENCE LAB

Science Lab

Science Lab

Natural and human-made causes of climate change

Global warming is a phenomenon of increasing the temperature average of oceans and the atmosphere, around the world for several years. The warming is expected to continue, even if emissions stop because of the large heat capacity of the oceans and the life of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Gunther, 2009).

In recent decades, the vast use of fossil fuels likes oil, coal and natural gas, for energy and industrial processes. This abnormal concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activity, increased the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation, producing a global warming more than life, as we have seen, is optimal for life and ecosystems (America's, 2011).

Sources of heat-trapping pollution

The following consequences of climate change in the absence effective solutions to the causes

In the last hundred years, the earth has warmed by 1.5 degrees C (the global average has been 0.6 ° C and 0.95 º C European). For the twenty-first century, the projections of climate models show a progressive trend to increasing temperatures. In the worst-case scenario, studied, during the period 2070 - 2100 could be increases of up to 7 º C in summer and 4 ° C in winter.

There will be a general trend of decreasing mean annual rainfall, more frequent days of extreme maximum temperatures on the peninsula, mainly in summer.

Water resources are already being affected. By the end of the century, the average global reduction of water resources could exceed 22%. Basins where the impacts are most severe are those of the Guadiana, Canary Islands, Segura, Jucar, Guadalquivir, Sur and the Balearics.

The rise in mean sea level by the end of the century can vary between 10 and 68 cm. Given a generalized rise in mean sea level the most vulnerable areas are the deltas and beaches. This can cause loss of a significant number of beaches and inundation of coastal lowlands.

The structure and functioning of natural ecosystems will be affected. In terrestrial ecosystems will alter the phonology and species interactions and favor the spread of invasive species and pests. Part of aquatic ecosystems will be permanent to seasonal and, some will disappear. In marine ecosystems will change in the limits of species distribution, effects on marine productivity and change in the composition of populations.

Source of heat-trapping pollution contribute the most to climate change

Containing atmosphere is currently 380 parts ...