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Sts 01: Science, Technology and Society: Climate Change

Climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system that persists for decades or longer. It is primarily caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels which increase greenhouse gas emissions. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which trap heat in the lower atmosphere and cause global warming. Global warming is raising Earth's average surface temperature and causing widespread changes including rising sea levels, more extreme weather, and ocean acidification. These impacts endanger human societies, economies, and ecosystems.

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50 views3 pages

Sts 01: Science, Technology and Society: Climate Change

Climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system that persists for decades or longer. It is primarily caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels which increase greenhouse gas emissions. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which trap heat in the lower atmosphere and cause global warming. Global warming is raising Earth's average surface temperature and causing widespread changes including rising sea levels, more extreme weather, and ocean acidification. These impacts endanger human societies, economies, and ecosystems.

Uploaded by

Jayar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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STS 01: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system that
persists for several decades or longer. Climate change may be due to natural processes,
such as changes in the Sun’s radiation, volcanoes or internal variability in the climate
system, or due to human influences such as changes in the composition of the
atmosphere or land use.

Many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of


heat-trapping greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and land-use
change, are primarily responsible for the climate changes observed in the industrial era,
especially over the last six decades. The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide,
the largest contributor to human-caused warming, has increased by about 40% over the
industrial era. This change has intensified the natural greenhouse effect, driving an
increase in global surface temperatures and other widespread changes in Earth’s climate
that are unprecedented in the history.

Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface. When
the Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space
and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases. This blanket of
greenhouse gases serves as the Earth’s insulator, of which without it, ours will be a called
dead planet.

Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
ozone and some artificial chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Carbon
dioxide and methane in particular, trap the heat radiated by the sun.

The problem we now face is that human activities are increasing the
concentrations of greenhouse gases. From NASA’s observation, the increase and too
much concentration of these greenhouse gases can cause Earth's atmosphere to trap
more and more heat that warms up the planet leading to a phenomenon called global
warming.

Global Warming

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average
temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be
permanently changing the Earth’s climate.

ENGR. EXELSIS E. LEAÑO, RChT


INSTRUCTOR
STS 01: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released
by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, are
believed to be the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred over the past
50 years. Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out global
warming research have recently predicted that average global temperatures could
increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100.

Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the
melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and severity of storms
and other severe weather events – all of which are signs of a changing climactic patterns.

Climate change is causing five critical global environmental changes


1. Warming temperature of the earth’s surface and the oceans
The earth has warmed at a rate of 0.13° C per decade since 1957, almost
twice as fast as its rate of warming during the previous century.

2. Changes in the global water cycle


Over the past century there have been distinct geographical changes in total
annual precipitation, with some areas experiencing severe and long-term drought
and others experiencing increased annual precipitation. Frequency and intensity
of storms increases as the atmosphere warms and is able to hold more water
vapor.

3. Declining glaciers and snowpack


Across the globe, nearly all glaciers are decreasing in area, volume and
mass. One billion people living in river watersheds fed by glaciers and snowmelt
are thus impacted.

4. Sea level rise


Warmer water expands, so as oceans warm the increased volume of
water is causing sea level rise. Melting glaciers and snowpack also contribute to
rising seas.

5. Ocean acidification
Oceans absorb about 25% of emitted CO2 from the atmosphere, leading
to acidification of seawater.

Impacts of Climate Change on Society

According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the aspects of climate
change are having increasingly complex and important impacts on all the nations’
economy and quality of life. Impacts related to climate change are evident across regions
and in many sectors important to society—such as human health, agriculture and food

ENGR. EXELSIS E. LEAÑO, RChT


INSTRUCTOR
STS 01: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

security, water supply, transportation, energy, ecosystems, and others—and are


expected to become increasingly disruptive throughout this century and beyond.

Climate change affects human health and wellbeing through more extreme
weather events and wildfires, decreased air quality, and diseases transmitted by insects,
food, and water. Climate disruptions to agriculture have been increasing and are
projected to become more severe over this century, a trend that would diminish the
security of the world’s food supply. Surface and groundwater supplies in some regions
are already stressed, and water quality is diminishing in many areas, in part due to
increasing sediment and contaminant concentrations after heavy downpours.

In some regions, prolonged periods of high temperatures associated with droughts


contribute to conditions that lead to larger wildfires and longer fire seasons. For coastal
communities, sea level rise, combined with coastal storms, has increased the risk of
erosion, storm surge damage, and flooding. Extreme heat, sea level rise, and heavy
downpours are affecting infrastructure like roads, rail lines, airports, and all other
infrastructures.

The capacity of ecosystems like forests, barrier beaches, and wetlands to buffer
the impacts of extreme events like fires, floods, and severe storms is being overwhelmed.
The rising temperature and changing chemistry of ocean water is combining with other
stresses, such as overfishing and pollution, alter marine-based food production and harm
fishing communities.

Some climate changes currently have beneficial effects for specific sectors or
regions. For example, current benefits of warming include longer growing seasons and
longer ice – free period for agriculture.

ENGR. EXELSIS E. LEAÑO, RChT


INSTRUCTOR

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