Changing of The Atmosphere and Man's contribution to the Changes

CHANGES TO THE ATMOSPHERE

CLIMATE CHANGE

What is climate change?

Climate change is a long-term alteration in the average weather patterns that define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates. It can refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole.

This refers to the change in the earth's temperatures and atmospheric conditions and also how it adjusts to these changes over a long period. Climate change makes weather conditions even more unpredictable in the atmosphere as it varies. Because projected temperature and rainfall levels can no longer be depended upon, these unexpected weather patterns can make it challenging to maintain and develop crops in areas that rely on farming. Other harmful weather occurrences like more frequent and more intense hurricanes, floods, downpours, and winter storms have all been linked to climate change.

In the arctic and polar regions where ice walls and lands are majorly located, the warming temperatures associated with climate change have been melting these polar regions at an accelerated rate each season. A rise in sea level is generated by the melting ice glaciers in different regions of the planet Earth. Together with the expanding ocean waters due to the rising temperatures, the resulting rise in sea level has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion.

The current situation of climate change is largely impacted by the habits of human activity around the globe. The burning of fossil fuels such as natural gas, and oil releases gases called greenhouse gases into the earth's atmosphere. These gases trap the sun's heat in the earth's atmosphere accumulating a rise in the earth's average temperature. The rise in the earth's atmosphere from the trapped heat is called global warming. Local and regional climates are impacted by global warming. The climate of Earth has been fluctuating ever since it was formed. This is a long process that has been going on for hundreds of thousands of years when it transpires organically. The current, human-influenced climate change is happening far more rapidly.

GLOBAL WARMING

What is global warming?

This is the gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants.

The increase in the earth's temperature is mainly caused by pollutants and the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect comprises a variety of different lethal gases that can be produced from human activities or the burning of natural gases. These gases are gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which trap the sun's rays in the earth's atmosphere that enter as light but leave as infrared radiation which we experience as heat. The greenhouse effect is in itself beneficial in different ways. Our world would be too cold without it for life as we know it. However, the strength of the greenhouse effect also changes in response to changes in airborne pollutants of greenhouse gases. This is what causes climate change that is caused by humans. As greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere, more heat is trapped, making the entire globe warmer.

The effects of global warming are numerous as it can affect different regions in different ways. with the main way it has been affecting our planet being the warmer temperatures, these warm temperatures contribute to other major effects.

The melting of Ice in Polar Ice caps and mountain glaciers is 1 of the many to be listed. With the melting of these Large Ice areas, arctic life has been on the downside. Polar bears, Penguins and other life forms have a hard time adapting to these warmer temperatures which in this case drives them to the edge. These animals are changing migration patterns and plants are changing the dates of activity. Trees budding their leaves in the spring and dropping them later in the fall are too results of global warming.

A rise in sea level is also garnered due to the melting of the glaciers which help to keep the earth’s temperature stable. Due to the glaciers now becoming water they melt and mix with the ocean's sea level rising to new measurements. These new sea levels pose a major threat to island nations and coastal areas as these areas could be submerged underwater anytime in the future if global warming continues at its extreme rate.

The presence of more saltwater on coastal areas and shores will disrupt the ecosystem as well. This will result in the vanishing of different plant kinds. In addition, the wildlife on beaches would be hurt by the rapid changes in the climate conditions.

Droughts around the tropical zones of the earth can also skyrocket due to global warming. With higher temperatures, rain would be at a standstill. This will lead to crops dying due to excess heat from the sun's UV rays and a lack of water. Wildfires in mountains and forests could also be the result of Global warming on the earth. With more dried-up leaves and branches being exposed to the dangerously high temperatures of the earth's surface, they would start to catch ablaze. These natural fires can lead to a loss of land which could be home to humans, animals and plants.