- Climate Change
Interesting facts on climate change
Rising global temperatures
A rising trend in global temperatures has been seen after analyzing data for the last century. Scientists are aware that the difference in temperatures around the world is wide apart but, after taking readings at specific locations over a long period, it is observed that more places are warming up than cooling down.
From 1900-2009, global average surface temperatures rose by approximately 0.7°C (1.3°F). It has also been noticed that the rate of increase has risen in recent times.
Source: Climate Change: Global Temperature, by LuAnn Dahlman, August 30, 2009
Carbon Dioxide
Humans burning coal, natural gas, and oils for manufacturing and transportation since the industrial revolution has produced and released massive carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
To put this in perspective, about 38% more has been released into the atmosphere, a value higher than has been measured for over 800,000 years. And yes, the amounts we release are still rising year after year. Source: Report by Caitlyn Kennedy, August 30, 2009, Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Ocean acidification
The acidity of the earth’s oceans is known to have increased by about 30%. That is a result of more CO2 emitted since the Industrial Revolution, being absorbed by the oceans. CO2 absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per year.
Source: PMEL Carbon Program, Ocean Acidification.
Melting Glaciers
Glaciers are massive amounts of snow that have stayed long enough to harden into blocks of ice. Smaller blocks could be the size of a football field, and larger ones could be hundreds of kilometers long. Glaciers can move like rivers too. On average, glaciers are losing ice at a rate of about 28 inches of water per year. Scientists revealed that even though only a small fraction of glaciers have been monitored since 1980, the trend is one that we need to be aware of.
Which regions of the world are producing more?
In December 2014, Nasa’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2) released its first map of the Earth’s surface where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed. Even though the mission is in its early stages, the data will help scientists to better understand how human activities affect climate.
Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/oco2/nasas-spaceborne-carbon-counter-maps-new-details/index.html#.VJOTVsAClA