Impacts of climate change
Climate change is causing global temperatures to increase and average sea levels to rise.
Watch this video to find out how climate change is affecting rising sea levels in the Solomon Islands.
Causes of climate change
Physical and human
Temperature variations are caused by a combination of physical and human factors.
Causes of climate change
Physical causes
Physical causes of global warmingThe rise in the average temperature of the Earth's surface. and cooling include:
- Differences in solar energy - sunspot activityWhen dark spots on the sun temporarily reduce the temperature on the Earth's surface. can increase and decrease global temperatures
- Volcanic eruptions - large amounts of volcanic dustSmall particles released from a volcano. in the atmosphere shield the Earth from the sun, lowering the global temperature
- Differences in the tilt of the Earth in relation to the Sun. More tilt means warmer summers and colder winters, less tilt has the opposite effect
- Changing oceanic circulationThe continuous movement of water in the oceans. such as the periodic warming and cooling of areas of the tropical Pacific Ocean
- Melting permafrostPermanently frozen soil. releases large quantities of methaneA colourless gas that can do harm to life forms. gas
These physical causes of global temperature change have always existed and have been responsible for the alternating heating and cooling cycles of the Earth's temperature.
Human causes
The human causes of climate change are responsible for increasing the Earth’s temperatures. They include:
- The burning of Fossil fuelsNatural, finite fuel formed from the remains of living organisms, eg oil, coal and natural gas. for transport, industry and power, producing carbon dioxide and leading to global warming
- Worldwide deforestation, sometimes involving rainforest burning, which also produces carbon dioxide
- Car exhausts, nitrogen fertilisersChemicals added to soil to help plants grow. and power stations producing nitrous oxideA chemical compound that is more commonly known as laughing gas.
- chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)An organic compound. found in fridges, air conditioning and aerosolsAerosol sprays contain pressurised liquids which are released as a fine spray by the use of gas. Before 1989 they used chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which were found to damage the Earth's ozone layer.
- methaneA colourless gas that can do harm to life forms., produced from rice fields, landfill sites and from both ends of cattle
The main greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The increase in these gases have caused an enhanced greenhouse effect. This means that they are trapping heat in the atmosphere making the Earth warmer.
