By the end of , countries had signed and ratified the agreement. Under the protocol, 37 industrialized countries and the European Union have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. There are several ways that governments, industries, and individuals can reduce greenhouse gases.
We can improve energy efficiency in homes and businesses. We can improve the fuel efficiency of cars and other vehicles. Some scientists are working to capture carbon dioxide and store it underground, rather than let it go into the atmosphere.
This process is called carbon sequestration. Trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. Protecting existing forests and planting new ones can help balance greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Changes in farming practices could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, farms use large amounts of nitrogen-based fertilizer s, which increase nitrogen oxide emissions from the soil.
Reducing the use of these fertilizers would reduce the amount of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
The way farmers handle animal manure can also have an effect on global warming. When manure is stored as liquid or slurry in ponds or tanks, it releases methane. When it dries as a solid, however, it does not. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital ly important.
However, the global temperature has already changed and will most likely continue to change for years to come. The IPCC suggests that people explore ways to adapt to global warming as well as try to slow or stop it. Some of the suggestions for adapting include:. Shell Shock A sudden increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere does more than change Earth's temperature. A lot of the carbon dioxide in the air dissolves into seawater. There, it forms carbonic acid in a process called ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification is making it hard for some sea creatures to build shells and skeletal structures. This could alter the ecological balance in the oceans and cause problems for fishing and tourism industries. Barking Up the Wrong Tree Spruce bark beetles in Alaska have had a population boom thanks to 20 years of warmer-than-average summers. The insects have managed to chew their way through 1. Disappearing Penguins Emperor penguins made a showbiz splash in the film March of the Penguins.
Sadly, their encore might include a disappearing act. In the s, an abnormally long warm spell caused these Antarctic birds' population to drop by 50 percent. Some scientists worry that continued global warming will push the creatures to extinction by changing their habitat and food supply.
When released through a small opening, the liquid becomes a spray or foam. Carbon dioxide is also the byproduct of burning fossil fuels. Some CFCs have destructive effects on the ozone layer. Usually, hurricanes refer to cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean.
The last ice age peaked about 20, years ago. Also called glacial age. Also known as laughing gas or happy gas. Also known as petroleum or crude oil. Sea level is determined by measurements taken over a year cycle. Also called a storm tide. Also called levee or floodgate.
United Nations agency that studies the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate, and the distribution of water resources. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society. Dunn, Margery G. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.
If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives. Global temperatures and sea levels are rising, and possibly contributing to larger more devastating storms. This can all be contributed to climate change.
Climate change is defined as gradual changes in all the interconnected weather elements on our planet over approximately 30 years. The data shows the Earth is warming and it's up to us to make the changes necessary for a healthier planet. Use these resources in your classroom to help your students understand and take action on climate change.
The Industrial Revolution was the transition from creating goods by hand to using machines. Its start and end are widely debated by scholars, but the period generally spanned from about to According to some, this turning point in history is responsible for an increase in population, an increase in the standard of living, and the emergence of the capitalist economy.
Teach your students about the Industrial Revolution with these resources. Source: Pixabay. Cement manufacture contributes CO 2 to the atmosphere when calcium carbonate is heated, producing lime and CO 2. Estimates vary, but it is widely accepted that the cement industry produces between five and eight per cent of global anthropogenic CO 2 emissions, of which 50 per cent is produced from the chemical process itself and 40 per cent from burning fuel to power that process.
The amount of CO 2 emitted by the cement industry is more than kg of CO 2 for every kg of cement produced. Aerosols are small particles suspended in the atmosphere that can be produced when we burn fossil fuels. Other anthropogenic sources of aerosols include pollution from cars and factories, chlorofluorocarbons CFCs used in refrigeration systems and CFCs and halons used in fire suppression systems and manufacturing processes.
Aerosols can also be produced naturally from a number of natural processes e. For example, sulphate aerosols from fossil fuel combustion exert a cooling influence by reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth.
Aerosols also have a detrimental impact on human health and affect other parts of the climate system, such as rainfall. Discovering Geology introduces a range of geoscience topics to school-age students and learners of all ages. Climate is the pattern of weather of an area averaged over many years. We can only show whether climate change has occurred after decades of careful measurements and analysis. Temperature rises can affect agriculture, sea levels and the frequency of extreme weather incidents.
We can study past climate change by looking at the evidence in rocks, fossils and changes in the landscape. The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere into the Earth, then released back into the atmosphere. Carbon capture and storage involves capturing carbon dioxide at emission sources, such as power stations, then transporting and storing it underground.
BGS is committed to research aimed at slowing down the effects of a changing climate, whilst helping society to become resilient to climate change. Anthropogenic or human release of carbon dioxide is what is contributing to an additional or enhanced greenhouse effect. Home » Discovering Geology » Climate change » The greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect Discovering Geology — Climate change. Greenhouse gases. Burning fossil fuels Carbon dioxide levels are substantially higher now than at any time in the last years.
Agriculture, forestry and other land use Agriculture, deforestation and other changes in land use account for one quarter of net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Places near lakes may experience more snow in the winter, whereas places on continental plains may be more prone to hail, thunderstorms, and tornados in the summer. Learn more about regional climates with this curated resource collection.
An atmosphere is the layers of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body. These gases are found in layers troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure.
The atmosphere protects life on earth by shielding it from incoming ultraviolet UV radiation, keeping the planet warm through insulation, and preventing extremes between day and night temperatures. The sun heats layers of the atmosphere causing it to convect driving air movement and weather patterns around the world. Teach your students about the Earth's atmosphere with the resources in this collection.
Climate describes the average weather conditions of a particular place over a 30 year period. All places on earth have their own climates. Different from weather events, which are short-term and temporary phenomenon, climates are usually steady and predictable, and shape how organisms and human civilizations evolve and adapt in any given region.
However, climates are not always permanent, and can change drastically due to human activity. Explore the world's climates and how they affect local regions and the planet with this curated collection of resources. Carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas that drives global climate change, continues to rise every month. Find out the dangerous role it and other gases play.
Global warming is often described as the most recent example of climate change. Watch this brief, video picture of practice that captures everyday classroom life and provides real-life examples of how students learn and think about climate change topics.
Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Article Vocabulary. The greenhouse effect is a vital natural phenomenon, intensified by human activity.
Photograph by James P. Fossil fuels formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals. Industrial Revolution. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. Last Updated May 18, Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer.
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Climate Change. View Collection. Regional Climate. View Infographic. Greenhouse Effect. View Article. Greenhouse Gases: Good or Bad?
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