Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye | National Geographic

Summary

Climate change, a critical and real issue, is characterized by a rapid increase in Earth's temperature, which has risen 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century. Human activities, particularly since the Industrial Revolution, have significantly contributed to this through increased greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. These gases trap heat, leading to devastating effects such as ocean warming, acidification, and rising sea levels, which threaten marine life and coastal regions. Extreme weather events are also on the rise. Despite the severity, individuals can contribute to the solution by recycling, using public transport, reducing meat consumption, and spreading awareness.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Climate change is a significant and real issue, not just a buzzword.
• 🌡️ The Earth's temperature has risen 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century, which is an abrupt increase.
• ☀️ 97% of climate scientists agree that human activities, not natural variations, are likely causing this change.
• 🚗 Since the Industrial Revolution, advancements in technology and increased consumption of natural resources have led to the release of more greenhouse gases.
• 🌳 Greenhouse gases, both naturally occurring and those from burning fossil fuels, trap heat and contribute to global warming.
• 🌊 Climate change has increased ocean temperatures, leading to devastating consequences such as ocean acidification.
• 🐚 Ocean acidification puts calcifying species like oysters, clams, and corals at risk, threatening the entire ocean food web.
• 📈 Sea levels have risen 6.7 inches in the last century, with the rate nearly doubling in the last decade due to warmer oceans and melting ice.
• 🏞️ Melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels, causing coastal flooding and impacting human settlements.
• ⛈ Increased extreme weather events like floods, tornadoes, and heat waves are a direct consequence of climate change.
• 🌱 Personal actions such as recycling, using public transportation, reducing meat consumption, and eating locally grown food can help mitigate climate change.
• 📢 Spreading awareness and knowledge about climate change is crucial for collective action towards a solution.

Q & A

What is the main difference between historical climate changes and the current climate change?

Historically, climate changes were caused by small variations in the Earth's orbit, while the current climate change is characterized by an abrupt increase in Earth's temperature due to human activities.

How much has the Earth's temperature increased in the last century?

The Earth's temperature has increased by approximately 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century.

What percentage of climate scientists agree that recent climate change is likely caused by human activities?

97% of climate scientists agree that recent climate change is very likely caused by human activities.

What human activities have contributed to the increase in greenhouse gases?

Modern human activities such as burning fossil fuels have increased the release of non-naturally occurring greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

What role do greenhouse gases play in climate change?

Greenhouse gases trap heat radiated from the Sun, and the more heat they trap, the warmer our planet gets, leading to climate change.

What has been the impact of climate change on the oceans?

Climate change has increased the global temperature of the oceans, caused ocean acidification, and led to a rise in sea levels, all of which have devastating consequences for marine life and coastal communities.

What is ocean acidification, and how has it affected marine life?

Ocean acidification is a direct effect of increased dissolved CO2, leading to a 30% increase in surface acidification since the late 18th century. This higher acid content puts calcifying species like oysters, clams, and corals at risk, impacting the entire ocean food web.

By how much have sea levels risen in the last century, and what are the recent trends?

Sea levels have risen by 6.7 inches in the last century, with the rate of rise nearly doubling in the last decade.

What are some of the extreme weather events linked to climate change?

Increased extreme weather events linked to climate change include natural disasters like floods, tornadoes, and deadly heat waves.

What are some personal actions individuals can take to help combat climate change?

Individuals can help combat climate change by recycling and reusing items, using public transportation or walking, turning off electronics when not in use, eating less meat, consuming locally grown vegetables and foods, and spreading knowledge about climate change.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Climate Change: A Real and Urgent Issue

This paragraph introduces climate change as a significant and genuine concern, contrary to being just a buzzword. It explains that while the Earth's climate has always experienced slight changes due to variations in its orbit, the current issue is characterized by a rapid increase in temperature. The script highlights that the Earth has warmed by 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century alone, with the warmest years on record being in the last 13. It emphasizes that 97% of climate scientists concur that human activities, not natural variations, are the main drivers behind this trend, particularly since the Industrial Revolution. The paragraph also points out the increased consumption of natural resources and the release of greenhouse gases as a result of human advancements.

🌡️ The Impact of Climate Change on Our Planet

This section delves into the effects of climate change, particularly on our oceans. It discusses how the global temperature of oceans has risen by more than 0.3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969, leading to ocean acidification, which is detrimental to marine life, especially calcifying species. The paragraph also addresses the rising sea levels, which have increased by 6.7 inches in the last century, with the rate nearly doubling in the last decade. This rise is attributed to the warming and swelling of oceans and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which contribute to flooding in coastal regions. The paragraph concludes by mentioning the increased frequency of extreme weather events and natural disasters, which have a direct impact on human lives and are more readily apparent due to media coverage.

🌱 Personal Actions to Combat Climate Change

The final paragraph of the script focuses on the potential solutions and actions individuals can take to mitigate climate change. It suggests practical steps such as recycling and reusing items, opting for walking or public transportation, turning off electronics when not in use, reducing meat consumption, and eating more locally grown produce. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of spreading awareness and educating others about the issue. It concludes with a hopeful message that while humans have contributed to the problem, they also have the power to be part of the solution.

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to significant alterations in the Earth's climate, particularly an increase in the average global temperature. In the video, it is the central theme, highlighting that the current climate change is characterized by an abrupt increase in temperature, which is believed to be caused by human activities rather than natural variations in Earth's orbit. The video emphasizes that climate change is real and has serious consequences.

💡Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to the greenhouse effect. The video explains that modern human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have increased the release of these gases, exacerbating global warming. The script mentions that the composition of greenhouse gases traps heat from the Sun, leading to a warmer planet.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution marks a period of significant technological and economic change that began in the late 18th century. The video uses this term to illustrate the beginning of the large-scale human impact on the environment, particularly the increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to the rise in industrial activities and the use of fossil fuels.

💡Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is a decrease in the pH of ocean waters caused by increased dissolved CO2. The video explains that since the late 18th century, ocean surface acidification has increased by 30%, which is a direct consequence of climate change. This has severe implications for marine life, particularly calcifying species like oysters, clams, and corals, which are at risk due to the higher acid content.

💡Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise refers to the increase in the volume of water in the Earth's oceans, leading to a rise in sea levels. The video script indicates that sea levels have risen by 6.7 inches in the last century, with the rate nearly doubling in the last decade. This rise is attributed to the warming of the oceans causing them to swell and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which contribute to flooding in coastal regions.

💡Extreme Weather Events

Extreme weather events are severe meteorological occurrences that can cause significant damage and pose a threat to human life and property. The video script mentions that climate change has led to an increase in such events, including floods, tornadoes, and deadly heat waves. These events are more noticeable to humans due to their immediate impact and media coverage.

💡Natural Resources

Natural resources are materials and energy sources found in nature that are valuable to humans and the rest of the biosphere. The video script discusses how human advancement since the Industrial Revolution has led to an increased consumption of these resources, which in turn has resulted in the release of more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

💡Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, that are formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals. The video script points out that the burning of fossil fuels has been a significant contributor to the increase in greenhouse gases, as part of modern human activities and the demand for energy.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability, while not explicitly mentioned in the script, is an underlying concept related to the video's message. It refers to the ability to maintain human and natural systems by using resources in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video suggests personal actions like recycling, reusing, and eating locally grown food as part of a sustainable lifestyle.

💡Personal Action

Personal action refers to the individual steps people can take to mitigate the effects of climate change. The video script encourages viewers to adopt sustainable practices such as recycling, using public transportation, conserving energy, reducing meat consumption, and eating locally grown vegetables. These actions, although small, contribute to the larger effort to combat climate change.

Highlights

Climate change is a real and serious issue, not just a buzzword.

Earth's climate has historically changed due to small variations in its orbit.

Modern climate change is characterized by an abrupt increase in Earth's temperature.

The Earth has warmed 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century.

10 out of the last 13 years were the warmest on record.

97% of climate scientists agree that human activities are likely causing the current climate change.

The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of increased human impact on the climate.

Human activities have led to increased consumption of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse gases trap heat from the Sun, leading to a warmer planet.

Oceans are major victims of climate change, with increased global temperatures and acidification.

Ocean acidification since the late 18th century has increased by 30%, threatening marine life.

Sea levels have risen 6.7 inches in the last century, with an accelerated rate in the last decade.

Melting glaciers and ice sheets contribute to rising sea levels and coastal flooding.

Climate change is linked to increased extreme weather events and natural disasters.

Individual actions can help mitigate climate change, such as recycling, using public transport, and eating less meat.

Spreading knowledge and concerns about climate change is crucial for collective action.

While humans are part of the cause of climate change, they can also be part of the solution.

Transcripts

we hear it so much that it feels like a

buzzword but it is far from it climate

change is a real and serious issue but

isn't the climate always changing

what exactly is climate change why

should we care

well the Earth's climate has changed

throughout history most of these slight

changes are caused by small variations

in the Earth's orbit but climate change

as we know it today is characterized by

an abrupt increase in the earth's

temperature it is estimated to have

gotten 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit

warmer in just the last century 10 out

of the last 13 years were the warmest on

record 97% of climate scientists agree

that this new tendency is not caused by

the variations of the Earth's orbit but

rather very likely caused by human

activities that means you mean and since

the Industrial Revolution we have come a

long way humans built airplanes faster

cars developed remarkable technology and

learned how the natural resources around

us can be used for our benefit although

this has led to many wonderful

inventions and advancements like the

device you're using to watch this video

or the ability to take a plane halfway

around the world

it also means we've increased our

consumption of natural resources and in

turn released a lot of greenhouse gases

into the atmosphere

now greenhouse gases occurred naturally

but in excess can be dangerous to our

planet modern human activities have

increased the release of non naturally

occurring greenhouse gases because we

have stepped up our demand for burning

fossil fuels the composition of

greenhouse gases traps heat radiated

from the Sun the more heat they trap the

warm our planet gets and as our planet

gets warmer we begin to feel the effects

what if climate changes biggest victims

our oceans oceans regularly through

earth's temperature and provide 50

percent of the Earth's oxygen a climate

change has increased the global

temperature of the oceans by more than

0.3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969

although a warmer ocean might seem

inviting to a beach goer it actually has

devastating consequences for supporting

life at sea one of those consequences is

ocean acidification a direct effect of

increased dissolved co2 since the late

18th century ocean surface acidification

is increased by 30% a higher acid

content means calcifying species

like oysters and clams and shell water

corals are at risk putting the entire

ocean food web at risk this is bad news

for the one building people relying on

the ocean as its primary source of

protein climate changes also caused the

sea level to rise just in the last

century sea levels have risen six point

seven inches but the rate in the last

decade is nearly doubled sea levels have

risen because as the ocean gets warmer

it swells on top of that glaciers and

ice sheets are melting an article 36

cubic miles of ice between 2002 and 2005

and since 1994 each year on average the

earth has lost 400 billion tons from its

glaciers that's like an ice cube seven

and a half kilometres on a site for

miles on a side melting and flowing into

the sea when all that ice melts it fills

up our oceans and just like filling up a

bathtub the shores can't hold all that

water and coastal regions get flooded

troubling signs of climate change are

increased extreme weather events natural

disasters like floods tornadoes and

deadly heat waves are more obvious to

humans because of their immediate impact

and their sharing of the images in the

media climate change as we know it today

is change in our Earth's overall

temperature with massive and permanent

ramifications although its consequences

can be planet threatening scientists

still believe there are things we can do

on a personal level to help recycle and

reuse things walk or use public

transportation to get to work turn off

your electronics when you're not using

them eat less meat while you're at it

eat more locally grown vegetables and

foods and last but not least spread your

knowledge and concerns about climate

change with others when it comes to

climate change the main takeaway is that

it's real and although we are part of

the cause we can also be part of the

solution