Climate change in 60 seconds | The Royal Society
Summary
TLDRThe Earth's surface absorbs sunlight and re-emits it as heat, some of which is trapped by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor. Human activities, particularly burning fossil fuels, have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by 40% since 1900, causing a 0.8°C rise in global temperature. This has led to ocean warming, sea level rise, shrinking snow and ice cover, and Arctic sea ice decline. If emissions continue unchecked, global temperatures could increase by 2.6°C to 4.8°C by the century's end, with significant consequences for both humanity and the environment.
Takeaways
- 🌞 The sun's rays reach Earth's surface, with some absorbed and re-emitted as heat.
- 🌍 Greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb and re-radiate some of this heat.
- 📈 An increase in greenhouse gases leads to more heat being trapped, warming the Earth.
- 🔥 Human activities, particularly burning fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by 40% since 1900.
- 🌡️ Global average surface temperature has risen by 0.8°C over this period.
- 🌊 Oceans have warmed, contributing to additional climate changes in recent decades.
- 🌊 Sea levels have risen due to climate change.
- ❄️ Snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere has decreased, with a decline in Arctic sea ice.
- ⚠️ Unchecked emissions could lead to a temperature rise of 2.6°C to 4.8°C by the end of this century.
- 🚨 Even at the lower end of this temperature increase, there would be serious consequences for human societies and the natural world.
Q & A
What happens to the sun's rays when they reach the Earth's surface?
-Some of the sun's rays are absorbed by the Earth's surface and re-emitted as heat.
What role do greenhouse gases play in trapping heat?
-Greenhouse gases, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, absorb and re-radiate some of the heat, preventing it from escaping into space.
How have human activities affected the concentration of greenhouse gases?
-Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations by 40% since 1900.
How much has the global average surface temperature increased since 1900?
-The global average surface temperature has increased by 0.8℃ since 1900.
What other climate changes have occurred in recent decades?
-Recent decades have seen ocean warming, rising sea levels, decreasing snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere, and a decline in Arctic sea ice.
What are the projected consequences if greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked?
-If emissions continue unchecked, global warming of 2.6℃ to 4.8℃ is expected by the end of this century.
What impact would even a low-end increase in temperature have?
-Even a low-end temperature increase of 2.6℃ would have serious implications for both human societies and the natural world.
How does the increase in carbon dioxide affect sea levels?
-The increase in carbon dioxide contributes to the warming of the oceans, which causes sea levels to rise due to thermal expansion and melting ice.
What is happening to snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere?
-Snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere is decreasing, which contributes to further warming as reflective ice surfaces are replaced by darker, heat-absorbing surfaces.
Where can additional information about climate change be found?
-More information about climate change can be found at royalsociety.org/climatechange or nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices.
Outlines
🌞 The Sun’s Energy and Greenhouse Gases
This paragraph explains how the sun’s rays, upon reaching the Earth, are absorbed and re-emitted as heat. Greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide play a significant role by absorbing and re-radiating some of this heat back into the atmosphere. The increased concentration of these gases causes more heat to be trapped, leading to a warming Earth.
🔥 Human Impact on Carbon Dioxide Levels
This section highlights how human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have drastically increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations by 40%, with most of this rise occurring since 1900. The burning of fossil fuels is identified as the primary driver of this increase.
🌡️ Rising Global Temperatures
This paragraph discusses the global average surface temperature increase of 0.8℃ since the rise in carbon dioxide levels began. It suggests that the rising temperatures are a direct consequence of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, pointing to the broader issue of climate change.
🌊 The Effects on Oceans and Ice
This segment identifies several impacts of climate change: the warming of the oceans, rising sea levels, diminishing snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere, and the significant decline of sea ice in the Arctic. These effects highlight the extent of climate change in recent decades.
🚨 The Consequences of Unchecked Emissions
Here, the paragraph warns that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current rate, the Earth’s temperature could rise by an additional 2.6℃ to 4.8℃ by the century's end. Even at the lower end of this projection, the consequences would be severe for both human societies and the natural world.
📚 Where to Learn More About Climate Change
The final paragraph encourages readers to seek more information on climate change from reputable sources, including the Royal Society and the National Academies of Sciences. It provides links to these resources for a deeper understanding of the issue.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Greenhouse gases
💡Carbon dioxide
💡Fossil fuels
💡Global warming
💡Sea level rise
💡Ocean warming
💡Snow and ice cover
💡Arctic sea ice decline
💡Emissions
💡Climate change
Highlights
The sun's rays reach Earth's surface, where some are absorbed and re-emitted as heat.
Greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb and re-radiate some of this heat.
Increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap more heat, causing global warming.
Human activities, especially fossil fuel burning, have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by 40% since 1900.
Global average surface temperature has risen by 0.8°C since the start of the 20th century.
Warming of the oceans is a clear indication of recent climate changes.
Sea levels have risen due to climate change, contributing to coastal erosion and flooding.
Snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere has been decreasing in recent decades.
Arctic sea ice has also declined, a significant indicator of climate change.
If greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, further warming of 2.6°C to 4.8°C is expected by the end of this century.
Even the lower estimate of warming would have serious implications for human societies and natural ecosystems.
Higher levels of warming would lead to more drastic impacts on global climate systems.
The effects of climate change are already observable in extreme weather patterns and natural disasters.
Governments and societies need to address greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.
For more information, visit royalsociety.org/climatechange or nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices.
Transcripts
As the sun's rays reach the Earth's surface, some are absorbed and re-emitted as heat.
Greenhouse gases such as water vapour and carbon dioxide absorb and re-radiate some
of this heat.
Increased amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere mean more heat is trapped, warming
the Earth.
Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have increased concentrations
of atmospheric carbon dioxide by 40%, mainly since 1900.
Global average surface temperature has increased by 0.8℃ over that time.
Other changes to the climate in recent decades can be seen in the warming of the oceans.
A rise in sea level.
Decreasing snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere.
And a decline in sea ice in the Arctic.
If emissions continue unchecked then further warming of 2.6℃ to 4.8℃ would be expected
by the end of this century.
Even at the low end, this would have serious implications for human societies and the natural
world.
For more information about climate change from leading science academies, please visit
royalsociety.org/climatechange or nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices
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