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Understanding Climate Change
Contents

1. Introduction to Climate Change 2. Cause of Climate Change 3. Proof of Climate Change 4. Solutions to Climate Change 5. Overview

1. Governments and scientists alike have agreed that climate change is real and serious. It is a major environmental issue that affects many aspects of today’s society and will affect everyone in the future. Climate change is not a new matter although numerous plans have been implemented recently to accommodate this important issue, particularly in Australia. The continuation of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere naturally and unnaturally, contributes to the global warming of the planet which causes severe problems which society will have to deal with in generations to come. Not only will we as a society have to look into using cleaner forms of energy, but also sustainable energy that can accommodate the worlds requirements as we expand globally.



2. There is overwhelming evidence that our climate is changing due to human activities and through natural processes which is unequivocal. One of the main factors that contribute to our climate change in recent years is the increase of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere, trapping the ultraviolet rays produced by the sun in the earth’s atmosphere and slowly heating the planet. These greenhouse gases are composed of a variety of gases that can absorb and emit infrared radiation such as: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide and are released mainly through the burning and consumption of fossil fuels. These fossil fuels are what drive the majority of the electrical and motorised power that we use today, from lighting to vehicles to massive industrial power stations and are the main sources of the world’s power. Although, this damaging power comes at a cost, where the environment we live in suffers whilst society continues to use more and more, disregarding the potential threats and problems that are sure to follow with this costly system of living.

3. Climate change is the variation in the average pattern of weather over a long period of time. It is generally referred to as ‘global warming’ as all of the earth’s entities are gradually heated by the trapped ultraviolet rays in the atmosphere. This alteration in the weather causes countless problems for the earth’s environment and all living things. The evidence is clear, the increase of global average air, ocean and land temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and the rising of sea levels globally. This causes many detrimental effects for the environments ecosystems and for the animals living in them, for example, the melting of the polar ice caps that are home to polar bears makes it extremely difficult for them to live and thrive as much of their home has been dissolved. Everyone and everything is affected by climate change even on a local level, in Darwin, Australia the rainfall in certain areas has caused major flooding in some low-lying parts, this occurs at high tide when the creeks overflow, although only recently has the flooding occurred due to the rising sea levels. The flooding ruined many houses in the area, blocking roads and caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damages and this is only the beginning. If the greenhouse gases continue to be released into the atmosphere to instigate these chains of events, the disasters in the future will be a lot worse and potentially life-threatening.

4. Climate change can be minimised and it is possible to contribute positively to the reduction of greenhouse gases and therefore global warming. Much of the damage afflicted to our planet over the years is irreversible, although there are countless methods and solutions to help save our earth from early catastrophe. Organizations like ‘Greenpeace’ have numerous ways to protect the environment and work towards sustainable lifestyles that aren’t harmful to the environment. Some methods that can be incorporated on a large scale is the use of energy-efficient light bulbs which save power by using less current, this has proven to be successful as it reduces the amount of power needed to produce light and therefore less fossil fuels are consumed and less greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. Renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power and tidal power are also ways to help reduce the emissions produced by using them as alternative energy sources. Other methods that the Australian government have implemented to reduce greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere by large industries is the clean energy bill. The Australian government proposed the clean energy bill in a bid to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and limit global warming by forcing businesses to pay $23 per tonne of CO2 emissions which will pressure large businesses into finding alternative fuel sources that are renewable. Through innovation and creativity, society can find various forms of alternative energy that does not harm our environment and restore it so that the inhabitants of the ecosystems can thrive.

5. Global warming also referred to as climate change in the modern society has a large impact on all living things on the planet. The effects of these changes in weather can cause major disruptions in ecosystems potentially destroying habitats of animals and their environment that is irreplaceable. Many solutions are available to help reduce the ever increasing global warming and work towards a cleaner, greener society.