21.3: Review

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Melissa Ha and Rachel Schleiger
Yuba College & Butte College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

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Summary

After completing this chapter you should be able to...

Define global climate change.
Summarize the effects of the Industrial Revolution on global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration.
Describe three natural factors affecting long-term global climate.
List two or more greenhouse gases and describe their role in the greenhouse effect.

The historical record shows that the climate system varies naturally over a wide range of time scales. In general, climate changes prior to the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s can be explained by natural causes, such as changes in solar energy, volcanic eruptions, and natural changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. Recent climate changes, however, cannot be explained by natural causes alone. Natural causes are very unlikely to explain most observed warming, especially warming since the mid-20th century. Rather, human activities can explain most of that warming.

The primary human activity affecting the amount and rate of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere will continue to increase unless the billions of tons of our annual emissions decrease substantially. Increased concentrations are expected to increase Earth’s average temperature, influence the patterns and amounts of precipitation, reduce ice and snow cover, as well as permafrost, raise sea level and increase the acidity of the oceans. These changes will impact our food supply, water resources, infrastructure, ecosystems, and even our own health.

Attribution

Modified by Melissa Ha from Air Pollution, Climate Change, & Ozone Depletion from Environmental Biology by Matthew R. Fisher (licensed under CC-BY)