Global Warming

Climate ChangeThroughout our planet’s long history, climatic change has been a natural occurrence. Bitterly cold climatic conditions, such as those that occurred during the ice ages, have regularly been followed by periods of warm conditions.

Small changes in the amount of solar radiation our planet recieves can have a large impact on our climate. Variations in Earth’s orbit, events such as meteorite strikes and volcanic activity have been attributed as possible triggers for some of these events in our history.

However, scientists have realised that an alarming trend in rising global temperatures has coincided with increased emissions of greenhouse gases. These have increased over the last 200 years, since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, due to human activity.

Global WarmingSince the beginning of the Industrial Revolution people have been burning more fossil fuels like coal and oil. This releases carbon dioxide into the air which acts like a blanket, preventing heat from the lower atmosphere escaping back into space.

Pollution from industry, mining, power generation and transport have added far more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere than would occur naturally. Scientists believe that this is making the greenhouse e�ect much stronger, resulting in higher temperatures. Even a small rise in temperature can have a great impact on ecosystems.

What changes do you think global warming could bring about on our planet?