Climate Change:THe reality you must know!

Climate, like weather, describes the state of the atmosphere in terms of factors such as temperature, wind and rainfall. But whereas weather describes conditions as measured in hours, days or weeks, the climate is average weather conditions measured over the longer term: months, years or decades.

At least that's the way it's usually described. The truth is actually a tiny bit more complex because climate also encompasses variability – for example,
the frequency of extreme weather events.

The distinction between weather and climate is an important one. For example, weather forecasts can be fairly specific ("it will be rainy tomorrow morning and cold in the afternoon, with temperatures dipping close to freezing") but are little use more than a few days into the future. By contrast, climate predictions focus on expected changes in average conditions, while recognising that individual days, weeks, months or years will always buck the longer-term trend




-->Is the world really getting warmer?

Rising sea levels, retreating snow cover and glaciers, longer growing seasons and shifting wildlife are indications of a warming world.The world will get warmer by 2050, the Earth's coldest waters have been disappearing for decades, the ice sheet collapsed because of warm water and the potential of algae biofuels.

The Earth's going to get warmer in the next 38 years. Not too surprising, really. But, to get exact, science thinks somewhere in the 1.4 to 3 degree Celsius range, according to computer simulations, which base the predictions on climate change patterns over the last 50 years. (Americans, remember: Celsius degrees are bigger than our Fahrenheit ones.) Some skeptics might point to the uncertainty of a project like this. But the researchers explain why their 10,000 simulations should be trusted. "It's only by running such a large number of simulations -- with model versions deliberately chosen to display a range of behaviour -- that you can get a handle on the uncertainty present in a complex system such as our climate," explains researcher Dr Dan Rowlands. And, if our planet passes the two degree threshold, things might get messy. [University of Oxford]



-->Are humans definitely causing global warming?

Just as the world's most respected scientific bodies have confirmed that world is getting hotter, they have also stated that there is strong evidence that humans are driving the warming. The 2005 joint statement from the national academies of Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US said:

"It is likely that most of the warming in recent decades can be attributed to human activities."

Countless more recent statements and reports from the world's leading scientific bodies have said the same thing. For example, a 2010 summary of climate science by the Royal Society stated that:

"There is strong evidence that the warming of the Earth over the last half-century has been caused largely by human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels and changes in land use, including agriculture and deforestation."

The idea that humans could change the planet's climate may be counter-intuitive, but the basic science is well understood. Each year, human activity causes billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere. As scientists have known for decades, these gases capture heat that would otherwise escape to space – the equivalent of wrapping the planet in an invisible blanket.



-->>Personal Solutions to Global Warming

->The car you drive: the most important personal climate decision.
When you buy your next car, look for the one with the best fuel economy in its class. Each gallon of gas you use is responsible for 25 pounds of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. Better gas mileage not only reduces global warming, but will also save you thousands of dollars at the pump over the life of the vehicle. Compare the fuel economy of the cars you're considering and look for new technologies like hybrid engines.

->Choose clean power: More than half the electricity in the United States comes from polluting coal-fired power plants. And power plants are the single largest source of heat-trapping gas. None of us can live without electricity, but in some states, you can switch to electricity companies that provide 50 to 100 percent renewable energy. (For more information go to Green-e.org.)
Look for Energy Star. When it comes time to replace appliances, look for the Energy Star label on new appliances (refrigerators, freezers, furnaces, air conditioners, and water heaters use the most energy). These items may cost a bit more initially, but the energy savings will pay back the extra investment within a couple of years. Household energy savings really can make a difference: If each household in the United States replaced its existing appliances with the most efficient models available, we would save $15 billion in energy costs and eliminate 175 million tons of heat-trapping gases.

->Unplug a freezer.
One of the quickest ways to reduce your global warming impact is to unplug the extra refrigerator or freezer you rarely use (except when you need it for holidays and parties). This can reduce the typical family's carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 10 percent.

->Get a home energy audit:
Take advantage of the free home energy audits offered by many utilities. Simple measures, such as installing a programmable thermostat to replace your old dial unit or sealing and insulating heating and cooling ducts, can each reduce a typical family's carbon dioxide emissions by about 5 percent.
Light bulbs matter.
If every household in the United States replaced one regular light bulb with an energy-saving model, we could reduce global warming pollution by more than 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulbs; the same as taking 6.3 million cars off the road. So, replace your incandescent bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescents, which now come in all shapes and sizes. You'll be doing your share to cut back on heat-trapping pollution and you'll save money on your electric bills and light bulbs.

->Think before you drive:
If you own more than one vehicle, use the less fuel-efficient one only when you can fill it with passengers. Driving a full minivan may be kinder to the environment than two midsize cars. Whenever possible, join a carpool or take mass transit.

->Buy good wood:
When buying wood products, check for labels that indicate the source of the timber. Supporting forests that are managed in a sustainable fashion makes sense for biodiversity, and it may make sense for the climate too. Forests that are well managed are more likely to store carbon effectively because more trees are left standing and carbon-storing soils are less disturbed.

->Plant a tree:
You can also make a difference in your own backyard. Get a group in your neighborhood together and contact your local arborist or urban forester about planting trees on private property and public land. In addition to storing carbon, trees planted in and around urban areas and residences can provide much-needed shade in the summer, reducing energy bills and fossil fuel use.

->Let policymakers know you are concerned about global warming:
Our elected officials and business leaders need to hear from concerned citizens. Sign up for the Union of Concerned Scientists Action Network to ensure that policymakers get the timely, accurate information they need to make informed decisions about global warming solutions.

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