Climate change science the status of climate change science today february 2011 page 1 of 7 the world meteorological organisation wmo describes the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere during the 20th century as resulting from the growing use of energy and. Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperature, precipitation, wind patterns and other measures of climate that occur over several decades or longer. Climate change is a term that refers to major changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, or wind patterns lasting for decades or longer. Introducing the issue 11 the science of climate change 31 temperature extremes, health, and human capital 51 climate change, conflict, and children 73 impacts of natural disasters on children 93 pollution and climate change 115 implications of climate change. Science and climate climate change from science to solutions. Global warming and humaninduced climate change are perhaps the most important scientific issues of our time. Climate change is geared toward a variety of students and general readers who seek the real science behind global warming. This class describes the science of global warming and the forecast for humans impact on earths climate. Beginning with the discovery of the greenhouse effect more than fifty years ago, scientists are helping to explain how humans contribute to climate change. Children and climate change the future of children. We recognize the ipcc as the worlds most reliable source of information on climate change and its causes, and we endorse its method of achieving this consensus. A history of the science and politics of climate change. Uncertainty is factored into climate change scenarios, models, and data, and reflects the complex reality of environmental change and the evolving relationship between humans and the planet. It is important to note that uncertainty is an integral component in the study of climate change.
This module will introduce learners to the key and basic concepts of the science of climate change. Causes of climate change united states environmental. Historical overview of climate change science ipcc. Climate change science seeks to understand the physical, chemical, biological and geological processes, and the interactions among these processes, that produce climate. Latest information on climate change this publication from the australian academy of science aims to address confusion created by contradictory information in the public domain. Discover an az glossary of concise scientific explanations to help readers better understand climate change from science. The role of the intergovernmental panel on climate change bolin, bert on. Exquisitely illustrated, the text introduces the basic science underlying both the natural progress of climate change. Significant changes are occurring on earth, including increasing air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising sea levels. Climate change from science to solutions research is happening everywhere in the air, at sea, and on land to help the world address the effects of climate change. T he work of the intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc represents the consensus of the international scientific community on climate change science. Global warming is the ongoing rise of the average temperature of the earths climate system and has been demonstrated by direct temperature measurements and by measurements of various effects of the warming.
Pdf global warming and climate change, causes, impacts. The role of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. It sets out to explain the current situation in climate science, including where there is consensus in the scientific community and where uncertainties exist. Learn resource guide for advanced learning on the scientific fundamentals of climate change 4 1.
Climate change hardly registers on the agenda, which centres on issues such as chemical pollution, atomic bomb testing and whaling. This chapter starts by describing the fundamental nature of earth science. A clear understanding of the basics of the science of climate change lays a foundation on the terms, definitions, and concepts used and their application in forestry science. You need to be literate enough about the nature of the debate and the underly ing science to have your views counted in the. Unfccc defined climate change as a change of climate that is attributed directly or. Briefing notes on climate science and climate change what do we mean by climate and climate change. Climate change scenario a climate change scenario is the difference between a future climate scenario and the current climate. Climate change draws attention to the relationship between science and society, challenges global governance institutions, and triggers new.
We recognize the ipcc as the worlds most reliable source of information on climate change. Climate, in turn, responds directly to such changes, as well as indirectly, through a variety of feedback mechanisms. Learn the foundations of climate science and human health global climate change and human health examines the environmental crisis from a public health and clinical health perspective, giving students and clinicians the information they need to prepare for the future of health care. It is a simplified representation of future climate based on comprehensive scientific analyses of the potential consequences of anthropogenic climate change. Furthermore, the detection of climate change in observations, beyond the expected internal climate variability, is not the same as the attribution of that change the royal society climate change. Research during that period has settled a fundamental climate. References national research council, 2010a, advancing the science of climate change national research council, 2010b, limiting the magnitude of climate change national research council, 2010c, adapting to the impacts of climate change national research council, 2011d, informing an effective response to climate change.
Advancing the science of climate change the national. Climate change is altering temperature, precipitation, and sea levels, and will adversely impact humans and natural systems, including water resources, human health, human settlements, ecosystems, and biodiversity. There are three fundamental ways to change the radiation balance of the earth. There are two graphs from the intergovernmental panel on climate change s ipcc fifth assessment report ar5 that show observed indicators of a changing climate. It echoes and builds upon the long history of climate related work from both national science academies, as well as the newest climate change assessment from the united nations intergovernmental panel on climate change. First, it lays out the evidence that human activities, especially the burning of. Edited by george luber, associate director for climate change. The science of climate change latest information on climate change this publication from the australian academy of science aims to address confusion created by contradictory information in the.
The restoration of forested land at a global scale could help capture atmospheric carbon and mitigate climate change. The science of climate change australian academy of science. Climate change science the status of climate change science today february 2011 page 1 of 7 the world meteorological. Global warming and climate change, causes, impacts and mitigation. Climate is the average of weather over time and across large regions, even the entire. What we should do about the threats, given the uncertainties, is very much a. Climate change attribution science which examines the causal links between human activities, global climate change, and the impacts of climate change. In the words of the intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc in its fourth. Evidence and causes is a jointly produced publication of the us national academy of sciences and the royal society.
Students will be able to o distinguish the difference between weather and climate o define climate change o model greenhouse gases o identify climate change effects on weather and climate patterns. Physicians may be hesitant to talk about climate change because they arent. Climate change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. Climate change science seeks to understand the physical, chemical, biological and geological processes, and the. This resource is a workshop with information and practical exercises that will give you knowledge of the science of climate change communication, and the confidence to apply this knowledge in practice.
In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of lawsuits seeking to hold governments and private actors accountable for failure to take action on climate change. Earths climate over the next few centuries requires a broad perspective, so climate change is usually discussed. These issues continue to be debated in the scientific community and in the media without true consensus about the role of greenhouse gas emissions as a contributing factor. The science and modeling of climate change from the university of chicago. There is a scientific consensus that the world is becoming a warmer place principally attributable to human activities. The academy recognises the role of the intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc as the mechanism for the international scientific assessment of climate change science. United nations framework convention on climate change. This extensive report entitled climate change 1995. It then describes the history of climate change science using a wideranging subset of examples, and ends with a history of the ipcc. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of. The science of climate change is the most comprehensive and uptodate assessment available for scientific understanding of human influences on the past present and future climate.
Climate change terms and definitions science and climate. Ulrich cubasch germany, yihui ding china, cecilie mauritzen norway, abdalah mokssit morocco, thomas peterson usa, michael prather. A guide to the science of climate change communication. United nations framework convention on climate change fact sheet. Both humanmade and natural factors contribute to climate change. The work of the intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc represents the consensus of the international scientific community on climate change science. The intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc studies and reports on the science. The unprecedented acceleration of climate change over the last 50 years and the increasing confidence in global climate. Climate change, periodic modification of earth s climate brought about as a result of changes in the atmosphere as well as interactions between the atmosphere and various other geologic, chemical.
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