OQASA

Climate Change

 



Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
[The Science Behind Climate Change]
By that metric 2017 is already shaping up not just for a record heat year but also for one in which we could well become vulnerable — by sea level rise – if future warming continues unchecked. The Atlantic’s “heat wave” predicted last winter was much worse than any seen before (see graphic above). Sea levels are rising faster than anticipated; it will take even more damage from extreme events this century including Hurricane Sandy or Hurricanes Irma and Maria (or tropical storms) to slow down global surface temperature rises.

Many people think climate change mainly means warmer temperatures. But temperature rise is only the beginning of the story. Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others. This includes ocean currents, ice cores and glacier melt at Greenland’s Thule Ice Sheet.
Inevitably it comes down to our ability: We’re wired into this world with some systems that are more efficient than others. The key lies not so much in how fast we move as in what kind (or types) those forces act upon us. A combination between increasing greenhouse gases and less natural turbulence could mean faster warming overall but will have slightly smaller effects on human health or society within specific areas – especially if these factors cancel out when considering regional patterns affecting many other parts thereof. So there might be bigger impact for coastal cities like Boston—an

Climate change can affect our health, ability to grow food, housing, safety and work. Some of us are already more vulnerable to climate impacts, such as people living in small island nations and other developing countries. Conditions like sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion have advanced to the point where whole communities have had to relocate, and protracted droughts are putting people at risk of famine. In the future, the number of “climate refugees” is expected to rise.
Cities from Maine through Utah now face rising seas due partly or completely to human activities related both directly (air pollution) AND indirectly by making it harder for landmasses on those islands’ coasts recover under changing weather patterns – most recently an increased intensity El Niño that coincided with Hurricane Sandy’s impact on New Jersey. This research identifies how global warming will exacerbate these effects; we also look at potential solutions so local governments prepare better responses when emergencies come along.

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