Climate change

• Why is carbon dioxide increasing?

  Human activities like burning fossil fuels e.g. burning coal for electricity
• Where is carbon dioxide absorbed?

  Its absorbed by trees growing e.g. in tropical rainforest, they act as a carbon sink. However rainforest are being destroyed by deforestation. Burning forests releases large amounts of carbon dioxide.
• How is methane released?

  Released in agriculture, for example growing rice in flooded paddy fields. It is also released when cattle such as cows pass wind. These both mean the levels of CO2 and methane in the atmosphere are both increasing, meaning the temperature of the atmosphere is rising as more of the energy from the sun is trapped.
• What are some of the effects is climate change?

  Rising temperatures will increase melting of the polar ice sheets and glaciers, this leads to a rise in sea levels. This means more flooding in low-lying areas.

  It can also lead to more severe weather e.g. more extreme storms in the UK.

  Rising temperatures could change the distribution of animals such as insects and the distribution of insect-borne diseases such as malaria.
• Why is climate change caused?

  Caused by human activity contributing to the release of greenhouse gases. Scientist use peer-review to identify what it is that we do that causes climate change.
• What problem is there with our understanding with climate change?

  Because climate change is complex and difficult to model, we often see stories about climate change which are bias or simplified, we also see speculation based on only parts of evidence.
• What uncertainties are there surrounding climate change?

  We cannot predict with certainty how much the temperature of the atmosphere will increase, this can lead to speculation in the media.