Climate change

• Greenhouse effect


  A natural process where gases trap heat in the atmosphere
• Greenhouse gases


  • Carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • Methane (CH4)
  • Nitrous oxide (N2O)
  • Water (H2O)
• Enhanced greenhouse effect


  Excessive amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap too much heat and lead to global warming
• Carbon cycle


  The collection of pathways through which carbon is stored/recycled in the environment
• Carbon sources


  • Respiration (carbon dioxide is a waste product)
  • Decomposition (when a plant/animal die, the carbon is released back into the atmosphere)
  • Combustion (Burning of Fossil Fuels is the largest unnatural carbon source)
• Carbon sinks


  Processes that take carbon out of the atmosphere/store it
• Carbon sinks


  • Nutrition (Animals absorb carbon by eating plants)
  • Photosynthesis (The carbon is absorbed and stored by plants)
  • Fossil fuels (are carbon sinks that are millions of years old)
• Global warming


  Refers to the long-term warming of the planet
• Climate change


  Any long-term change to the Earth's climate (e.g. snow, rain, storms, droughts)
• Effects of climate change

  • Glaciers/ice sheets melting (Habitats, ecosystems, animals affected, more carbon in atmosphere, rise in temperature)
  • Sea levels rising (Affect coastal communities through coastal erosion and loss, Flooding)
  • Ocean acidification (Warmer waters bleach coral reefs, creates stronger storms, threatens crustaceans in marine food chain due to acidity)
  • Extreme weather (Affects human health, safety, agriculture)
• Carbon footprint


  The amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere by a person
• Sustainability


  Meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs