24.+Global+Climate+Change

=Global Climate Change=

=Synopsis= Our wiki is about global climate change. We will discuss the past, present, and future of the global climate. We will answer how human activity has affected the climate and what the causes and effects of climate change are.

=Driving Questions:= The climates of many areas have changed drastically over time in various ways. These changes include higher or lower rainfall and temperatures, and changes in wind patterns plant life, and bodies of water. The 10 places most affected by global climate already are Darfur, which had a warm and tropical climate and became dry and arid after a devastating drought, the Gulf Coast is now hit with stronger and more frequent hurricanes, Italy which has had outbreaks of the Malaria Mosquito and the dengue fever, Northern Europe which had changes in the growing season which affected the temperature in the wine regions, the Great Barrier which had a series of chemical imbalances, Kiribati which lost habitability because of the rise in sea level due to Global Climate Change, Washington D.C. was changed by the rising carbon dioxide levels due to the large population, the Northwest Passage which has had drastic ice melting, the Alps also had less snow due to the warmer temperatures, and finally Uganda which had more problems resulting from their methods of becoming more eco-friendly. In conclusion, these places are all good representations of the phenomena that is Global Climatem Change.
 * How has the climate changed since the past?**

The global climate of has altered by humans severely. So severe that if we don’t stop burning fossil fuels and doing industrial processes that the we could enter a world of death. When coal, oils, and natural gases are burned they release carbon dioxide(CO2). The burning of these fuels have added up to about 80%-85% of all the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Another big thing that has been leading to all the carbon in the atmosphere is the clearing of trees. The reason that it is such a big deal that trees have cleared is because trees absorb carbon dioxide, and with the over-usage of CO2in the atmosphere too much carbon could lead up to global warming. You may ask what is global warming? Global warming happens when too much gases have been destroyed in the ozone due to an overdose of CO2. That can be very deadly. If this was ever to happen the temperature on earth would rise severely. If they rise that badly than the heat would be unbearable. Barely any life would be left. The polar ice caps would melt. That would cause a huge rise in the levels of the ocean. Then massive flooding would occur killing most of what is left on earth. The only living creatures left would by my opinion probably be sea life. Which means humans would b extinct. If we could stop the major usage of the carbon products such as burning fossil fuels the world would heal in a matter of years, but it is so bad right now that it will take hundreds of years for it to completely heal.
 * How has human activity affected the climate?**

The climate today has defiantly changed drastically over the years. Instead of the seasons we are used to we now have unpredictable weather happenings. I think that it will just get worse over the years to come. Global Climate Change doesn't just effect one area but all of the world. We aren't the only ones experiencing all these strange weather happenings but everyone is. Even though it's not all in the same way. For example in Antarctica the ice caps are all melting away when they are supposed to still be frozen.
 * How is the climate today and how will it be in the future?**

There are two causes global climate change. The causes are a change in the sun's energy and human activities such as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space. Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. Carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Since the Industrial Revolution began, humans have increased the Carbon Dioxide concentration by a third. This is the most important force of climate change. The sun's energy has mostly played a role in past climate change. The Little Ice Age was thought to be triggered by a decrease in solar activity between 1650 and 1850 when Greenland was cut off by ice from 1410 to the 1720s and glaciers advanced in the Alps. Evidence shows that current global warming cannot be explained by changes in energy from the sun. The average amount of energy coming from the sun has remained constant from 1750. Scientists would expect to see warmer temperatures if the climate change were caused by the sun. Instead, the scientists have observed a cooling in the upper atmosphere and a warming at the surface and the lower parts of the atmosphere. There are many effects of global climate change. Earth will become warmer on average. Not all places will welcome the warmer temperatures. Warmer conditions will lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall. Sea levels will increase because the greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers. Ocean water will also expand if it warms and further contribute to sea level rise. Other effects of global climate change are that some crops and plants might grow better due to the increase in carbon dioxide. At the same time, the higher temperatures and changing climate patterns may change where crops grow best. In the end, there are many causes and effects of global climate change.
 * What is the cause of global climate change and the effect it has on the world?**

=Global Economy= Our time period deals with the past, present, and future. During the present time period the economy is not doing well. Many people have lost jobs and are facing unemployment. A lot of people are being laid off because there isn't enough money in their companies budget to provide employees money to work. Many places budgets were cut. There are many homes that are facing foreclosure and many people are now out of homes. With the economy being bad we are facing a second recession. = = = = = = = = = = =History= Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a specific time in a specific place, such as temperature, cloudiness, humidity, precipitation, and winds. Climate on the other hand, is the average pattern of weather over a long-period of time. Global climate change indicates a change in average weather conditions on Earth, such as a change in average global temperature and changes in how frequently regions experience heat waves, droughts, floods, storms, and other extreme weather. Changes in individual climate can potentially effect the global climate change. Climate change can occur naturally as a result of a change in the sun's energy or it can change because of human activities, such as greenhouse gases. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons are some greenhouse gases. Darfur is one of the many places affected by climate change. The land was crippled by a decades-long drought. When scientists studied the drought, they discovered that rising temperatures in the tropical and southern oceans had combined with cooling in the North Atlantic Ocean to disrupt the African monsoons. In Italy, an usually mild winter allowed mosquitoes to start breeding early, and their population soared. The epidemic from mosquitoes was the first European outbreak of a tropical disease caused by climate change. Climate change has increased the speed of fever and other tropical diseases. When the water is warm, the insects mature faster which leads to more people getting sick. Due to the climate change in Italy, people are getting more affected by the mosquitoes because they start breeding early causing more of them to be born. More mosquitoes are carrying more diseases because of the climate change.

=Our Maps: [] []= =By: Candace K, Stephanie B, Karissa D, and Jonathan G.=