Climate Change

What is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to the changes in average weather across the Earth over a long period. Climate includes temperature, wind and rain and snow fall.

Temperature records provide the best measure of climate change. Figures show that the average global temperature has increased by 0.74°C over the last hundred years. The rise in the Earth’s temperature is commonly referred to as ‘global warming’.

The causes

The increase in the Earth’s temperature is caused by what is termed the ‘greenhouse effect’. This allows the Sun’s rays to enter the Earth’s atmosphere but stops their heat from escaping back into space. The natural greenhouse effect is necessary to keep the Earth at an habitable temperature.

The greenhouse effect is caused by ‘greenhouse gases’. The main ones are carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour.

The industrial revolution has seen the increased burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. This produces emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, meaning higher concentrations than that which would occur naturally. The result is that more of the Sun’s heat is trapped which means further global warming.

Why does it matter?

Climate change is one of the most serious environmental threats facing the world. It will directly impact on humans and plant and animal species. Some likely impacts are as follows:

• Rising sea levels caused by higher ocean temperatures and melting of land ice in Polar regions.
• Severe water shortages and droughts caused by reduced rainfall.
• Increase flooding through more extreme storms and rising sea levels.
• Lower crop yields caused by droughts and floods.
• Damage to property from extreme and erratic weather.

The biggest impacts of climate change are likely to be felt in developing countries. These countries are already prone to floods and droughts causing food shortages and disease. They also rely heavily on climate sensitive industries like farming. Climate change would only worsen existing problems leading to higher mortality rates.

What we must do

It is our responsibility to both minimise our effects on climate change and adapt to inevitable climate change. This requires a vast reduction in our use of fossil fuels and using the Earth’s resources much more efficiently.

For more information on climate change and action to tackle it in Islington see the State of the Environment report.