global climate change graph

When tasked with presenting what the effect of climate change is on thwe world, today's media type will frequently reach for the nearest, handy global climate change graph. However, while that's a handy visual that gets the intended point across quickly, there's much more to it all than simply presenting a global climate change graph might suggest.

Climate change is an amazingly simple phrase for such a complex subject. In the current day scientistific parlance, climate modification isn’t really a term of use anymore. The reason for this is that we have come to understand that the effect of the changes we make to our environment will increase the temperature in many locations on the planet, but will also cool a few places. In light of this, the thing you know of as climate modification is actually referred to as global climate change. Over all, however, the world is definitely warming.

We need a simple definition for climate change in relation to the warming of the planet, one that gets the gist without excluding the simplicities. One that can be presented quickly and neatly on a global climate change graph. The simplest and most accurate definition is that climate change is the effect greenhouse gases have on the earth’s climate. Greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, carbon dioxide and methane. While this sounds like a simple definition, there are a couple of key things to realize.

First, climate change is both a natural phenomena and one created by man. Put another way, greenhouse gases are a natural part of the biosphere and would exist if man did not. Indeed, they are a critical component to the existence of life on this planet. If greenhouse gases didn’t exist, the temperature on planet earth would average zero degrees! Naturally occurring gases, however, keep the temperature at a much more livable 15 ° C.

So, if climate change occurs naturally, what is the big panic about? The problem we are facing is the volume of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases act as thermal blankets for the atmosphere. The more gas in the atmosphere, the thicker the blanket and the less heat escapes. Over the last 80 years, we have been pumping massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the sky. At the same time, we have been reducing forestation around the planet, the primary plant collection that sucks greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. This double whammy is starting to show negative results, the increased heating of our world.

The ultimate question with climate alteration is what will happen as the planet heats up. We are already seeing signs with the retreat of the glaciers. Glacier National Park, for instance, is going to have to be renamed since it has already lost 65 percent of all of its glaciers! While the exact end result of these environmental changes is not clear, we can expect major climatic changes over the next 80 years.

So, now that you know the background, and therefore the context in which to interpret them, here are is a global climate change graph representing climate change in a bar-graph format, plus a global climate change graph plotting the effects on a world map. Both graphs are the work of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

global climate change news

We are tinkering with our planet's basic life support systems - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
30 Jul 2010 at 3:19pm
New York Times (blog)We are tinkering with our planet's basic life support systemsAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Here you go: the global climate is EVOLVING! if one buys into the Global warmi-um-oh-it's Climate change hype, do they also get massages with happy endings? ...Ind. State Fair to include climate change exhibitChicago TribuneScientists: New Study Affirms Climate Change Is 'Undenia...

Is It Hot in Here? Must Be Global Warming. - New York Times
31 Jul 2010 at 7:54pm
Is It Hot in Here? Must Be Global Warming.New York TimesIn any debate over climate change, conventional wisdom holds that there is no reflex more absurd than invoking the local weather. ...A dark ideology is driving those who deny climate changeThe GuardianWe must restart the fight against global warmingThe GuardianSkepticism in one direction is denialTelegraph-JournalMilwaukee Journal Sentinel...

EPA clarifies stance on global warming - UPI.com
30 Jul 2010 at 5:22pm
Common Dreams (press release)EPA clarifies stance on global warmingUPI.comThe environmental agency stressed that human activity was a contributor to climate change and that global warming was a real phenomenon. ...US rejects claims of falsified climate scienceHindustan TimesEPA reaffirms position on global warmingRoanoke TimesEPA Rejects Challenges to Finding That Climate Change Is Threat to He...

Letters: Climate change - OregonLive.com (blog)
31 Jul 2010 at 6:10pm
Letters: Climate changeOregonLive.com (blog)We don't deny that climate change is occurring, but we do demand that the scientists reporting global warming do not hide the origins of their data nor ...Letters: Look to reputable sources in climate change disputeAppleton Post Crescentall 2 news articles »

Reducing Soot Might Be Shortcut to Reverse Climate Change, New Study Says - Popular Science
30 Jul 2010 at 8:24pm
DailyTechReducing Soot Might Be Shortcut to Reverse Climate Change, New Study SaysPopular ScienceStill, the debate is unsettled over soot's global warming potential -- a key metric for climate models. In June, researchers from Princeton University ...Controlling Soot Might Quickly Reverse a Century of Global WarmingWired NewsScientists say soot a key factor in warmingSan Francisco ChronicleRepo...

Feds sends climate change guru throughout the Americas to 'combat global ... - Examiner.com
27 Jul 2010 at 9:46pm
JustmeansFeds sends climate change guru throughout the Americas to 'combat global ...Examiner.comHe recently told reporters in Chile that the US and other nations need to take action to 'combat global climate change'. An article prominently featured on ...Singapore Gets Serious About Climate ChangeGov MonitorClimate Collaboration in the Americas DeepensMedia Newswire (press release)AfDB to Part...