Alex,+Lachlan+C,+Jhye+-+Climate+Change

Should humans be taking steps to combat climate change?
 * __Alex, Lachlan and Jhye's page__**

__**What is Climate Change?**__

Our climate is changing, largely due to the observed increases in human produced carbon pollution. These changes we have seen over the 20th century include increases in global average air and ocean temperature, melting of snow and ice and rising global sea levels. The extra heat in the climate system has other impacts, such as affecting atmospheric and ocean circulation, which influences rainfall and wind patterns.

Each decade in Australia since the 1940s has been warmer than the last—2001 to 2010 was the warmest decade on record in Australia and around the globe.

Scientists agree that the worst effects of climate change can be avoided if we can reduce pollution to an acceptable level.

**__Advantages of climate change__**

__** Disadvantages of climate change **__
 * Arctic, Antarctic, Siberia, and other frozen regions on earth may experience more plant growth and milder climates.
 * The next ice age may be prevented from happening
 * Northwest passage through Canada's formally icy-north opens up to sea transportation
 * Less need for energy consumptions to warm cold places
 * Fewer deaths or injuries due to cold weather
 * Longer growing seasons could mean increased agriculture production in local areas


 * Higher sea level leading to flooding of low-lying lands and deaths and disease from flood and evacuation.
 * Deserts get drier leading to increased desertification
 * Water shortages in already water scarce areas
 * Loss of animal and plant habitats
 * Increased air pollution
 * Starvation and increased deaths due to crop shortages

__** What effects does climate change have on us? **__ ** Disease ** With rising temperatures, diseases like malaria, West Nile disease, dengue fever and river blindness may shift to different areas. It is predicted that 290 million additional people could be exposed to malaria by the 2080s. The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) says that health of people in the UK will also be affected. **Food and water** As temperatures increase and rainfall patterns change, crop yields are expected to drop significantly in Africa, the Middle East and India. Water availability for irrigation and drinking will be less predictable because rain will be more variable. It is also possible that salt from rising sea levels may contaminate underground fresh water supplies in coastal areas. Droughts are likely to be more frequent. Up to three billion people could suffer increased water shortages by 2080. __**What effects does climate change have on wildlife**__ Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years. Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler places.

__**What effects does climate change have on the environment?**__ Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger. Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could go down by 10 percent over the next 50 years. Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru continues to melt at its current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water and electricity without a source of either.  __**5 of the main skeptic arguments about climate change...**__ The argument in black is the skeptic argument. These are the people who think climate change doesn't exist, the argument which is red is what science says which is agreeing that Climate change is in fact real.

It's cooling The last decade 2000 - 2009 has been the hottest on record

Climates changed before Climate reacts to whatever force is dominant, humans are now the dominant force

It's the sun In the last 35 years of global warming, sun and climate change have been going in opposite directions

It's not bad Negative impacts of global warming on agriculture, health & environment far outweigh any positives

Antarctica is gaining ice Satellites measure Antarctica losing land ice at an accelerating rate       __** Bibliography **__ http://tiny.cc/a6biu http://tiny.cc/0lyym [] http://tiny.cc/7eg0o http://tiny.cc/8pkch http://tiny.cc/h6ge2