CLIMATE
CHANGE
Climate
change a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change
apparent from the mid to late 20th century on wards and attributed largely to
the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of
fossil fuels.
Is the
earth headed for a point of no return? Some scientists feel that the effect of
changes can be difficult to predict. Because of this, they are concerned that
we might be approaching “tipping points” where sudden and unanticipated climate
changes could bring disastrous results.
Consider, for example, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Some believe that with sustained global warming, there is a point where the
melt of this ice sheet could be irreversible. This is because ice cover
naturally reflects the sun’s rays. But as the ice sheet thins and shrinks, the
ocean below, which is less reflective, is eventually exposed. The dark ocean
surface absorbs more heat, which in turn leads to greater melting. A
self-feeding, runaway cycle could be created. The resulting rise in sea levels
from the melt water could spell disaster for hundreds of millions of people.So
let’s be mature and save the earth starting today.
