Everyone's talking about climate change and global warming? But what actually are they? Find out more below...
What are they?
Climate change like the name suggests, is when the climate changes in temperature. Climate is not to be confused with weather. Weather is more short term, whether it rains one day and it is sunny the next, but climate is what happens to the weather and temperature over a number of years, or decades.
It is natural for the climate to change a bit over time, but sometimes the climate can reach extremes. The ice age is probably the most famous example of the Earth’s climate changing drastically and it was almost undoubtedly this change in climate that killed off the dinosaurs. Scientists are now worried because the climate is getting warmer and the temperature is increasingly too quickly. They fear that if the temperature continues to increase at current rates, then it will cause big problems all across the world.
Global warming is another reason the earth is getting warmer. Greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming. They are the dangerous gases that we produce when we burn fuel to heat our houses, drive our cars, or make products in factories. Small levels of greenhouse gases are good, as they make up our ozone layer, and without this the earth would be a pretty frosty place! But we produce too many greenhouse gases, which means that the ozone is getting too strong and the sun’s rays can’t escape. The heat gets trapped and the earth gets warmer!
How does it happen?
Is climate change not just the unpredictability of weather? Scientists looked at natural causes and found that they alone could not account for the massive temperature increases and they realised that humans must be contributing to climate change and global warming. Since humans became industrial, when they built trains and cars and factories, the amount of carbon and greenhouse gases has shot up and has continued growing. The two main causes of greenhouse gases due to human activity are:
- burning fossil fuels like coal and oil.
- deforestation.
Not everyone believes in climate change, and others deny that it is humans that are causing it. But the majority of the world’s scientists and world leaders agree that it is a serious problem and are working together to find solutions.
Check out the Science museum's online Climate Science Info Zone where you can find out all about climate change through videos, flow charts and interactive games. Also have a look at the Oxfam and Friends of the Earth Scotland websites to find out more.
What’s the big deal?
It would be nice if the world was a bit warmer, wouldn’t it?
Because of climate change Scotland is likely to have warmer summers and wetter winters. Scientists say we will get less snow, but more stormy weather and there will be a greater chance of flooding.
Take a look at the 'How climate change is affecting Scotland?' page to find out how climate change is affecting Scotland's landscapes, animals and plants.
There would be worse problems further afield. We are talking flooding, hurricanes and tsunamis, and major problems for the people and animals living in the affected areas. The problem is it is usually the poorest countries who have contributed least to climate change, that will be hardest hit by the problems of climate change. And this doesn’t seem fair does it?
So now you know the basics: want to check what you know, take the Europa Climate Change Quiz . You might also be wondering what can be done to fight climate change, if so check out our What can be done about Climate Change? page.
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