Climate Change Facts and Statistics That Will Make You Reconsider Your Perspective Introduction: The Collapse of Ice Sheets, Rising Sea Levels and the Accelerating Greenhouse Effect keywords: climate change, global warming, sea level rise You don't have to believe in fact-based science to know something is wrong. Climate change is upon us. The world's glaciers are melting faster than they've ever melted before, raising sea levels by 0.5 inches each year. Half of the ice sheet covering the Arctic Ocean will be gone by 2050, and all of it will be gone by 2080. That means every single time a polar bear dies, an entire species is closer to extinction. Polar bears aren't the only ones in danger-we are as well. Rising sea levels will eventually make coastal cities unlivable, displacing millions of people and causing countless billions' worth of damage to our infrastructure and economy. What can we do about it? It's too late to stop the melting of ice sheets, which means sea levels will continue to rise until they're up to three feet higher than they are today. So, we need to start preparing now—We need to build dikes, plan for new forms of transportation and infrastructure, and account for food shortages as farmland becomes increasingly unusable.
The Energy Sector's Role in Climate Change keywords: fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions The Energy Sector Is Ready to Take Action on Climate Change. If you own a car, you probably know how important it is to get a tune-up now and then. While you're sitting in the waiting room of your local dealership, the technicians are often hard at work replacing old parts with new ones to make sure your car works as well as possible. The point is that cars need maintenance to keep functioning at their best, and so does our planet. Unfortunately, we can't take it down for a tune-up every few years—and that's where the energy sector comes in.
The energy sector is responsible for 80 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Because of this, leading energy companies are taking steps to mitigate climate change and ensure our planet continues to function. Beyond simply phasing out coal production, energy companies are researching and developing renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy, to eventually replace fossil fuels. Some experts have hailed carbon capture technology (a way to trap carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere) as one way forward. Still, others think it's too expensive to implement on a wide scale— and even if it were affordable enough for everyone, some question its reliability and effectiveness. But what else can the sector do?
Ocean Acidification and the Future of Marine Life keywords: ocean acidification, marine life The threat of ocean acidification is often overlooked. As we continue to pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the oceans absorb a significant portion of it. The result is a chemical reaction that causes the oceans to become more acidic. This change in chemistry has drastic consequences for marine life and human beings alike. Marine life will be directly affected by ocean acidification. Mollusks such as oysters and clams rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells. Still, the chemical reaction caused by rising CO2 levels lowers the amount of this mineral available to them in seawater. As a result, fewer mollusks can build shells and survive in the wild. This decline in mollusk populations will have ripple effects throughout marine ecosystems. Many animals rely on shellfish for food, whether directly or indirectly; for example, certain whales eat fish which eat crabs which eat shellfish. If one link in this food chain disappears—such as the shellfish themselves—the entire ecosystem is affected. Ocean acidification will also affect humans who live near the ocean or rely on it for their livelihood. A major source of income for the fishing industry comes from shellfish harvests, both directly and indirectly. If shellfish populations decline because of ocean acidification, fishing companies, and the industry as a whole, may eventually be forced out of business.
Conclusion and Summary Climate change is happening. We can't stop it, but we can slow it down. Only a third of the world's population believes that climate change is caused by humans. Here are some statistics that will change your perspective on what's happening to the Earth: 1. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are higher than they've been in the last 800,000 years.
2. Humans are responsible for almost 75% of greenhouse gas emissions. 3. Even if we stopped all greenhouse gas emissions right now, temperatures will still increase by at least 0.5 degrees Celsius. 4. The 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1998—and 2016 was the hottest year in recorded history. 5. Sea levels have risen faster than ever before—about 3 millimeters per year since 1990. 6. The world has lost about half of its wetlands over the last 100 years. Wetlands are vital for carbon sequestration and preventing flooding and erosion. 7. Global sea ice coverage has declined by about 4% per decade since 1979. The planet is on fire. It's time to wake up and take action.