• Unit 7-Global Warming Issues

    Key Points:

    • Green house gases (GHGs) maintain the temperature of Earth at a suitable level for life.
    • Human activities increase the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.
    • Increased GHGs may lead to warming of the atmosphere and climate change.
    • Increased GHGs may alter weather patterns, shift biomes and increase sea levels.
    • Feedback mechanisms are very complex and changes may lead to positive or negative feedback.
    • Governments and individuals can act to reduce GHG emissions.
    • There is still much controversy and varying perceptions about global warming.
    Key words:

    Green house gasGHG
    		green house emissions
    antrhopogenic
    		enhanced greenhouse effect
    		radiative forcing
    clathrates
    		carbon dioxide/carbon sink
    		carbon budget
    Gt C
    		ice cores
    		IPCC
    carbon emissions
    		carbon offset
    		carbon taxes

Last Modified on February 23, 2015