What Else Besides the Warming?

Last time I posted some videos about the global warming caused by the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The leading global surface temperature reconstructions illustrated that Earth has warmed since 1880.  The 20 warmest years have happened from the year of 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years. 

Besides global warming, there are many other effects directly or indirectly caused by the atmospheric carbon dioxide increases.

Sea level rises

Global sea level has been rising around 17 centimeters for the last hundred years. The sea level rising rate in the past ten years was almost double that of the last century. Moreover, the sea level is still continue to grow at this moment.

Glacial retreat and shrinking ice sheets

Data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment show that Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometers of ice every year from 2002 to 2006 while Antarctica lost around 152 cubic kilometers of ice from the year of 2002 to 2005. Meanwhile, The national snow and ice data center of the USA stated that glaciers are declining universally in the world, including in the Himalayas, Alps, Rockies, Alaska and Andes. The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have reduced massively.

Both the size and thickness of Arctic sea ice has declined rapidly over the last several decades

Here are comparison photo form NSIDC

 Ocean acidification

The increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased the acidity of the oceans.  

The Copenhagen Diagnosis indicated that, ever since the start of the Industrial revolutions, the acidity of

surface ocean waters has increased by approximately 30 per cent. This increase is the consequence of individuals releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and thus, more being absorbed into the oceans. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by near 2 billion tons per year.

Extreme events

The increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one fundamental source of the increase number of extreme events. The high temperature events records of the USA has increased since last 50 years while the records of low temperature events reduced.

After reading week, I am going to discuss potential methods we could use to reduce the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Reference:

• U.S. Energy Information Administration:  http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=environment_how_ghg_affect_climate
• The Copenhagen Diagnosis: Climate Science Report:  http://www.copenhagendiagnosis.org/
• NSIDC:  http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/sotc/glacier_balance.html
• NASA GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP):  http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/
• NOAA, Global Surface Temperature Anomalies http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cmb-faq/anomalies.php