Symptoms and driving factors of contemporary Earth warming and projections for the future
Journal Title: Papers on Global Change IGBP - Year 2016, Vol 23, Issue 23
Abstract
This paper outlines the symptoms of contemporary global warming, reviews its possible driving factors and presents some projections for future. Key among the symptoms are those related to temperature, with the increase in average global temperature since 1880 now reaching a value of 0.85°C. While warming has encompassed almost the whole world, the high latitudes have warmed more than the low, and maximum temperature has increased more than average temperature. Warming has been causing sea level rise, thanks to both the thermal expansion of warming water and the melting of ice on land. The other consequence of warming is a change in precipitation pattern, manifesting itself in higher precipitation in certain parts of the world (generally at low and high latitudes), but also lower precipitation in other parts (mainly the Tropics); as well as in changes in the intraannual course characterising precipitation (with more falling in winter and less in summer), and in the frequency and intensity of rainfall (more intense heavy-precipitation events and higher variability where the frequency of precipitation is concerned). Among the possible driving factors, the most important are those related to the increase of CO2 and mixing ratios of other greenhouse gases in the troposphere. Land-use changes and emissions of aerosols to the atmosphere also exert a major impact on temperature. These are mainly anthropogenic factors. While natural drivers also modulate the climate markedly, they tend to warm and cool the globe alternately, stepping up warming when they are in a warming phase, but slowing down or even offsetting warming during a cooling phase.
Authors and Affiliations
Joanna Wibig
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP350841
- DOI 10.1515/igbp-2016-0004
- Views 138
- Downloads 0
The Potential of Religion in the Promotion and Implementation of the Concept of Sustainable Development
This article presents religion’s potential where the promotion and implementation of the concept of sustainable development are concerned. First inspired by Lynn White in the 1960s, discussion on religion’s role in the e...
The management of the globe’s resources in the light of recent Papal Encyclicals
This paper focuses mainly on human ecology and social-geography related aspects of the Encyclicals issued and published in the course of the three last Pontifi cates – i.e. those of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis...
Monsoonal droughts in India – A recent assessment
Drought frequencies during the years 1901–2010 were investigated over three spatial units – All India, 5 Homogeneous Regions (HR) and 36 Meteorological subdivisions (MSs). The All-India rainfall trend is in fact indicati...
Trees outside forest in Poland
Increasing environmental threats to agricultural production and the stability of ecosystems have been observed on the Polish lowlands since the 1970s. Several hundred million trees and shrubs have been planted on farmlan...
Climate change – Is it worse than expected?
A review of fi ndings contained in the IPCC AR5 Synthesis Report, of particular relevance to the Polish audience, is offered. Polish perspectives on coal-climate nexus are discussed in a broader, universal, context. Posi...