The United States is not going through good times climate-wise. Temperatures are rising, snow and precipitation patterns are changing. Furthermore, heavy rainstorms have become common. What are the reasons behind this climate change? Some of these climate changes are due to increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions. This increase in greenhouse gases is mainly due to human activities. The EPA indicators provide evidence of how the climate is changing and how they are impacting the environment and people. The Environmental Protection Agency works with countless data contributors and thus compiles indicators that tell us about climate change in the United States. Let’s find out what these climate change indicators are.
Climate change indicators:
- Greenhouse gas
- Weather changes
- Ocean influence
Greenhouse gas:
The most important cause of climate change is greenhouse gases caused by human activities, as has been observed since the mid-20th century. Greenhouse gas emissions arise from human activities in The United States fell by 7% between 1990 and 2020. Since 2005, total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States have decreased by a total of 20%. Carbon dioxide accounts for the majority of the country’s emissions and most of the reduction since 1990. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States is transportation. Electricity generation is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. However, in recent years, per capita emissions have decreased slightly.
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Weather changes:
The average global temperature is increasing and one of the factors driving this increase is the widespread change in weather patterns. Studies point to the fact that extreme and widespread weather events such as hurricanes and heatwaves may be more frequent due to anthropogenic changes in climate.
Average temperatures have increased in 48 neighboring states since 1901, along with increasing warming rates over the past three decades. Since 1998, the United States has experienced nine of its 10 hottest years. A similar trend can be seen in global average temperatures. The 10 warmest years on record worldwide have occurred since 2005. Temperatures in the western, northern and Alaska regions, in the United States, have increased the most.
Ocean influence:
Oceans cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface. It is clear that with such vast coverage, the world’s oceans have a profound relationship with weather and climate. The oceans impact weather on both global and local scales. Conversely, changes in climate can fundamentally alter many ocean properties.
Ocean heat, sea surface temperatures, sea level rise, coastal flooding and ocean acidity are some of the ways the oceans can impact climate change. The amount of heat trapped in the oceans has increased significantly since the 1950s. The heat content of the ocean not only determines sea surface temperature, but also affects ocean currents and sea levels. Ocean surface temperatures have also increased worldwide over the last century. Although there is some variation from year to year, the overall increase in ocean surface temperature can be studied very clearly. Over the past 30 years, sea surface temperatures have increased continuously. Sea levels have also increased at a rate of about 6/10 of an inch every 10 years since 1880. In recent years, the rate of increase has accelerated to more than an inch per decade. Sea level changes relative to the mainland vary by region. Ocean acidity is another factor. Over the past few decades, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolved in water has increased, leading to ocean acidity. Flooding is also becoming common along the US coast due to rising sea levels. An increase in coastal flooding can be seen at every measured location since the 1950s.
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn