Global Warming 101 - NRDC

A: Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation ... Jumptonavigation JumptoSectionWhatIsGlobalWarming?WhatCausesGlobalWarming?HowIsGlobalWarmingLinkedtoExtremeWeather?WhatAretheOtherEffectsofGlobalWarming?WhereDoestheUnitedStatesStandinTermsofGlobal-WarmingContributors?IstheUnitedStatesDoingAnythingtoPreventGlobalWarming?IsGlobalWarmingTooBigaProblemforMetoHelpTackle? 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Q:Whatisglobalwarming?A: SincetheIndustrialRevolution,theglobalannualtemperaturehasincreasedintotalbyalittlemorethan1degreeCelsius,orabout2degreesFahrenheit.Between1880—theyearthataccuraterecordkeepingbegan—and1980,itroseonaverageby0.07degreesCelsius(0.13degreesFahrenheit)every10years.Since1981,however,therateofincreasehasmorethandoubled:Forthelast40years,we’veseentheglobalannualtemperatureriseby0.18degreesCelsius,or0.32degreesFahrenheit,perdecade.Theresult?Aplanetthathasneverbeenhotter.Nineofthe10warmestyearssince1880haveoccurredsince2005—andthe5warmestyearsonrecordhavealloccurredsince2015.Climatechangedeniershavearguedthattherehasbeena“pause”ora“slowdown”inrisingglobaltemperatures,butnumerousstudies,includinga2018paperpublishedinthejournalEnvironmentalResearchLetters,havedisprovedthisclaim.Theimpactsofglobalwarmingarealreadyharmingpeoplearoundtheworld.Nowclimatescientistshaveconcludedthatwemustlimitglobalwarmingto1.5degreesCelsiusby2040ifwearetoavoidafutureinwhicheverydaylifearoundtheworldismarkedbyitsworst,mostdevastatingeffects:theextremedroughts,wildfires,floods,tropicalstorms,andotherdisastersthatwerefertocollectivelyasclimatechange.Theseeffectsarefeltbyallpeopleinonewayoranotherbutareexperiencedmostacutelybytheunderprivileged,theeconomicallymarginalized,andpeopleofcolor,forwhomclimatechangeisoftenakeydriverofpoverty,displacement,hunger,andsocialunrest.Q:Whatcausesglobalwarming?A: Globalwarmingoccurswhencarbondioxide(CO2)andotherairpollutantscollectintheatmosphereandabsorbsunlightandsolarradiationthathavebouncedofftheearth’ssurface.Normallythisradiationwouldescapeintospace,butthesepollutants,whichcanlastforyearstocenturiesintheatmosphere,traptheheatandcausetheplanettogethotter.Theseheat-trappingpollutants—specificallycarbondioxide,methane,nitrousoxide,watervapor,andsyntheticfluorinatedgases—areknownasgreenhousegases,andtheirimpactiscalledthegreenhouseeffect.Thoughnaturalcyclesandfluctuationshavecausedtheearth’sclimatetochangeseveraltimesoverthelast800,000years,ourcurrenteraofglobalwarmingisdirectlyattributabletohumanactivity—specificallytoourburningoffossilfuelssuchascoal,oil,gasoline,andnaturalgas,whichresultsinthegreenhouseeffect.IntheUnitedStates,thelargestsourceofgreenhousegasesistransportation(29percent),followedcloselybyelectricityproduction(28percent)andindustrialactivity(22percent).Curbingdangerousclimatechangerequiresverydeepcutsinemissions,aswellastheuseofalternativestofossilfuelsworldwide.Thegoodnewsisthatcountriesaroundtheglobehaveformallycommitted—aspartofthe2015ParisClimateAgreement—tolowertheiremissionsbysettingnewstandardsandcraftingnewpoliciestomeetorevenexceedthosestandards.Thenot-so-goodnewsisthatwe’renotworkingfastenough.Toavoidtheworstimpactsofclimatechange,scientiststellusthatweneedtoreduceglobalcarbonemissionsbyasmuchas40percentby2030.Forthattohappen,theglobalcommunitymusttakeimmediate,concretesteps:todecarbonizeelectricitygenerationbyequitablytransitioningfromfossilfuel–basedproductiontorenewableenergysourceslikewindandsolar;toelectrifyourcarsandtrucks;andtomaximizeenergyefficiencyinourbuildings,appliances,andindustries.Q:Howisglobalwarminglinkedtoextremeweather?A: Scientistsagreethattheearth’srisingtemperaturesarefuelinglongerandhotterheatwaves,morefrequentdroughts,heavierrainfall,andmorepowerfulhurricanes.In2015,forexample,scientistsconcludedthatalengthydroughtinCalifornia—thestate’sworstwatershortagein1,200years—hadbeenintensifiedby15to20percentbyglobalwarming.Theyalsosaidtheoddsofsimilardroughtshappeninginthefuturehadroughlydoubledoverthepastcentury.Andin2016,theNationalAcademiesofScience,Engineering,andMedicineannouncedthatwecannowconfidentlyattributesomeextremeweatherevents,likeheatwaves,droughts,andheavyprecipitation,directlytoclimatechange.Theearth’soceantemperaturesaregettingwarmer,too—whichmeansthattropicalstormscanpickupmoreenergy.Inotherwords,globalwarminghastheabilitytoturnacategory3stormintoamoredangerouscategory4storm.Infact,scientistshavefoundthatthefrequencyofNorthAtlantichurricaneshasincreasedsincetheearly1980s,ashasthenumberofstormsthatreachcategories4and5.The2020Atlantichurricaneseasonincludedarecord-breaking30tropicalstorms,6majorhurricanes,and13hurricanesaltogether.Withincreasedintensitycomeincreaseddamageanddeath.TheUnitedStatessawanunprecedented22weatherandclimatedisastersthatcausedatleastabilliondollars’worthofdamagein2020,but2017wasthecostliestonrecordandamongthedeadliestaswell:Takentogether,thatyear'stropicalstorms(includingHurricanesHarvey,Irma,andMaria)causednearly$300billionindamageandledtomorethan3,300fatalities.Theimpactsofglobalwarmingarebeingfelteverywhere.Extremeheatwaveshavecausedtensofthousandsofdeathsaroundtheworldinrecentyears.Andinanalarmingsignofeventstocome,Antarcticahaslostnearlyfourtrillionmetrictonsoficesincethe1990s.Therateoflosscouldspeedupifwekeepburningfossilfuelsatourcurrentpace,someexpertssay,causingsealevelstoriseseveralmetersinthenext50to150yearsandwreakinghavoconcoastalcommunitiesworldwide.Q:Whataretheothereffectsofglobalwarming?A: Eachyearscientistslearnmoreabouttheconsequencesofglobalwarming,andeachyearwealsogainnewevidenceofitsdevastatingimpactonpeopleandtheplanet.Astheheatwaves,droughts,andfloodsassociatedwithclimatechangebecomemorefrequentandmoreintense,communitiessufferanddeathtollsrise.Ifwe’reunabletoreduceouremissions,scientistsbelievethatclimatechangecouldleadtothedeathsofmorethan250,000peoplearoundtheglobeeveryyearandforce100millionpeopleintopovertyby2030.GlobalwarmingisalreadytakingatollontheUnitedStates.Andifwearen’tabletogetahandleonouremissions,here’sjustasmatteringofwhatwecanlookforwardto:Disappearingglaciers,earlysnowmelt,andseveredroughtswillcausemoredramaticwatershortagesandcontinuetoincreasetheriskofwildfiresintheAmericanWest.RisingsealevelswillleadtoevenmorecoastalfloodingontheEasternSeaboard,especiallyinFlorida,andinotherareassuchastheGulfofMexico.Forests,farms,andcitieswillfacetroublesomenewpests,heatwaves,heavydownpours,andincreasedflooding.Allofthesecandamageordestroyagricultureandfisheries.Disruptionofhabitatssuchascoralreefsandalpinemeadowscoulddrivemanyplantandanimalspeciestoextinction.Allergies,asthma,andinfectiousdiseaseoutbreakswillbecomemorecommonduetoincreasedgrowthofpollen-producingragweed,higherlevelsofairpollution,andthespreadofconditionsfavorabletopathogensandmosquitoes.Thougheveryoneisaffectedbyclimatechange,noteveryoneisaffectedequally.Indigenouspeople,peopleofcolor,andtheeconomicallymarginalizedaretypicallyhitthehardest.Inequitiesbuiltintoourhousing,healthcare,andlaborsystemsmakethesecommunitiesmorevulnerabletotheworstimpactsofclimatechange—eventhoughthesesamecommunitieshavedonetheleasttocontributetoit.Q:WheredoestheUnitedStatesstandintermsofglobal-warmingcontributors?A: Inrecentyears,Chinahastakentheleadinglobal-warmingpollution,producingabout26percentofallCO2emissions.TheUnitedStatescomesinsecond.Despitemakingupjust4percentoftheworld’spopulation,ournationproducesasobering13percentofallglobalCO2emissions—nearlyasmuchastheEuropeanUnionandIndia(thirdandfourthplace)combined.AndAmericaisstillnumberone,byfar,incumulativeemissionsoverthepast150years.Asatopcontributortoglobalwarming,theUnitedStateshasanobligationtohelppropeltheworldtoacleaner,safer,andmoreequitablefuture.Ourresponsibilitymatterstoothercountries,anditshouldmattertous,too.Q:IstheUnitedStatesdoinganythingtopreventglobalwarming?A: We’vestarted.Butinordertoavoidtheworseningeffectsofclimatechange,weneedtodoalotmore—togetherwithothercountries—toreduceourdependenceonfossilfuelsandtransitiontocleanenergysources.UndertheadministrationofPresidentDonaldTrump(amanwhofalselyreferredtoglobalwarmingasa“hoax”),theUnitedStateswithdrewfromtheParisClimateAgreement,rolledbackoreliminateddozensofclean-airprotections,andopenedupfederallymanagedlands,includingculturallysacrednationalmonuments,tofossilfueldevelopment.AlthoughPresidentBidenhaspledgedtogetthecountrybackontrack,yearsofinactionduringandbeforetheTrumpadministration—andourincreasedunderstandingofglobalwarming’sseriousimpacts—meanwemustaccelerateoureffortstoreducegreenhousegasemissions.DespitethelackofcooperationfromtheTrumpadministration,localandstategovernmentsmadegreatstridesduringthisperiodthrougheffortsliketheAmericanCitiesClimateChallengeandongoingcollaborationsliketheRegionalGreenhouseGasInitiative.Meanwhile,industryandbusinessleadershavebeenworkingwiththepublicsector,creatingandadoptingnewclean-energytechnologiesandincreasingenergyefficiencyinbuildings,appliances,andindustrialprocesses.TodaytheAmericanautomotiveindustryisfindingnewwaystoproducecarsandtrucksthataremorefuelefficientandiscommittingitselftoputtingmoreandmorezero-emissionelectricvehiclesontheroad.Developers,cities,andcommunityadvocatesarecomingtogethertomakesurethatnewaffordablehousingisbuiltwithefficiencyinmind,reducingenergyconsumptionandloweringelectricandheatingbillsforresidents.Andrenewableenergycontinuestosurgeasthecostsassociatedwithitsproductionanddistributionkeepfalling.In2020renewableenergysourcessuchaswindandsolarprovidedmoreelectricitythancoalfortheveryfirsttimeinU.S.history.PresidentBidenhasmadeactiononglobalwarmingahighpriority.Onhisfirstdayinoffice,herecommittedtheUnitedStatestotheParisClimateAgreement,sendingtheworldcommunityastrongsignalthatweweredeterminedtojoinothernationsincuttingourcarbonpollutiontosupportthesharedgoalofpreventingtheaverageglobaltemperaturefromrisingmorethan1.5degreesCelsiusabovepreindustriallevels.(Scientistssaywemuststaybelowa2-degreeincreasetoavoidcatastrophicclimateimpacts.)Andsignificantly,thepresidenthasassembledaclimateteamofexpertsandadvocateswhohavebeentaskedwithpursuingactionbothabroadandathomewhilefurtheringthecauseofenvironmentaljusticeandinvestinginnature-basedsolutions.Q:Isglobalwarmingtoobigaproblemformetohelptackle?A: No!Whilewecan’twinthefightwithoutlarge-scalegovernmentactionatthenationallevel,wealsocan’tdoitwithoutthehelpofindividualswhoarewillingtousetheirvoices,holdgovernmentandindustryleaderstoaccount,andmakechangesintheirdailyhabits.Wonderinghowyoucanbeapartofthefightagainstglobalwarming?Reduceyourowncarbonfootprintbytakingafeweasysteps:Makeconservingenergyapartofyourdailyroutineandyourdecisionsasaconsumer.Whenyoushopfornewapplianceslikerefrigerators,washers,anddryers,lookforproductswiththegovernment’sENERGYSTAR®label;theymeetahigherstandardforenergyefficiencythantheminimumfederalrequirements.Whenyoubuyacar,lookforonewiththehighestgasmileageandlowestemissions.Youcanalsoreduceyouremissionsbytakingpublictransportationorcarpoolingwhenpossible.Andwhilenewfederalandstatestandardsareastepintherightdirection,muchmoreneedstobedone.Voiceyoursupportofclimate-friendlyandclimatechangepreparednesspolicies,andtellyourrepresentativesthatequitablytransitioningfromdirtyfossilfuelstocleanpowershouldbeatoppriority—becauseit’svitaltobuildinghealthy,moresecurecommunities.Youdon’thavetogoitalone,either.Movementsacrossthecountryareshowinghowclimateactioncanbuildcommunity,beledbythoseonthefrontlinesofitsimpacts,andcreateafuturethat’sequitableandjustforall. DemandClimateAction LearnMore ThisstorywasoriginallypublishedonMarch11,2016andhasbeenupdatedwithnewinformationandlinks.NRDC.orgstoriesareavailableforonlinerepublicationbynewsmediaoutletsornonprofitsundertheseconditions:Thewriter(s)mustbecreditedwithabyline;youmustnoteprominentlythatthestorywasoriginallypublishedbyNRDC.organdlinktotheoriginal;thestorycannotbeedited(beyondsimplethingssuchastimeandplaceelements,style,andgrammar);youcan’tresellthestoryinanyformorgrantrepublishingrightstootheroutlets;youcan’trepublishourmaterialwholesaleorautomatically—youneedtoselectstoriesindividually;youcan'trepublishthephotosorgraphicsonoursitewithoutspecificpermission;youshoulddropusanotetoletusknowwhenyou’veusedoneofourstories. RelatedStories LatestNews BidenPledgestoCutU.S.CarbonEmissionsinHalfby2030 It’surgent.It’sambitious.Butmostofall,it’stotallydoable. 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