Answer to Question #200410 in Geomatics for sibusiso

Question

 Define climate change and explain its causes

Answer 1

Global climate change includes an increase in average annual temperature causing glaciers to melt and a rise in global ocean levels. In addition to warming, there is also an imbalance in all natural systems, which leads to a change in rainfall patterns, temperature anomalies and an increase in the frequency of extreme events such as hurricanes, floods and droughts.

Climate change and global warming are caused by the greenhouse effect. The atmosphere around our planet creates a special layer consisting of various gases. This layer traps heat on the surface of the earth. The sun's rays reach the atmosphere, some of the sun's energy is reflected back into space, and some is absorbed by the Earth, which causes its surface to heat up. The heat from the Earth is then radiated outward and trapped by the so-called greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, methane, and others.