Everything that finite humans must deal with, from our belief about God to our estimation of a five-minute break, has room for more than one opinion, more than one conviction, more than one belief. That includes global warming and climate change: everybody does not agree on climate change and global warming. That’s why, along with established facts laid out in this spread, we’ve included the fine print that says where to go to find out more.—Editors.
Hurricanes
Higher temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean’s hurricane zone, combined with human-induced emissions that trap heat in the atmosphere, produce conditions more likely to fuel larger and more devastating storms. Initial flooding and tide surges are often accompanied by torrential rains that “stall” over large geographic areas:
nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/extreme-weather
Acidic Oceans
The acidity of the surface of ocean water since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) has increased approximately 30 percent.
www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification
Flooding
From 1980 to 2009 floods caused more than 500,000 deaths and affected more than 2.8 billion people around the world. The risks from future floods are significant, given expanded development in coastal areas and floodplains, urbanization, land-use changes, and human-induced climate change.
nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/extreme-weathernca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/extreme-weather
Impaired Breathing
Chemicals used in commercial, home, and vehicle air-conditioners, refrigerators, industrial solvents, aerosol sprays, and others have been instrumental in depleting the earth’s ozone level that shields the earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
www.mfe.govt.nz/more/hazards/risks-ozone-depleting-substances/what-are-ozone-depleting-substances
Warmer Temperatures
In the United States the three warmest years on record have been 2016 (first), 2015 (second), and 2017 (third).
nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/extreme-weather
Extended (multi-month) extreme heat has been unprecedented since the start of reliable instrumental records in 1895.
nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/extreme-weather
Carbon Dioxide
Human activity has increased the natural concentration of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere, amplifying its natural greenhouse effect.
www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide
