Week three assignment

Climate change, a highly concerning topic today, can be referred to as the change in global regional climate patterns. These climate changes have been very apparent since the late 20th century which It has been studies and reported that there is an increased level of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced and released into our atmosphere due to the excessive use of fossil fuels. It has been said that there has been a long term change in the earth’s climate due specifically to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature. These changes are said to involve the statistical distribution of weather patterns over a a certain period of time that can range from decades. This change in the average weather conditions and or even distribution of weather events can be specific to different regions and / or the whole earth. It may sometimes be limited to a specific region in the earth (Mathez & Smerdon, 2009).

The research on climatic change relates to the academics and professional pursuits in that it helps and guarantees the students or the learners to gain knowledge about climate. They are able to relate how climate affects their daily lives. They are able to understand the various undergone changes which are actually experienced in the globe in recent times. The climatic changes are actually categorized depending on how they are affected. The climatic changes do relate with their studies since they enable they are able to understand the causes, reasons and effects of climatic changes in relation to the knowledge they have towards climate change.

It has been apparent that the earth’s temperature has been steadily rising over the past decades. The small changes in average temperature of the planet have become the large and dangerous changes due to the shifts in the climate and weather. Thus the rising global temperatures are accompanied by the changes in climate and weather. Many regions of the globe have experienced changes in rainfall thus leading to floods. Droughts and intense rain has been a result of climatic change. The glaciers have also experienced extreme changes because the oceans are warming up and becoming more acidic in nature. Ice caps have been melting hence increasing the sea level. The climatic changes have led to the most negative significances to the society and the environment (Calster, Vandenberghe & Reins, 2015).

We as humans are the prime persons responsible for the climatic changes being experienced around the globe. Human activities as a whole have led to the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases have also been released in the atmosphere because there is the burning of fossil fuels which produce a lot of energy. Human activities such as deforestation, poor agricultural practices and industrial processes emit dangerous gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases destroy the ozone layer hence causing infiltration of dangerous sun rays to the earth surface hence causing global warming. The greenhouse effect has dangerous effects which result to the negative human health and welfare to the entire ecosystems. The choices that human beings make really affect the atmosphere. The whole earth planet continues to get warmer as long as the human beings don’t change the activities.

Global warming has led to the rise of global temperature due to increased concentrations of greenhouse gas. Global warming is leads to climate patterns to change. Global warming is caused by the rate at which the sun rays which cause excess heat to the earth. The result of excess heat is increased temperatures. The climatic changes have impacts to the earth’s ecosystems in broad and different varieties. Climatic related impacts have occurring across different regions of the earth. There have been impacts in different parts of America. Different regions like Northwest, Great Plains, Midwest, South east and west and the Midwest. These regions of the American continent have been able to undergo different changes which have resulted to various adaptations to the ecosystems. In the northwest region, forests, wildlife and the forests have been threatened by the higher temperatures since there have been changing stream flows and increased availability of diseases and pests. Sea level in the northwest coastline has rapidly increased leading to coastal erosion hence loss of beaches (Budyko & Zolina, 1977).

The great plains have experienced drought in frequent times due to water supply at the Ogallala aquifer. There have been changes in water availability and negative impacts on the agriculture and habitats in the ecosystem. The Midwest area has experienced hotter summers with long dry periods and also wetter winters. The climatic changes have been an additional stress on infrastructure and to the economy of the Midwest area. The southwest and east have had threats posed by the climatic changes. Increased temperatures have led to frequent droughts and less water resources. The coastal communities face increased sea level and hence they are unable to carry out agricultural activities due to hurricanes and storm surge intensity. The farms and fisheries face increased problems in terms of productivity and hence destroying the livelihoods and the economy of the region (National Research Council, National Research Council, National Research Council & America's Climate Choices, 2010).

The impacts of climatic changes are categorized in terms of the affected area. Climatic changes affect sector such as agriculture, forests, human health, energy production and the coasts. Agricultural sector provides a lot of food to the US since the country highly depend on agriculture for food. It’s beneficial to the economy but climatic changes have a negative influence to the sector. Extreme drought conditions lead to loss of food hence may lead to less food. Excess release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is suitable for the plants to carry out photosynthesis hence excess food production. Severe droughts challenge the farmers not to farm.

The human health is been worsen by the changing climatic conditions which are increased by the risk of heat related illnesses. Increased frequency and extreme events like floods and storms do pose a dangerous threat on the safety and health. The society comprises of the poor, sick and the old who tend to be sensitive to the climatic impacts hence they can cause deteriorating health.

Besides the negative impacts towards the ecosystem and human beings, the EPA is trying so hard to eliminate the threats posed by climate change. The EPA has been able to collect various data concerning the greenhouse gas emissions. This kind of data helps in the policy makers o track all the trends about greenhouse gases and also to identify the opportunities to help reduce emissions hence increasing the efficiency. Reducing the greenhouse gases will help in promoting a clean energy economy through highly successful partnerships and also common sense of regulatory initiatives. The EPA contributes a lot to climate research activities through the US Global Change Research programs in the understanding of environmental and health programs of climate change. It also creates emphasis on the provision of sustainable solutions for the adaptation and reduction of the negative impacts away from changing the climate.

The EPA also engages itself in international partnerships to advance the climate change and to monitor the environment and promote the activities which reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It establishes partnerships which are essential in providing leadership and sharing of technical expertise to support such kind of activities. They help in providing analytical research tools and outreach support on the climate change. The EPA is also responsible in establishing programs which help communities adapt to the changing environmental activities. Climatic change is already affecting livelihoods, communities and the environment. The EPA is taking actions to help the US government to adapt to the current potential risks of climate change. These kinds of programs help the coastal resource managers and water utility managers to prepare and plan effectively for climate changes (National Research Council, 1990).

The EPA and the interagency climate change have been recommending efforts to strengthen the other federal strategies and programs in the preparation for the adaptation towards the effects of climate change. They are able to manage programs in support of adaptation at regional state and local level. It has also been able to design programs which whelp decision makers to better address and understand the risks exposed by climatic change. Coordination and integration of federal research has been enhanced on the changes in global environment and the implications towards the society and communities. The environmental departments have acknowledged the federal agencies in managing programs in order to help the communities, societies and ecosystems prepare for impacts posed by the climatic change. This helps in keeping the ecological and critical natural resources in a good condition hence providing accessible climate information thus reducing the negative impacts of climate change.

References

Mathez, E. A., & Smerdon, J. E. (2009). Climate change [electronic resource]: the science of global warming and our energy future / Edmond A. Mathez; student companion by Jason E. Smerdon. New York: Columbia University Press, c2009.

National Research Council (U.S.). National Research Council (U.S.). National Research Council (U.S.). & America's Climate Choices (Project). (2010). Adapting to the impacts of climate change. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press.

National Research Council (U.S.). (1990). Research strategies for the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press.

In Calster, G. ., In Vandenberghe, W., & In Reins, L. (2015). Research handbook on climate change mitigation law.

Budyko, M. I., & Zolina, R. (1977). Climatic changes. Washington, D.C: American Geophysical Union.