Global Dimming

New climate theories

Air pollution is an increasing environmental concern, and rising global warming temperatures are not the only consequence….

Climate change is now an indisputable phenomenon. Scientists have identified two distinct and worrying developments. While global warming, which has been predicted for some time, is clearly taking place, there is also growing evidence of global dimming – a reduction of sunlight.

According to BBC Online, the term global dimming was created by Gerry Stanhill, an English scientist who lives in Israel. Stanhill found that sunlight had reduced by 22% in Israel over the past few years. He also noted similar changes in the United States (with sunlight down 10%), in parts of the former Soviet Union (with a reduction of 30%), and in parts of the British Isles (with a loss of 16%) the cause appears to be air pollution.

Climate change impacts humans and animals

Air pollution caused by fossil fuel emissions, will also probably cause a further rise of 0.6 degrees Celsius of global warming, according to professor Stephen Schneider, a leading climatologist from Stanford University in California. He points out that in the past century there has already been a 0.7-degree temperature increase.

According to Schneider, the results will endanger species such as polar bears. The traditional life-style of the Inuit people of the Arctic will also be impacted. At the same time, the British Antarctic Survey has revised its predictions about the col-lapse of the Antarctic ice sheet. It used to be believed that it would remain intact until the turn of the 22^nd century. Now there is a risk of a much more imminent collapse.

David Walter

De acordo com o texto, além do aquecimento global, há outro problema em crescente evidência no mundo, qual é ele?

Responda à questão:

Qual é a causa mais provável do “Escurecimento Global”?

Responda à questão:

No século passado, qual foi a média do aumento de temperatura?

Quanto às ações para ajudar na redução do aquecimento e do escurecimento global, escolha a melhor alternativa:

When you are brushing your teeth, do you...

• Leave the water on

• turn the water off and then turn it back on

• only use a glass of water

Quanto às ações para ajudar na redução do aquecimento e do escurecimento global, escolha a melhor alternativa:

When you leave your house, do you...

• leave everything on

• turn everything off, except the refrigerator

• leave a few things on but turn the lights off

Quanto às ações para ajudar na redução do aquecimento e do escurecimento global, escolha a melhor alternativa:

What do you do with empty bottles?

• I put them into recycling bins

• I throw them on the street

• I put them into the trash

Quanto às ações para ajudar na redução do aquecimento e do escurecimento global, escolha a melhor alternativa:

When you go shopping, you...

• Ask for a plastic bag

• Use your own fabric bag

• Ask for a paper bag

Quanto às ações para ajudar na redução do aquecimento e do escurecimento global, escolha a melhor alternativa:

Forests should be...

• Protected because they make air cleaner

• Cut down for profit

• Protected because they are beautiful

Retire do texto o seguinte trecho:

"A poluição do ar causada pela emissão de combustíveis fósseis, provavelmente causará também um aumento de 0,6ºC no aquecimento global."

Retire do texto o seguinte trecho:

"Ao mesmo tempo, uma pesquisa Britânica na Antártida, revisou suas previsões sobre o colapso da camada de gelo da Antártida."