Climate Change - Environmental Science

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What is Climate Change?

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Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperatures and weather patterns over time, primarily driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes.

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What is the greenhouse effect?

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The greenhouse effect is the process by which certain gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat, preventing it from escaping into space, thus warming the planet.

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What are greenhouse gases?

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Greenhouse gases are gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation. Key examples include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

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What is a carbon sink?

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A carbon sink is any natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases, such as forests, oceans, and soil.

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How do cyanobacteria influence climate?

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Cyanobacteria, through photosynthesis, absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which historically contributed to global cooling during the Precambrian period.

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What is geoengineering?

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Geoengineering refers to large-scale interventions in the Earth's natural systems to counteract climate change, such as injecting aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight.

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What is carbon trading?

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Carbon trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants, particularly carbon dioxide.

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What is the role of trees in climate change mitigation?

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Trees act as carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, thus helping to reduce the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

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What is the impact of deforestation on climate change?

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Deforestation increases carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere by reducing the number of trees that can absorb CO2, contributing to global warming.

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What are the effects of global warming?

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Global warming leads to rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, and changes in agricultural productivity.