Chapter 22. Chapter 22: Climate Change
What are the projections for future warming and what are the potential effects of future warming?
Guiding Question 22.4
What are the projections for future warming, and what are the potential effects of future warming?
Why You Should Care
Predictions of future climate change hinge on knowing future levels of the greenhouse gases and computer models that accurately predict climate. Current IPCC scenarios about climate change are broken up by different assumptions about the amount of greenhouse gases the world emits each year and how quickly those levels decrease. Best-case scenarios predict a stable climate and minimal additional environmental impacts if the world quickly returns to emission levels from the year 2000. The worst-case scenario predicts a 3–4 degrees C increase by 2050 if the world continues the recent rate of increasing emissions and a slow transition to renewable energy sources.
Increased temperatures could lead to higher agricultural yields, but only up to a certain temperature because then drought would start decreasing yields. All warming scenarios lead to less ice and thus higher sea levels, which is a serious issue for the nearly 70% of the world’s population that lives on coastal plains.
Question Test Your Vocabulary
Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| vGrgynhwD9bEMKkmuJuewrc4qhuFOoq7vzCJ8MBE2Ea0zmQhVP7hvNJGTWQ9qW586huP0+YIvUNpWSaE4bnS2Lhlwo0= | Efforts intended to minimize the extent or impact of a problem such as climate change. |
| 8mYf82VMj57LMBEYdnB0N2DZvWI+Vs6SulgLYi6wYWxI9FFbBswTc/O0sj+3JyM+lpNV1kcoc9+oBFgsyyCtmlDYPPk= | Acting in a way that leaves a safety margin when the data are uncertain or severe consequences are possible. |
| 1hltFAGnkb0qbAcqtOy5t6L3+eDy0gj+vGNzg47Gnr/Ugoexs3SG6L0CNIVzldELXGVpuqs8hRlj1+K7RsI0kjwnDGU= | Governmental fees imposed on activities that release CO2 into the atmosphere, usually on fossil fuel use. |
| AAjnITDskeDrUS3g+UUEJY1MNzgw9T9Cz9MdrP6Sx7SifZpo/Movc/W3qNnQyKBDkYt4KDf7ro1z7pyJCZ7FdSCGUvg= | Efforts intended to help deal with a problem that exists, such as climate change. |
Question 22.1
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PXBzGyOQUSr1R/zpU5GVjm/S3IpMZqTlCVzR/djWztEsA9DhRRtvj1GyPsri6KDT/tDin9tzKl32AMtjo0A3erq+RneS4XyMsWffMVaAtv9X8BL3d+xVtfR9wxzaAGVB+kei8w1978sB0ieq9VPdyC4TaG6SX4wmRGP5uN++0EtnSqc6ol92jRCOhjZ8S9JBcJLX+CSAJzLgbvTmYCRtEmwPh3rTfkAGab8IgBHzRBY/4UwibX+FFy6QhasDqME5A1RhRNSDNrLBKkf2RhtIRr27WM5aamrYHwOWJr6jscJVX6bPuMbbUKL+oxc8UusCTxaZIm3r5PuH2zzLpnqbCnLShjSXTcd8s/sMGwn3jJH+6l2gcz1nijBKKIJSa2nfXEfVoSuIT5GARTqs5AZpevomP3UgyCj51TCfPZUN5qoJC6Dpbe9ZXw==Question 22.3
S5Jt2z+VYCQVZpexIohNfnfN1Ou5u84YSY+VIIcAojekQYw1Kh47D1ck6oeKQ6YtKCdcNcG0SBuJLHh4j7Do4ubIKPygnoqrGw10x+tb6WklP2H0MVW/lWFIAWRvi6Ah