Northern Canada, usually experiencing very low temperatures, are now receiving much warmer temperatures which has started to give rise to many issues. One of the main challenges facing Northern Canada due to the warmer weather is the melting of the Permafrost and the destruction that it is causing to both living and non-living organisms. The word ‘Permafrost’ refers to a ground that remains “at or below the freezing point for at least two consecutive years” (Bone, 52). In Canada, almost 76% of the land is occupied by the Arctic and Subarctic regions, which has a combination of continuous, discontinuous and sporadic permafrost (Bone, 52). Continuous permafrost is mostly seen in the Arctic and almost 80% of it remains frozen. On the other hand, discontinuous permafrost is mostly seen in the subarctic and approximately 30% to 80% of the ground is frozen and finally sporadic permafrost is seen in parts of Canada closer to the south and has less than 30% of the ground permanently frozen (Bone, 53). However, in the past few decades, geographers have noticed that the average temperature of the planet is rising faster than it normally used to, which is a direct consequence of global warming. The permafrost has started to degrade causing negative effects on greenhouse gas emissions, man-made structure, vegetation, wildlife, sea ice and the lifestyle of the Inuit people in the North.
Canada’s population makes up almost 5% of the world population, and astonishingly contribute approximately 2% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This results in permafrost melting, which releases a large amount of greenhouse gases, including CO2 and methane. When energy from the sun reaches the Earth’s surface, it absorbs some energy, while releasing t...
... middle of paper ...
...mmittee. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. .
· "Peary Caribou." Wildlife Fact Sheets. Department of Enviornment, n.d. Web. 20
Feb. 2014.
· "Arctic Ground Squirrel - Spermophilus parryii." Nature Works. New Hampshire
Public Television, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
· Chung, Emily. "Arctic permafrost thaw will boost carbon emissions – Technology
& Science - CBC News." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 15 Aug. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. .
· "The Greenhouse Effect and Greenhouse Gasses." Kid's Crossing. The University
Corporation For Atmospheric Research, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
One of the main causes of the increase in Earth’s temperature is greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are gases that are trapped in the atmosphere. The gases consist of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. They trapped heat from the sun from returning back into the atmosphere. Over the last 100 hundred years we have increased the earth’s average temperature by 1.4 degree fahrenheit (Carey). This is mainly due to the fact we are producing ten times more greenhouse gas than before. It is exp...
Permafrost is permanently frozen soil which hasn’t melted in 2 years or more, it also makes up 24% of the land in the Northern Hemisphere and it stores massive amounts of carbon inside of it (Insert Citation). Permafrost contains large amounts of frozen organic matter and if this organic matter thaws out and starts to decay it will release carbon into the air. As a result of global warming and climate change, permafrost is at risk of melting, releasing the carbon trapped inside, it has been estimated that the permafrost contains 1700 gigatonnes of carbon inside of it (Insert Citation), which is double the amount of carbon in the atmosphere already and there is no way to stop the permafrost melting besides slowing it down by reducing our emissions. Figure 1 shows the northern hemisphere and how much of the land contains permafrost. It can be seen that there is a significant amount of permafrost in the northern hemisphere and if this were to melt there would be a dramatic increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
First, global warming has an immense impact on Arctic Sovereignty as the rise of greenhouse gases thrive in Canada along with other countries. Within 20 years, the polar ice caps of the Arctic have melted twice as fast compared to before. The loss of Arctic ice can furthermore pose a threat to shipping, as navigating the Arctic becomes increasingly challenging. Finally, climate change threatens the extinction of numerous animal species, namely the polar bear. Hence, global warming poses a major challenge to Arctic Sovereignty and Canada along with other members in the Arctic Council must prevent it.
The book by David Archer (2009) includes details that will make the readers understand the future of climate change as well as past events that have changed the present climate, as we know it. David Archer is a professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago and has done many public presentations on the earth’s climate change before releasing his book, the long Thaw.
Global warming is the greatest challenge facing our planet. It is one of the widely discussed topics because global warming is a threat to all living things on Earth. The animals and people in the arctic are already experiencing this. The earth’s temperature dramatically increased during the past 50 years and now, ice caps are melting w...
People are responsible for higher carbon dioxide atmosphere emissions, while the Earth is now into the Little Ice Age, or just behind it. These factors together cause many years discussions of the main sources of climate changes and the temperature increasing as a result of human been or natural changes and its consequences; even if its lead to the global warming, or to the Earth’s cooling. In their articles, “Global Warming Is Eroding Glacial Ice” by Andrew C. Revkin and “Global Warming Is Not a Threat to Polar Ice” by Philip Stott, both authors discuss these two theories (Revkin 340; Stott 344). Revkin is right that global warming is taking place. Significant increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is due to human activities combined with natural factors such as volcanic emissions and solar radiation – all together they lead to climate changes and temperatures rising. At the same time, other factors such as deforestation contribute to environmental changes for some glaciers not less than air pollution. However, during global warming not all regions of the planet are affected in the same way, local warming and cooling are both possible during these changes.
Climate change is a long term shift in weather conditions identified by gradual changes in temperature, precipitation, winds and other natural indicators. According to the lecture, Earth is 5 million kms closer to the sun at its orbital point that is making the earth’s crust warmer day by day. Canada has taken various steps to slow the rate of climate change both locally and internationally. Over the years the average temperature of Canada has increased by 1.6 degrees Celsius. The gradual change in climate is the most important factor in changing the environment and the availability of resources.
On average, the temperature on the Earth’s surface has increased at 0.6°C over the last two centuries (greenfacts). Statistics show that in 2100 the Arctic temperatures as high as 7°C above pre-industrial levels (greenfacts). Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in the last century (NASA). Climate change is probably the most urgent problem facing our society today. Canada, as an active member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has played an effective role in dealing with global warming to reduce the rate of climate change. Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol and joining UNFCCC, the Paris climate agreement, and helping Canadians adapt to climate change.
The topic of climate change and global warming has always been one of great debate and controversy; however, it’s clear to see that Canadians should take precautions to avoid the problems their country faces. The Canadian government should do everyth...
Climate change is occurring at unprecedented rates and is mainly caused by the human expansion of the “greenhouse’ effect which can eventually cause potentially damaging effects in the decades ahead. The natural greenhouse effect is paramount to the maintenance of life because it regulates the Earth's surface temperature from becoming too cold that is unsuitable for life. The earth naturally produces greenhouse gases that make up the earth's atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These naturally produced gases are good for the earth in certain quantities by protecting it from receiving an excess amount of energy from the sun. When the sun shines light rays onto the earth, a number of the rays are absorbed by the planet, while much of the rays are reflected back to the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases within the atmosphere absorb some of this energy, whereas the rest is reflected back into space, as a naturally occurring cycle that is required to keep the Earth's surface warmer. The problem is that humans are producing far too much amount of greenhouse gases as a result of increased human activities that demand the utilization of energy, which has led to emissions and a elevate in greenhouse gases. A rise within these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere means more heat is trapped in the atmosphere, which tilts the odds of a warmer average temperature that has a greater chance to influence climate change. Nevertheless, a small increase in temperature grows the odds of the negative effects of climate change. Particularly, as the conditions on the planet get warmer due to the number of greenhouse gases being produced there is an increase in the occurrence of record-breaking events including heat waves, droughts, elevating sea level, and the increase prevalence of extreme weather. With the perpetuating vicious cycle,
It is an unquestioned fact that the climate is changing. There is abundant evidence that the world is becoming warmer and warmer. The temperature of the global land average temperature has increased by about 8.5 degrees centigrade from 1880 to 2012 (Karr, et al 406). The one or two degrees increase in temperature can cause dramatic and serious consequences to the earth as well as humans. More extreme weather occurs, such as heat waves and droughts. The Arctic Region is especially sensitive to global climate change. According to the data in recent decades, the temperature in the Arctic has increased by more than 2 degrees centigrade in the recent half century (Przybylak 316). Climate change has led to a series of environmental and ecological negative
Meehl, Gerald A. "Solar and Greenhouse Gas Forcing and Climate Response in the TwentiethCentury." 2012. Web 13 May 2015
Global warming is a serious problem with two major effects which are increasing in sea level and degradation of wild lives. Increase in sea level is affecting the entire landmass of the earth. According to NASA, the polar ice cap is melting at the alarming rate of nine percent per decade. Arctic ice thickness has decreased 40 percent since the 1960s (Oskin). The amount of water is more than the land in our planet. If this global warming continues at this pace, soon there will be no ground left on earth. The terrestrial animals will be exterminated from the earth if glo...
The earth is a complex system, which continues to evolve and change. Climate change and global warming are currently popular in the political agenda. But what does “climate” really mean? The difference between weather and climate can be conveyed in a single sentence: “Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get.” Based on research of the geologic record, we know that climate change has happened throughout Earth's history and at present, ever-increasing evidence points to the roles that humans play in altering Earth systems. The Earth and its atmosphere receive heat energy from the sun; the atmospheric heat budget of the Earth depends on the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing radiation from the planet; which has been constant over the last few thousand years. However present evidence seems to suggest that the recent increase in temperature has been brought about by pollution of the atmosphere, in particular the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide, mostly through Anthropogenic Forcing (human activity) and other various internal and external factors. I...
Global warming is an increase in the earth's temperature due to fossil fuels, industry, and agricultural processes caused by human, natural, and other gas emissions. This results in an increased evacuation of greenhouse gases. “Short-wave solar radiation sinks into the Earth's atmosphere and warms its surface while long-wave infrared radiation emitted by earth's surface is absorbed, and then re-emitted by trace gases.” (2)