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Congress Must Pass the Build Back Better Act To Combat Climate Change

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The Build Back Better Act includes transformational climate investments that will position the United States to achieve an equitable and just 100 percent clean energy economy.

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How climate change is affecting rainforest animals

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How climate change is affecting rainforest animals

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Climate change is wiping out bamboo, which puts giant pandas in danger.

Giant pandas reside in the bamboo rainforests of China, and they rely solely on bamboo for food. Only 1,500 giant pandas exist in the wild today, according to National Geographic.

The creatures spend half of their day eating and consume up to 15% of their body weight in bamboo. But the tree-like plant is particularly vulnerable to effects from climate change, especially , increasing temperatures, because of its unique reproductive cycle - bamboo only flowers every three decades as reported by the Guardian.

A 2012 study published in the journal Nature Climate Change illustrated the importance of bamboo to the survival of giant pandas and other animals that rely on the plant for food and shelter. The scientists studied the bamboo in the Qinling Mountains of China and concluded that most species of bamboo will likely die off completely by the end of this century.

Asian elephants are losing access to fresh water.

According to the It's projected that World Wildlife Fund, Asian elephants are under direct threat from climate change because they are sensitive to high temperatures and do not adapt easily to changing climates. temperatures will rise across South and Southeast Asia, and the region is also projected to see increases in heavy rain events during the wet seasons and a higher frequency of drought. This directly impacts Asian elephants as their daily activities, reproduction, and migration are all tied to having an available water source.

Fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants are alive today, and their numbers decline every year.

Asian elephants, which weight 11,000 pounds on average, also need vast amounts of water to remain healthy and active. But climate change is limiting their access to fresh water because of changing weather.

Philippine eagles are facing habitat destruction.

Philippine eagles are often called monkey-eating eagles, since their main food source is small monkeys like macaques. The eagles live in tropical rainforests, nesting among the highest branches and hunting for prey among the trees.

Philippine eagles are in danger of going extinct , with only an estimated 200 currently alive, according to Smithsonian magazine. The birds have an unusually low reproduction rate, often laying just a single egg in a year.

Philippine eagles' population is declining due to rising temperatures, and they are also at risk because of the pollution and pesticides that their prey ingests. But their biggest threat is deforestation and logging, which has left the majority of Philippine eagles homeless.

Rising temperatures have forced toucans away from their natural habitat.

Toucans are large-billed birds found in the rainforests of South and Central America. As average temperatures increase around the world, toucans have gradually moved into more mountainous regions, since they prefer lower temperatures.

In Costa Rica , toucans have been migrating in large groups into the mountainous Bajo del Tigre forest reserve to escape the heat. Unfortunately, as they leave their natural habitats, toucans disrupt their own ecosystem and others , according to Friends of the Rainforest.

Toucans prefer to eat bird eggs, so when they arrive in new areas, they eat the eggs of other birds, some of which can also be endangered. If toucans decimate the populations of those other tropical birds, they also wind up limiting their own food resources.

Hawaiian honeycreepers are nearly extinct.

Hawaiian honeycreepers are native to the tropical rainforests of Hawaii. Fifty species of honeycreeper once existed, but today that number has dwindled to only 18, according to the Guardian.

A 2016 report published in the journal Science Advances warned that honeycreepers are in danger of going extinct in the next 10 years because of high temperatures and reduced resources.

"This study showed us two things: one, that the ones we already knew were in trouble were in even worse trouble than we thought - like, much worse trouble," study co-author Lisa Crampton told The Verge. "And two, species that we thought were doing okay were actually now in trouble. So it was a really worrisome finding."

Lemuroid ringtail possums cannot live in the heat.

Lemuroid ringtail possums live in the upper canopy of tropical rainforests in Cairns, Australia. But climate change has impacted the population of the l possums, since they cannot survive in temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit ( 30 degrees Celsius) for longer than four hours , according to the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science.

Rising temperatures have also reduced the amount of livable, moist canopies in the rainforest, leading lemuroid ringtail possum populations to decline. Active survey work is underway to determine how many of these creatures still exist.

Manatees are dying off in Florida due to cold spells.

As average global temperatures get higher, that can lead to more extreme weather and changes in precipitation. Those changes can even include abnormal cold spells and record-low temperatures. In Florida this year, 166 manatees died in the wintry months of January and February, Florida Today reported.

"Florida's manatees are one big freeze away from an ecological disaster and need more, not less, protection," Jeff Ruch, executive director of the group Protecting Employees who Protect our Environment ( PEER) Executive Director Jeff Ruch said in a press release. "Manatees may join polar bears as one of the first iconic victims of extinction in the wild from climate change ... Florida must start doing a better job of reducing water pollution and protecting vital warm springs habitat if it expects to restore healthy manatee populations."

Bengal tigers are being threatened by rising sea levels.

According to the World Wildlife Fund , Bengal tigers may go extinct by the end of the century. As of this year, there are only 2,500 Bengal tigers left in the wild .

Climate change has led to rising sea levels, which are destroying vital Bengal tiger habitats along the coast of Bangladesh.

"If we don't take steps to address the impacts of climate change on the Sundarbans, the only way its tigers will survive this century is with scuba gear," Colby Loucks , the World Wildlife Fund's deputy director of conservation, said in a release. "Tigers are a highly adaptable species, thriving from the snowy forests of Russia to the tropical forests of Indonesia. The projected sea-level rise in the Sundarbans will likely outpace the tiger's ability to adapt."

Climate change has led humans to invade the habitats of mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas are critically endangered apes that now face an additional threat from climate change. As temperatures increase, droughts are lasting longer and water sources are drying up in places like Rwanda, where a majority of mountain gorillas reside.

That has led local people to start penetrating deeper into the forest, increasing contact between humans and gorillas. That means gorillas' resources are being taken, their habitats threatened, and their health put at risk by diseases from people.

"Climate change has an impact on the viability of gorilla populations. If there are any changes to food availability, then gorillas' nutrition and food intake is affected, which makes them more sensitive to diseases," Dr. Jean-Bosco Noheri, a veterinarian specializing in gorilla health, told Pacific Standard .

Chimpanzees could disappear in the next six decades.

Chimpanzees - our closest living relatives - are an chimpanzees could disappear entirely by the year 2080, endangered species . Though conservation efforts are underway, Climate News Network reported.

Climate change has impacted weather patterns in Central Africa, causing erratic rainfall patterns that led to the loss of chimp habitats. In a 2015 study published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology , scientists created models of that habitat loss and estimated the likelihood of chimpanzee survival over time.

"Preliminary projections suggest that rainfall patterns will change dramatically in this region of Africa, which will result in significant alterations of forest and savanna habitats," the study said. "Models of global climate change also have been used to show that 30% of plant and animal species are at risk of extinction if the rise in mean global temperature exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius - an increase that is nearly certain to occur."

Keep reading

More: Freelancer Endangered Species Climate Change Evergreen story

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10 rainforest animals that may go extinct because of climate change

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Climate change is wiping out bamboo, which puts giant pandas in danger. Giant pandas reside in the bamboo rainforests of China, and they rely solely on bamboo for food. Only 1,500 giant pandas exist in the wild today, according to National Geographic.

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You don't have to be big to make a big impact! Here are some great ways that kids can help save rainforests.

Sign up for useful tips to green your life and protect our planet.

1. Ask your parents to buy foods-like bananas and coffee-that are grown in a sustainable way-In a way that is safe for the environment, for wildlife, and for people.

2. Do a class project to learn more about rainforests and the plants and animals that live there. Create a skit, write a story, or decorate your classroom to look like a real rainforest. Use our coloring pages to get you started.

3. Have a bake sale, garage sale, or school fundraiser to raise money to donate to an organization that works to conserve rainforests.

4. Read about other children who live in and near the rainforest; see how they and their families depend on the plants and animals in the rainforest.

5. Tell your friends and family about how important the rainforests are, or ask your teacher to teach your class more about rainforests.

6. Use less paper-re-use paper instead of throwing it out. Cut it up to use as a notepad, or recycle the paper you use. Ask your parents and teacher about how they recycle their paper.

7. Ask your school to buy environmentally friendly paper.

8. Write a letter and post on social media (with an @ mention) to thank organizations and companies that are working to protect the rainforest.

9. Look at a map of the world with your parents or teacher, and point out the places where rainforests exist.

10. Look around your home for things you use or eat that originate in the rainforest; Think about how many things that we use every day originate in the rainforest, and how it would affect you if they were no longer around.

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10 Easy Ways Kids Can Help Save Rainforests

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Here are some great ways that kids can help save rainforests. You don't have to be big to make a big impact!

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Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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What is COP26?

COP26 was a big conference where leaders from all over the world came together to discuss how we are going to tackle climate change.

There has been other COPs in the past. COP stands for 'Conference of the Parties' and because this was the 26th time they have met it was called COP26.

COP26 takes place in different places every few years, for example the COP conference before COP26 was in Madrid - the capital of Spain. The COP meeting in Madrid finished with lots of countries saying they planned to take climate change more seriously but also lots of big issues were unresolved. An agreement was made about cutting carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas that causes global warming.

COP26 was held in Glasgow.

The first COP was nearly 30 years ago. 30 years ago climate change was not considered as important as it is now and many countries and people didn't want to make the changes needed to stop climate change happening.

What happened at COP26?

When talking about COP26 Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "Securing a brighter future for our children and future generations requires countries to take urgent action at home and abroad to turn the tide on climate change."

Hear what Boris Johnson said when we asked him your Climate Questions.

World leaders discussed what changes should be made and when they will make these changes by. This COP was very important because people have described this COP as "the best last chance we have to slow climate change". Many people like climate activist Greta Thunberg say that the science shows that if we don't commit to action now then we will set off a series of irreversible changes.

Here's what happened:

Countries made a COP26 agreement

The agreement - although not legally binding - will set the global agenda on climate change for the next decade:
Carbon dioxide emissions
Countries agreed to meet next year to make further promises to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and to try and make sure that the temperature doesn't rise beyond 1.5 degrees of warming.

Current pledges, if met, will only limit global warming to about 2.4C.
Coal
Coal causes 40% of CO2 emissions. This was the first COP conference where there has been an explicit plan to reduce coal however people have criticised the plan as countries changed their commitment from 'phase out' to phase down' after intervention from China and India.
Developing countries
The agreement pledged to give more money to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate change and make the switch to renewable energy. In general poorer countries suffer the consequences of climate change more than rich countries despite contributing to causing climate change less.

However some Latin American and African countries felt not enough was being pledged in these promises and that to really help more needed to be done.
Fossil fuel subsidies
World leaders agreed to phase-out subsidies, that means when things are made cheaper by the government, of fossil fuels.

However they have not set a date for when they need to do this by which some people say makes this a weak promise.

What else was agreed at COP26?
Ending deforestation
Leaders from over 100 countries promised to stop deforestation by 2030. Forests absorb lots of CO2 so this is really positive however some people say 2030 is too far away and there isn't a way to make sure countries stick to it.
Methane
More than 100 countries agreed to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of CO2 in the first 20 years it is emitted into the atmosphere so cutting methane could really helps tackle climate change.

However China, Russia and India haven't joined the agreement.

How do we know countries will keep their pledges?

Most of the decisions made at COP26 aren't promises and so we have to just trust that countries will do what they've said they will.

Only a few countries are making their pledges legally binding.

Why we need Climate Heroes

This is our world and we only have one.

It is important that we protect the Earth and reduce the impacts of climate change for lots of reasons.

Climate Change is affecting families all over the world - some families have lost their homes due to flooding or wildfires which are all consequences of climate change. Although we are lucky that in the U.K. we are not suffering from the worst impacts of climate change it is important we help other people across the world who haven't been as lucky. If we don't change now then there will be more extreme weather like heatwaves, storms and floods.

Climate Change is hurting wildlife - When climates get warmer it changes the environment and due to the effects of climate change on animals habitats some animals are becoming extinct. Climate change causes the ice caps to melt which means polar bears have less and less space to live. As the world gets warmer so does the ocean which hurts sea life all over the world.

Climate Change is a really big problem, so we need YOU to become a Climate Hero and help tackle the problem.

There is lots you can do and there is already lots being done by scientists and world leaders.

Become a Climate Hero and save the world!

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What was COP26, What Happened and Why Do We Need Climate Heroes? - Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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COP26 was a big conference where leaders from all over the world came together to discuss how we are going to tackle climate change. There has been other COPs in the past. COP stands for 'Conference of the Parties' and because this was the 26th time they have met it was called COP26.

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Washington Post article on deforestation in Amazon

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Washington Post article on deforestation in Amazon

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The Amazon rainforest, in the Amazonas state in Brazil, is losing resilience, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change. (Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg News)

Viewed from space, the Amazon rainforest doesn't look like an ecosystem on the brink. Clouds still coalesce from the breath of some 390 billion trees. Rivers snake their way through what appears to be a sea of endless green.

Yet satellite images taken over the past several decades reveal that more than 75 percent of the rainforest is losing resilience, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change. The vegetation is drier and takes longer to regenerate after a disturbance. Even the most densely forested tracts struggle to bounce back.

This widespread weakness offers an early warning sign that the Amazon is nearing its " tipping point," the study's authors say. Amid rising temperatures and other human pressures, the ecosystem could suffer sudden and irreversible dieback. More than half of the rainforest could be converted into savanna in a matter of decades - a transition that would imperil biodiversity, shift regional weather patterns and dramatically accelerate climate change.

Historically, the Amazon has been one of Earth's most important "carbon sinks," pulling billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in vegetation. Researchers fear that this carbon's sudden release would put humanity's most ambitious climate goal - limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) - out of reach.

"As a scientist, I am not supposed to have anxiety. But after reading this paper, I am very, very anxious," said Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist at the University of São Paulo's Institute of Advanced Studies, who was not involved in the new research. "This paper shows we are moving in the completely wrong direction ... If we exceed the tipping point, that's very bad news."

Latest U.N. report shows what will be lost - and what can still be saved - as Earth warms

The Amazon is one of several "tipping elements" in the global climate, scientists say. Rather than steadily worsening as the planet warms, these systems have the potential to abruptly switch from one phase to another - possibly with very little warning.

For the past 50 million years, the Amazon has been in a wet rainforest phase. The trees themselves ensured their continued existence: Water evaporating from leaves created an endless loop of rainfall, while the dense canopy prevented sunlight from drying out the soil. The contours of the forest may have shifted somewhat in response to ice ages, wildfires and rising seas, but it was always able to return to its lush, verdant state.

Yet human-caused warming and deforestation have hijacked this self-reinforcing system. Hotter conditions in the Atlantic Ocean have extended the Amazon's dry season by several weeks. By felling roughly 17 percent of its trees, people have undercut the forest's water recycling mechanism. Trees stressed by drought are more vulnerable to wildfires. And the more trees die, the less rain falls, which in turn makes tree die-offs worse.

At a certain point, the ecosystem will lose more trees than it can recover in these hot, dry conditions. The dark, dense, damp tropical rainforest will give way to a more open savanna.

Mathematician Niklas Boers, who contributed to the new paper, compared it to someone leaning back in a chair. If they don't tilt too far, they can easily return to having all four legs on the floor. But once they pass the tipping point, the whole system comes crashing down. And it is much harder to get up again than it was to fall.

The satellite imagery Boers and his colleagues analyzed suggests that the Amazon is still wobbling on the edge of tipping, the scientists say. Looking at tracts of forest with at least 80 percent broadleaf tree cover - areas that have not been heavily affected by deforestation - researchers found that the vast majority of forest patches recover more slowly after seasonal fluctuations than they did 20 years ago. Tracts in the rainforest's drier southern reaches, as well as ones that were closer to roads, suffered the most.

"The resilience loss we have observed means we have likely moved closer to that critical point," said Boers, who studies earth system dynamics at the Technical University of Munich and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impacts Research. "But it also means we haven't passed the tipping point, so there's hope."

The Nature Climate Change paper does not pinpoint when the Amazon could cross this dangerous threshold. Even once the ecosystem has been completely destabilized, it may persist until an outside force - for example, a megafire or severe drought - pushes it over the edge. The moment of no return might not be obvious until it's too late to do something, said lead author Chris Boulton, a climate scientist at University of Exeter.

"My friend uses the idea of Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff," Boulton said. "He looks fine, and he suddenly looks down and realizes he's gone over the cliff."

That's what makes this study - the first empirical assessment of instability across the entire rainforest - so valuable, he added. "If we're showing that one of these systems is moving toward a tipping point, that might make people wake up," Boulton said.

Thomas E. Lovejoy III, the man who brought U.S. policymakers to see the Amazon firsthand

For the 10 percent of known species that make their homes in the Amazon, loss of the rainforest could signal a death knell. Catastrophic dieback would imperil millions of people who rely on the ecosystem for food; 70 percent of the rain that falls in northern Argentina, a South American breadbasket, comes from Amazonian trees.

Exceeding the Amazon's tipping point would also unleash several years' worth of global greenhouse gas pollution into the atmosphere. Already, studies show some areas of the Amazon are producing about 300 million tons more carbon than they pull out of the air - an amount roughly equal to annual emissions from Japan.

The warming consequences of suddenly losing half the rainforest would be felt thousands of miles away and for centuries into the future, scientists warn. It would mean escalating storms and worsening wildfires, chronic food shortages and nearly a foot of sea level rise inundating coastal communities. It could trigger other tipping points, such as the melting of ice sheets or the disruption of the South American monsoon.

Yet unlike ice sheets and monsoon systems, which respond solely to the amount of heat humans are trapping in Earth's atmosphere, the Amazon is being pushed toward its tipping point by two forces: deforestation and climate change. This also gives Boers hope, because it means humanity has two strategies for protecting the ecosystem.

"If we take one of those factors out of the equation, my intuition would be that the system would be able to cope with it," he said. "That's exactly what one should tell the Brazilian, Columbian and Peruvian governments: Stop deforestation today."

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Satellite images show the Amazon rainforest is hurtling toward a 'tipping point'

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Viewed from space, the Amazon rainforest doesn't look like an ecosystem on the brink. Clouds still coalesce from the breath of some 390 billion trees. Rivers snake their way through what appears to be a sea of endless green.

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Humans must drastically alter food production to prevent the most catastrophic effects of global warming, according to a new report from the United Nations panel on climate change.

The panel of scientists looked at the climate change effects of agriculture, deforestation and other land use, such as harvesting peat and managing grasslands and wetlands. Together, those activities generate about a third of human greenhouse gas emissions, including more than 40% of methane.

That's important because methane is particularly good at trapping heat in the atmosphere. And the problem is getting more severe.

"Emissions from agricultural production are projected to increase," the authors warn. "Delaying action" on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, they continue, "could result in some irreversible impacts on some ecosystems."

This is the latest in a series of reports from the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The new reportadds weight and detail to a warning put out by the same panel of scientists last fall, in which they sounded the alarm about the inadequacy of the pledges countries have made so far to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

At that time, the panel broadly suggested that farmland would need to shrink and forests would need to grow to keep Earth from getting more than 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than it was in the preindustrial era. Global temperatures have already risen about 1 degree Celsius in the past 150 years.

To meet that temperature target, global greenhouse gas emissions will need to fall by 40% to 50% in the next decade. Scientists say the only way to achieve that reduction is to significantly increase the amount of land that's covered in trees and other vegetation and significantly reduce the amount of methane and other greenhouse gases that come from raising livestock such as cows, sheep and goats.

The new report offers some broad suggestions for how countries might achieve that. For example, for countries that have lost tree cover in the past century, reforestation can help suck greenhouse gases out of the air, while also preventing soil from drying up. Reducing food waste can also help: The report estimates food waste accounts for as much as 10 percent of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. (Check out these tips on reducing food waste in your own home.)

Controlling emissions from agriculture is also a food-security issue. Greenhouse gases from food production create a vicious cycle: As Earth gets hotter, farming gets more difficult in many places, which forces farmers to clear more land to grow food.

"Climate change, including increases in frequency and intensity of extremes, has adversely impacted food security and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as contributed to desertification and land degradation in many regions," the report's authors write.

If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, as they are doing today, it will exacerbate those challenges and eventually make it all but impossible to control global warming without creating serious food shortages.

The U.N. panel is the latest group of experts to grapple with a global conundrum: how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, deforestation and other land use without creating food shortages or displacing people whose livelihoods rely on practices that are unsustainable globally.

Scientists and economists have been studying the effects of our diets on the environment for years. There's a growing consensus that a transition to a more plant-centered diet would help.

Currently, about 50% of the globe's vegetated land is dedicated to agriculture - and about 30% of cropland is used to grow grain for animal feed. Given how much land it takes to grow food to feed livestock, meat production is a leading cause of deforestation.

A report released last month by the World Resources Institute finds that if current dietary patterns continue, an additional 593 million hectares - which is almost twice the size of India - would be needed to feed the projected 9.8 billion people (the anticipated population) by 2050.

Right now, agriculture generates an estimated 25% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, according to the WRI; that's when you combine food production and the land-use changes associated with farming, such as clearing vegetation and plowing.

If current trends continue, but agricultural productivity does not increase beyond 2010 levels, the WRI report concludes that most of the globe's remaining forests would need to be cleared to feed the world. And the globe would exceed the greenhouse gas emission targets set by the Paris climate agreement.

As we've reported:

"The WRI estimates that if people in the U.S. and other heavy meat-eating countries reduced their consumption of beef (and other meat from ruminants) to about 1.5 burgers per person, per week, it would 'nearly eliminate the need for additional agricultural expansion (and associated deforestation), even in a world with 10 billion people.' "

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To Slow Global Warming, U.N. Warns Agriculture Must Change

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Humans must drastically alter food production to prevent the most catastrophic effects of global warming, according to a new report from the United Nations panel on climate change. The panel of scientists looked at the climate change effects of agriculture, deforestation and other land use, such as harvesting peat and managing grasslands and wetlands.

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This article is more than 4 years old

Deforestation and the carbon cycle

Forests store large amounts of carbon. Trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. This is converted into carbon and stored in the plant's branches, leaves, trunks, roots and in the soil.

When forests are cleared or burnt, stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, mainly as carbon dioxide. Averaged over 2015-2017, global loss of tropical forests contributed about 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year (or about 8-10% of annual human emissions of carbon dioxide).

Whilst forests are important carbon sinks, meaning they draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the carbon stored in these sinks is part of an active, relatively quick carbon cycle. As living things (including trees) die and decay, the carbon that they once stored is released back into the atmosphere.

By contrast, carbon stored underground in the form of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, is much more stable, and is part of a much slower carbon cycle. Without the influence of humans burning these fossil fuels for energy, this carbon would be unlikely to reach the atmosphere. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon from dead and decayed plants, animals and phytoplankton that lived hundreds of millions of years ago (before dinosaurs existed), is released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide.
For the latest information about climate science from Australia's leading climate communicators, sign up to the Climate Council today.
Haze from forest fires blankets a an area of deforestation. Image: CIFOR (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Deforestation and climate change

Burning fossil fuels, in combination with destruction of carbon sinks due to deforestation and other activities, has contributed to more and more carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere - more than can be absorbed from existing carbon sinks such as forests. The build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is driving global warming, as it traps heat in the lower atmosphere. Carbon dioxide levels are now at their highest in human history.

It is not effective to "offset" greenhouse gas pollution from burning fossil fuels by storing carbon in forests. This is because fossil fuels are pumping much more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than existing forests can absorb. At the same time, carbon stores in forests and other natural carbon sinks will become increasingly unstable as climate change progresses. Droughts, tropical storms, heatwaves and fire weather are increasing in severity and frequency because of climate change. This will continue to result in increases in forest losses, contributing to more and more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. Risks are significantly reduced but not avoided by keeping the rise in global temperature well below 2°C.

The future

Protecting natural ecosystems and sustainably managing and re-establishing forests are important ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow down temperature rise in the short term by drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. At the same time, we must deeply and rapidly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions levels from fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas. If we do only the former and not the latter, we risk transforming more and more of our carbon sinks into carbon sources as climate change progresses.
Land Carbon: No Substitute for Action on Fossil Fuels
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To learn more about this topic, read our report:

By Annika Dean / 21 August 2019

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Deforestation and Climate Change | Climate Council

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Forests store large amounts of carbon. Deforestation releases this stored CO2 back into the atmosphere, further contributing to climate change.

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Relationship between deforestation and climate change

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Relationship between deforestation and climate change

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What, exactly, is the relationship between deforestation and climate change? The Rainforest Alliance breaks down the numbers for you-and explains our innovative approach to keeping forests standing.

Among the many gifts forests give us is one we desperately need: help with slowing climate change. Trees capture greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide, preventing them from accumulating in the atmosphere and warming our planet.

When we clear forests, we're not only knocking out our best ally in capturing the staggering amount of GHGs we humans create (which we do primarily by burning fossil fuels at energy facilities, and of course, in cars, planes, and trains). We're also creating emissions by cutting down trees: when trees are felled, they release into the atmosphere all the carbon they've been storing. What the deforesters do with the felled trees-either leaving them to rot on the forest floor or burning them-creates further emissions. All told, deforestation on its own causes about 10 percent of worldwide emissions.

Knowing that deforestation robs us of a crucial weapon in the battle against climate change-and creates further emissions-why on Earth would anyone clear a forest? The main reason is agriculture. The world's exploding population has made it profitable for big business to raze forests so it can plant mega crops like soy and oil palm; meanwhile, on a much, much smaller scale, subsistence farmers often clear trees so they can plant crops to feed their families and bring in small amounts of cash.

But there's a tragic irony to clearing rainforests for agriculture: their underlying soils are extremely poor. All the nutrient-richness is locked up in the forests themselves, so once they are burned and the nutrients from their ashes are used up, farmers are left with utterly useless soil. So on they go to the next patch of forest: raze, plant, deplete, repeat. All told, agriculture is responsible for at least 80 percent of tropical deforestation.

Not surprisingly, agriculture causes emissions, too-in fact, farm emissions are second only to those of the energy sector in the dubious contest for the emissions title. In 2011, farms were responsible for about 13 percent of total global emissions. Most farm-related emissions come in the form of methane (cattle belching) and nitrous oxide (from fertilizers and the like).

All told, deforestation causes a triple-whammy of global warming:

1. We lose a crucial ally in keeping excess carbon out of the atmosphere (and in slowing global warming),

2. Even more emissions are created when felled trees release the carbon they'd been storing, and rot or burn on the forest floor, and

3. What most often replaces the now-vanished forest, livestock and crops, generate massive amounts of even more greenhouse gases. Taken together, these emissions account for a quarter of all emissions worldwide.

Our accounting of the ugly impacts of deforestation only considers emissions and doesn't even touched on how the lives and traditions of forest communities are ruined when forests are razed, or how many species of plants and animals are lost, upsetting the delicate balance of ecosystems. The uptick in mosquito-borne diseases, for example, or the rapid spread of roya, an insidious plant disease that threatens our supply of coffee are all indirect consequences of deforestation and global warming.

There's no doubt about it: the best thing we can do to fight climate change is keep forests standing. Yet the need to feed a rapidly growing global population-projected to reach 9 billion by 2050-is urgent. That's why the Rainforest Alliance works with farmers to advance a variety of strategies, such as crop intensification (growing more food on less land), and with traditional forest-dwellers to develop livelihoods that don't hurt forests or ecosystems. We stand more of a chance in this fight with forests standing strong.

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What is the Relationship Between Deforestation And Climate Change?

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What, exactly, is the relationship between deforestation and climate change? The Rainforest Alliance breaks down the numbers for you-and explains our innovative approach to keeping forests standing. Among the many gifts forests give us is one we desperately need: help with slowing climate change.

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This page will help you understand the science behind climate change, the impacts of a changing climate, and how you can help slow climate change and prepare for it. We've also created a list of resources and activities for educators and students of all ages.

The Science

Science paints a clear picture: Climate change is happening; it is caused mostly by humans; and it creates many serious and damaging effects. The primary cause of climate change is human activities - like driving cars, creating electricity, and cutting down forests - not natural changes in the climate. These human activities release gases into the atmosphere called greenhouse gases, which slowly warm the planet, creating climate change.

The climate is very complex, and there are still some things we don't know about it. But through centuries of studies and experiments, we've been able to create a strong understanding of how the system works, and how humans are changing it.

The Greenhouse Effect

Imagine a greenhouse made of glass used to grow plants, like flowers and vegetables. The greenhouse keeps the plants inside warm even when it's cold outside because it traps heat from the sun. The earth's atmosphere acts like a greenhouse: When light from the sun passes through the atmosphere, some of it is absorbed by the Earth's surface to heat it, but some heat is also trapped in our atmosphere by certain gases. These heat-trapping gases are called greenhouse gases, and they act like a blanket, keeping the earth warm. This greenhouse effect is a natural process that makes the planet comfortable to live.

But human activities are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. One type of greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, has reached a level in our atmosphere that the Earth hasn't seen for more than 400,000 years! Plants, soils, and the ocean can absorb carbon dioxide, but they can't keep up with all the extra greenhouse gases that we have been releasing. And some greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for a long time, from hundreds to even thousands of years. All these gases are making things hotter than natural, so we need to stop producing them to avoid climate change.

Weather vs. Climate

Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere in a short period of time, like minutes or days. It includes lots of things we are familiar with, like temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind speeds. The weather changes every day, but the climate is much more consistent because it measures the patterns of weather over long periods of time (at least several decades). Let's say you were going to visit Florida for a few days in June. You would expect it to be hot and humid, because that's what the climate of Florida is usually like in June. It might turn out to be hot during your trip, or it could rain or be cloudy. All of those are examples of possible weather during those days.

The Greenhouse Effect Explained

Where do greenhouse gases come from?

Up until about 150 years ago, humans did not produce many greenhouse gases. That changed as the human population grew, we cut down forests to make way for cities and farms, and important inventions and technology, like in-home electricity and cars, transformed the way we live.

These inventions and technologies need energy. Some types of energy called fossil fuels - like coal, oil, and natural gas - have become important sources of that energy. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We call the release of these gases emissions.

Today in the United States, electricity and transportation (cars, trucks, and planes) are responsible for almost 60 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. The rest comes from agriculture, industry - such as factories that make products we use - and from energy we use in our homes and businesses.
Learn more about U.S. greenhouse gas emissions here.
Greenhouse Gases

The most common types of greenhouse gases are:

Carbon Dioxide (CO ₂): Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas created by human activities. It makes up 80 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Most carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere when fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) are burned for electricity and transportation, and because of other processes like making cement. Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored when it is absorbed by plants, soils, animals, and the ocean as part of the carbon cycle.
Learn more about how energy emissions are controlled in the United States.

Methane (CH ₄): Methane is the next most common greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. It makes up 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Most methane emissions come from raising livestock (like cows), but methane is also released when coal, natural gas, and oil are produced and transported, and when organic waste (like food) decays in landfills. Methane is a stronger gas than carbon dioxide, meaning it creates more warming, but it stays in the atmosphere for a shorter time.
Learn more about how industrial greenhouse gases like methane are controlled in the United States.

Nitrous Oxide (N ₂ O): Most nitrous oxide is emitted by agricultural activities, like applying fertilizer, but it also comes from industrial activities, burning fossil fuels, and other sources. It makes up 6 percent of U.S. greenhouse emissions. Nitrous oxide is even more powerful than methane and carbon dioxide at warming the atmosphere.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): Try saying these gases three times fast! They're called "fluorinated gases" for short. These gases combined make up only 3 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. That may sound small, but they are very important to solving climate change because they stay in the atmosphere for a very long time (sometimes for thousands of years!) and are much more powerful warmers than all other gases. These gases are made by humans and are used to cool our refrigerators, freezers, buildings and cars.

U.S. Greenhouse Gases by Gas Type and Sector, 2021

Impacts of a Changing Climate

Because of increases in greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures are rising. Each of the past four decades has been warmer than the previous one. 2016 and 2020 were the warmest years on record, and the six warmest years have all been since 2010.
Learn more about the relationship between extreme weather and climate change.
The following charts show how emissions and temperatures have gone up since 1900, and how they could continue to change in the future. If we continue to emit more and more greenhouse gases, the temperature of the Earth will rise a lot - maybe as much as 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100. Even if we reduce our emissions right now, the temperature of the Earth will still rise slightly, but we might be able to keep the rise below 2 degrees Celsius (or about 4.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Two degrees might not sound like much, but scientists agree that even that small amount of warming can have large impacts on humans and the environment.

Past and Projected Changes in Carbon Emissions and Temperature

Rising global temperatures affect many things, like extreme weather, human health, food supply, and ecosystems. These impacts are already being felt today, and groups like the poor, elderly, and others are especially vulnerable.
Impacts of climate change include:

Heat waves. Heat waves are long periods of time with temperatures that are hotter than normal. As the Earth warms, more areas will be at risk for hotter and more common extreme heat waves. Learn more about the link between climate change and extreme heat.

Heavy precipitation and storms. Heavy precipitation - like rain or snow - is becoming more common in many locations, which can lead to flooding and other dangerous weather. As seas warm, coastal storms like hurricanes are also becoming more frequent and damaging. Learn more about the link between climate change and heavy precipitation and hurricanes.

Sea level rise. Sea levels have risen about 8 inches since 1880 because glaciers and ice sheets are melting and seas are warming. Scientists predict that, with 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, sea levels could rise by as much as 1.8 feet this century, which would harm communities living on islands and near coasts. These rises could be even higher if glaciers in Greenland or Antarctica melt very quickly.

Threats to habitats and animals. Warming temperatures, rising seas, melting ice, and other impacts of climate change can threaten the habitat of many plants and animals. Some species are moving to new habitats, but others may struggle to adapt and become endangered or extinct.

Ocean acidification. Extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans, making them more acidic. This can make it difficult for corals and organisms that form shells to survive, which can create problems in the food chain for other sea animals.

Wildfires. These are fires that burn large amounts of forests and brush. When they are not controlled, wildfires can destroy homes and be deadly. The number of large wildfires and the length of the season when they're most likely and threatening have been increasing in recent years. Find out how climate change will worsen wildfire conditions.

Drought. A drought is a period with little rain and not enough water. Global warming will increase the risk of drought in some places and make it harder to grow food. Learn about the links between climate change and drought.

How can you help?

Even though climate change sounds scary, we still have time to avoid some of the worst impacts. Everyone can play a part, including government, businesses, and you.

There are two main things we need to do:

The first is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change. By choosing cleaner ways to power our homes, offices, and cars, and being more efficient and less wasteful, we can produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

There are lot of things you can do to help, like turning off the lights when you leave a room to reduce the electricity you use, walking or biking where you can, or planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide. If you do any of these things, make sure you communicate with other people (like your family, teachers, and friends) about why you're doing them! Communication can inspire more people to change their habits and help save the climate.

Look for more ideas on what we can do together and individually.

The second is to prepare for life in a changing climate. Even if we could stop creating greenhouse gases tomorrow, the climate would still change some because of our past emissions. So we need to make sure our buildings, roads, businesses, and communities are ready for the climate changes that we can't avoid. This includes things like helping cities on the coast prepare for floods, preventing wildfires in our forests, and more.

Learn how communities and companies are preparing.

The power of YOUth

Around the world, young people are learning about climate change and taking action. In fact, young people are some of the most important voices in the climate movement because you can inspire powerful people to create a better future for you.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a politician to make a difference in the fight against climate change. Whatever your talents are, there's a role for you to play. Some young people, like Greta Thunberg, Vanessa Nakate, and others, are leading the Fridays for Future movement to tell their governments to create strong policies to fight climate change. Other students are inventing new technologies to cut emissions and reduce waste. And others are using their creativity to bring awareness to climate change by writing music and creating art.

You can also look for ways to get involved in your community - maybe you can help your school set up a composting program to keep food waste out of the landfill. Maybe your synagogue or mosque needs help switching to energy efficient lights. Maybe you can write a letter to your local government to encourage your community to prepare for extreme weather or wildfires. Everyone can do something to fight climate change.

Check out our Educator Resources page for activities you can do to learn more about how climate change works and how you can be a part of the solution.
C2ES thanks the Alcoa Foundation for its support, which allowed us to develop our Climate Classroom content. As a fully independent organization, C2ES is solely responsible for its positions, programs, and publications.

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This page will help you understand the science behind climate change, the impacts of a changing climate, and how you can help slow climate change and prepare for it. We've also created a list of resources and activities for educators and students of all ages.

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Climate Kids is produced by the Earth Science Communications Team at

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How does the greenhouse effect work?

As you might expect from the name, the greenhouse effect works ... like a greenhouse! A greenhouse is a building with glass walls and a glass roof. Greenhouses are used to grow plants, such as tomatoes and tropical flowers.

A greenhouse stays warm inside, even during the winter. In the daytime, sunlight shines into the greenhouse and warms the plants and air inside. At nighttime, it's colder outside, but the greenhouse stays pretty warm inside. That's because the glass walls of the greenhouse trap the Sun's heat.

The greenhouse effect works much the same way on Earth. Gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, trap heat similar to the glass roof of a greenhouse. These heat-trapping gases are called greenhouse gases.

During the day, the Sun shines through the atmosphere. Earth's surface warms up in the sunlight. At night, Earth's surface cools, releasing heat back into the air. But some of the heat is trapped by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. That's what keeps our Earth a warm and cozy 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius), on average.

How are humans impacting the greenhouse effect?

Human activities are changing Earth's natural greenhouse effect. Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil puts more carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.

NASA has observed increases in the amount of carbon dioxide and some other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Too much of these greenhouse gases can cause Earth's atmosphere to trap more and more heat. This causes Earth to warm up.

What reduces the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Just like a glass greenhouse, Earth's greenhouse is also full of plants! Plants can help to balance the greenhouse effect on Earth. All plants - from giant trees to tiny phytoplankton in the ocean - take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.

The ocean also absorbs a lot of excess carbon dioxide in the air. Unfortunately, the increased carbon dioxide in the ocean changes the water, making it more acidic. This is called ocean acidification.

More acidic water can be harmful to many ocean creatures, such as certain shellfish and coral. Warming oceans - from too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere - can also be harmful to these organisms. Warmer waters are a main cause of coral bleaching.

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Learn more about this process that occurs when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat.

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How to Edit, Trim, and Pause Audio in Stop Motion Studio Pro! | Tutorial

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Stop Motion How to Video for the Classroom

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Stop motion studio video tutorial (detailed)

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Stop motion studio video tutorial (detailed)

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How To Use The Best Free Stop motion App | Stop Motion Studio Tutorial

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This resource contains information about ocean acidification

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Carbon dioxide concentrations are rising mostly because of the fossil fuels that people are burning for energy.

New research utilizes airborne measurements of carbon dioxide to estimate ocean uptake.

Global carbon emissions are projected to bounce back to after an unprecedented drop caused by the response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an annual report by the Global Carbon Project.

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Carbon dioxide concentrations are rising mostly because of the fossil fuels that people are burning for energy. New research utilizes airborne measurements of carbon dioxide to estimate ocean uptake. Global carbon emissions are projected to bounce back to after an unprecedented drop caused by the response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an annual report by the Global Carbon Project.

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Montgomery County Youth Climate Education

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Montgomery County Youth Climate Education

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The winter holidays have come and gone, but my grandchildren are still on their winter break from school. I'm visiting Tom, Julie, and their parents, Monny and Marnie, in a Boston neighborhood.

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Denmark's municipality of the island of Samsø has completely transformed its energy system from fossil fuels to renewable energy, becoming the world's first renewable energy island. Key results that have been achieved include: becoming carbon negative; 100% local ownership of renewable energy investments; and significant socio-economic benefits from the energy transition.

Samsø realized that it is not alone in this transition and that many other communities would be interested in learning from its experience. This led to the establishment of the Samsø Energy Academy with a mandate from the municipality. The Samsø Energy Academy puts resources to capacity building on community development and international cooperation in Denmark, Europe and beyond. It also participates in cooperation and knowledge exchange programmes, provides advice on sustainable community development and organizes on Samsø study visits, workshops and leadership programmes to inspire local leaders, stakeholders and policymakers from around the world.

Key facts

Samsø has already achieved its goal to reduce its annual CO2 emissions close to zero, effectively becoming carbon neutral. This was done through a series of renewable energy investments, namely 11 on-shore and 10 off-shore wind turbines, 4 local biomass-fuelled district-heating plants, solar panels and electric vehicles, which enabled Samsø to reach 100% net annual balance of renewable energy.

Samsø has renewed its ambition and aims to become completely carbon-free by 2030. This means that no fossil fuel will be used, and all the island's energy needs will be covered by renewable energy. This is far ahead of the national ambition in Denmark for 2030 and the EU climate goals for the same year.

To become carbon-free by 2030, the island community will extend the use of renewable electricity in the heating and road transport sectors and will substitute fossil fuel in the sea transportation with locally produced biogas or electricity.

The challenge

The IPCC's Sixth Assessment report confirms that it is indisputable that human influence has warmed the climate system, raising global surface temperature. Recent changes in the climate are widespread, rapid and intensifying and impacts are affecting every region on Earth, including the oceans. Many weather and climate extremes such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, droughts and tropical cyclones have become more frequent and severe. Not only have CO2 concentrations increased in the Earth's atmosphere, but the rate of the increase has also sped up. Limiting warming to 1.5C can only be achieved through immediate and significantly scaled-up reductions.

The solution

In 1997, Samsø Municipality took the political decision to become Denmark's renewable energy island in 10-year time. At the time, the island's electricity came via an undersea cable from mainland Denmark's grid, with coal supplying most of the power. Oil shipped from the mainland was the primary energy source for heating Samsø's homes and businesses, as it was also for virtually all transportation on the island. The masterplan foresaw the installation of on-shore and off-shore wind turbines, the substitution of heating oil with biomass and electricity, the construction of new district heating plants, solar panels, investments in energy efficiency in households and electric vehicles.

The financing model had participation of citizens and stakeholders and local ownership of the renewable energy investments at its core. This led to significant benefits for the island community and economy, new jobs and local growth. By 2007, Samsø was producing enough renewable electricity and had decreased enough the consumption of fossil fuels so that the net annual balance of renewable energy in the local energy mix became more than 100%.

To tackle its remaining GHG emissions Samsø will use renewable electricity to cover heating and transport needs and will explore the option of locally produced biogas and renewable electricity as fuels for the ferries. Through these new investments, Samsø will become completely carbon-free by 2030 and will keep inspiring communities and local leaders and governments around the world to take local climate action and responsibility to address climate change.

Helping people

Putting the community at the center of thinking of the energy transition brought tremendous benefits to the island and improved the community's perspectives and sustainability in the long-term. There was additional income for the Municipality and the citizens from the renewable energy projects and had a positive impact on employment. Samsø has managed to build a brand name for what successful community-driven energy transition can look like, with benefits for the local community. In other words, Samsø demonstrated how renewable energy can be catalyst for improving the perspectives of a community for the future, good business and effective climate action at the same time. Families have also moved to Samsø from the mainland, inspired by its success and green brand.

Spillover effect

Very early in the process Samsø realised that it is not alone in this transition and that many island and other communities would be interested in learning from its experience. A sense of duty and responsibility to reach out and inspire like-minded communities to follow its example arose. This is why the Samsø Energy Academy, with a mandate from Samsø municipality, has started putting resources to capacity building at regional and national level, as well as to international cooperations in Europe and beyond. It participates in cooperation and knowledge exchange programmes, provides advice on sustainable community development and organises on Samsø study visits, workshops and leadership programmes. The Samsø Energy Academy aims to inspire more local leaders, stakeholders, governments and policy makers from around the world to act locally to address climate change in a way that improves the perspectives and chances for sustainable living of their people and their communities.

Images owned by the activity partners, all rights reserved.

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Samsø: An Island Community Pointing to the Future | Denmark | UNFCCC

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Denmark's municipality of the island of Samsø has completely transformed its energy system from fossil fuels to renewable energy, becoming the world's first renewable energy island. Key results that have been achieved include: becoming carbon negative; 100% local ownership of renewable energy investments; and significant socio-economic benefits from the energy transition.

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www.exploratorium.edu/climate

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In 1992, a cargo ship carrying bath toys got caught in a storm. Shipping containers washed overboard, and the waves swept 28,000 rubber ducks and other toys into the North Pacific. But they didn't stick together - the ducks have since washed up all over the world.

These ducks and their worldwide adventure unexpectedly helped researchers chart how ocean currents work. In this TED-Ed by Jennifer Verduin, directed by Cabong Studios, we learn how surface currents, deep ocean currents, wind, salt, gyres, the Coriolis Effect, and other powerful factors affect how water moves around the planet.

Related reading from NOAA.gov: What is the global ocean conveyor belt? And at Yale Environment 360: How Climate Change Could Jam The World's Ocean Circulation. Plus, an activity at NatGeo: Mapping Ocean Currents.

Then watch these videos next: The Infinite Now, a series of oceanscape cinemagraphs, Fate adrift: Max Mulhern's Aqua Dice, The Basics of Freshwater + Water, Water, Everywhere? and how did Polynesian wayfinders navigate the Pacific Ocean?

Also: Researching the impact of sunken shipping containers.

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How do ocean currents work? | The Kid Should See This

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In 1992, a cargo ship carrying bath toys got caught in a storm. Shipping containers washed overboard, and the waves swept 28,000 rubber ducks and other toys into the North Pacific. But they didn't stick together - the ducks have since washed up all over the world.

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It's so cool going to the beach and having heaps of fun in the water, but have you ever wondered how sometimes the water can pull you in a different direction, or even how waves are formed? Well, we're going to tell you everything you need to know so that next time you go to the beach, you can tell all your friends the cool info you've learnt.

You know how your blood constantly moves through your body? Well he water in the ocean is very much the same; it is always on the move, never stopping to catch a breath. When we're on the beach we see the water moving in the form of waves, and below the surface the water moves in great big currents. The water in the ocean never ever stays in one place, and every single drop of water goes all the way around the world.

What causes Waves?

Winds that move around on the surface of the ocean whip up those great big waves that we see. This is caused by friction, which is when one thing rubs up against another, between the air and water molecules which transfers the energy between the wind and the water. So that's where waves come from.

What are Ocean Currents?

An ocean current is a constant flow of water in the ocean. Some currents are surface currents while other currents are much deeper flowing up to about 50 metres below the water.

What causes Ocean Currents?

Surface currents, which we spoke about earlier, are usually caused by the wind. As the wind changes, so the current might change with it. Currents also depend on the rotation of the Earth. This causes currents to flow clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Deep ocean currents are caused by plenty of things like changes in the temperature, salinity, which is how salty the water is as well as the density of the water.

And there's one other thing that causes ocean currents which might surprise you! It's the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun! Wow, that's quite something.

Now this is quite interesting. Under the surface, deep ocean currents also move water, but eventually surface waves and currents meet up with the deep ocean currents. Here's what happens. The water in the North Atlantic Ocean freezes on the surface. Salt seeps into the water below. The salt and the cold together cause warm surface water to become heavy and thick. It then sinks on down right to the bottom. Once it's there it moves very, very slowly. After hundreds of it reaches those lovely warmer waters and then rises to the surface again.

Do Currents impact our climate?

In fact, they do a lot! In some areas warm water moves from the equator to somewhere much colder, and that area then becomes warmer.

An example of this is the Gulfstream current. It pulls warm water from the equator to the coast of Western Europe. Because of this areas such as the United Kingdom are generally much warmer than areas on the same northern latitude in North America.

Cool Facts about Ocean Waves and Currents

The tallest wave ever measured was 524m at Lituya Bay, Alaska. Whoa that's seriously tall.

Surface currents are important to ships as they can make it easy or difficult to travel depending on which way the current is flowing. If you go on a boat, hope for the current to be moving in the right way.

Some marine animals use the currents to migrate thousands of kilometres to and from breeding grounds.

Now there's all you need to know about waves and currents. Interesting stuff isn't it?

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It's so cool going to the beach and having heaps of fun in the water, but have you ever wondered how sometimes the water can pull you in a different direction, or even how waves are formed? Well, we're going to tell you everything you need to know so that next time you go to ...

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Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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Earth's atmosphere has five major and several secondary layers. From lowest to highest, the major layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

Troposphere. Earth's troposphere extends from Earth's surface to, on average, about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in height, with its height lower at Earth's poles and higher at the equator. Yet this very shallow layer is tasked with holding all the air plants need for photosynthesis and animals need to breathe, and also contains about 99 percent of all water vapor and aerosols (minute solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere). In the troposphere, temperatures typically go down the higher you go, since most of the heat found in the troposphere is generated by the transfer of energy from Earth's surface. The troposphere is the densest atmospheric layer, compressed by the weight of the rest of the atmosphere above it. Most of Earth's weather happens here, and almost all clouds that are generated by weather are found here, with the exception of cumulonimbus thunder clouds, whose tops can rise into the lowest parts of the neighboring stratosphere. Most aviation takes place here, including in the transition region between the troposphere and the stratosphere.

Stratosphere. Located between approximately 12 and 50 kilometers (7.5 and 31 miles) above Earth's surface, the stratosphere is perhaps best known as home to Earth's ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. Because of that UV radiation, the higher up you go into the stratosphere, the warmer temperatures become. The stratosphere is nearly cloud- and weather-free, but polar stratospheric clouds are sometimes present in its lowest, coldest altitudes. It's also the highest part of the atmosphere that jet planes can reach.

Mesosphere. Located between about 50 and 80 kilometers (31 and 50 miles) above Earth's surface, the mesosphere gets progressively colder with altitude. In fact, the top of this layer is the coldest place found within the Earth system, with an average temperature of about minus 85 degrees Celsius (minus 120 degrees Fahrenheit). The very scarce water vapor present at the top of the mesosphere forms noctilucent clouds, the highest clouds in Earth's atmosphere, which can be seen by the naked eye under certain conditions and at certain times of day. Most meteors burn up in this atmospheric layer. Sounding rockets and rocket-powered aircraft can reach the mesosphere.

Thermosphere. Located between about 80 and 700 kilometers (50 and 440 miles) above Earth's surface is the thermosphere, whose lowest part contains the ionosphere. In this layer, temperatures increase with altitude due to the very low density of molecules found here. It is both cloud- and water vapor-free. The aurora borealis and aurora australis are sometimes seen here. The International Space Station orbits in the thermosphere.

Exosphere. Located between about 700 and 10,000 kilometers (440 and 6,200 miles) above Earth's surface, the exosphere is the highest layer of Earth's atmosphere and, at its top, merges with the solar wind. Molecules found here are of extremely low density, so this layer doesn't behave like a gas, and particles here escape into space. While there's no weather at all in the exosphere, the aurora borealis and aurora australis are sometimes seen in its lowest part. Most Earth satellites orbit in the exosphere.

The Edge of Outer Space. While there's really no clear boundary between where Earth's atmosphere ends and outer space begins, most scientists use a delineation known as the Karman line, located 100 kilometers (62 miles) above Earth's surface, to denote the transition point, since 99.99997 percent of Earth's atmosphere lies beneath this point. A February 2019 study using data from the NASA/European Space Agency Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft suggests, however, that the farthest reaches of Earth's atmosphere - a cloud of hydrogen atoms called the geocorona - may actually extend nearly 391,000 miles (629,300 kilometers) into space, far beyond the orbit of the Moon.
- Alan Buis/NASA's Global Climate Change website
‹ Back to main article: 'The Atmosphere: Earth's Security Blanket'

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national aeronautics and space administration

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Earth's Atmosphere: A Multi-layered Cake - Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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Part One sidebar: Earth's atmosphere has five major and several secondary layers. From lowest to highest, the major layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

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Explore the sizzling heat, unimaginable pressures — and some surprise diamonds — that sit beneath our feet. This is the side of Earth that you can’t see.

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Even with disruptions like weather fronts and storms, there is a consistent pattern to how air moves around our planet's atmosphere. This pattern, called atmospheric circulation, is caused because the Sun heats the Earth more at the equator than at the poles. It's also affected by the spin of the Earth.

In the tropics, near the equator, warm air rises. When it gets about 10-15 km (6-9 miles) above the Earth surface it starts to flow away from the equator and towards the poles. Air that rose just north of the equator flows north. Air that rose just south of the equator flows south. When the air cools, it drops back to the ground, flows back towards the Equator, and warm again. The, now, warmed air rises again, and the pattern repeats. This pattern, known as convection, happens on a global scale. It also happens on a small scale within individual storms.

But because Earth is spinning, the air that moves north and south from the equator also turns with the spin of the Earth. Air going north turns to the right. Air traveling south turns to the left. The power of Earth's spin to turn flowing air is known as the Coriolis Effect. If the Earth didn't spin, there would be just one large convection cell between the equator and the North Pole and one large convection cell between the equator and the South Pole. But because the Earth does spin, convection is divided into three cells north of the equator and three south of the equator.

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A Global Look at Moving Air: Atmospheric Circulation

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Even with disruptions like weather fronts and storms, there is a consistent pattern to how air moves around our planet's atmosphere. This pattern, called atmospheric circulation, is caused because the Sun heats the Earth more at the equator than at the poles. It's also affected by the spin of the Earth.

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Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes | PBS LearningMedia

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According to the theory of plate tectonics, Earth is an active planet. Its surface is composed of many individual plates that move and interact, constantly changing and reshaping Earth's outer layer. Volcanoes and earthquakes both result from the movement of tectonic plates.