• Unprecedented sea level rise in past 150 years 
  
• Global temperature rises

2. Volcanic eruptions

2. Burning of fossil fuels

3. Rice cultivation and cattle farming.

4. Changing land use and urbanisation

Wetlands can act as sponges and soak up a lot of moisture, but they are often drained to make room for agriculture and development.  ALSO As warmer air holds more moisture, the warmer air on earth due of increase in CO2 emission, will then hold more moisture and get bigger and become heavy enough, they will fall as precipitation more frequently compared to when in the past.

Greenhouse effect

Step 1: Solar radiation reaches the Earth's atmosphere - some of this is reflected back into space.

Step 2: The rest of the sun's energy is absorbed by thte land and the oceans, heating the Earth.

Step 3: Heat radiates from Earth towards space.

Step 4: Some of this heat is trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, keeping the Earth warm enough to sustain life.

Step 5: Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and land clearing are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

Step 6: This is trapping extra heat, and causing the Earth's temperature to rise.

-The third highest contributor of green house gases.

Example:

-Tractors run on fossil fuels which releases carbon dioxide.

-Use of inorganic fertilisers increases the amount of nitrous oxide in soil. Nitrous oxide is ploughed or when rain flows through the soil.

-Organic matter such as dead leaves and manure releases methane during decomposition. Decomposition is very rapid in the rice fields due to the high level of moisture in the soil.

When water warms up it expands. At the same time global warming causes polar ice sheets and glaciers to melt.

The combination of these changes is causing sea levels to rise, resulting in flooding and erosion of coastal and low lying areas.

Heavy rain and other extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. This can lead to floods and decreasing water quality, but also decreasing availability of water resources in some regions.

Temperatures are rising faster than ever:

Climate change is happening faster now due to

1. burning fossil fuels

2. Increased volume of trapped carbon dioxide gas- anthropogenic effect.

3. Agriculture- breeding cattle and cutting down forests for timber, wood and industries.

Changes in the sun’s intensity have influenced
Earth’s climate in the past. For example, the so-called “Little Ice Age” between the 17th and 19th centuries may have been partially caused by a low solar activity phase from 1645 to 1715, which coincided with cooler temperatures. The “Little Ice Age” refers to a slight cooling of North America, Europe, and probably other areas around the globe.

Changes in Earth’s orbit have had a big impact on climate over tens of thousands of years. In fact, the amount of summer sunshine on the Northern Hemisphere, which is affected by changes in the planet’s orbit, appears to control the advance and retreat of ice sheets. These changes appear to be the primary cause of past cycles of ice ages, in which Earth has experienced long periods of cold temperatures (ice ages), as well as shorter interglacial periods (periods between ice ages) of relatively warmer temperatures.

The build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has led to an enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect.  It is this human-induced enhancement of the greenhouse effect that is of concern because ongoing emissions of greenhouse gases have the potential to warm the planet to levels that have never been experienced in the history of human civilization. Such climate change could have far-reaching and/or unpredictable environmental, social, and economic consequences.

The changes on the sun cause effects in space, in the atmosphere and on the Earth's surface.

1. Urbanisation means an increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to the rural areas. As the country industrialises, the number of the people living in urban areas tends to increase
   

Such examples of species that might go extinct :

-Australia’s yellow-footed rock-wallaby

- Lumholtz tree-kangaroo

- golden-shouldered parrot

- New Zealand’s lizard-like tuatara

Hazierah

Existing forest species will have to decline and die before new species, can adapt to climate changes.

As with agriculture, the health and productivity of our forests are dependant on climate.

Trees and forests are vulnerable to long-term change.

Forests will be subjected to more frequent, extreme storms and wind damage, greater stress because of drought, and more frequent and severe fire and insect disturbances.

discussed under impacts of climate change.

In 1995 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a report which contained various projections of the sea level change by the year 2100. They estimate that the sea will rise 50 centimeters (20 inches) with the lowest estimates at 15 centimeters (6 inches) and the highest at 95 centimeters (37 inches). The rise will come from thermal expansion of the ocean and from melting glaciers and ice sheets. Twenty inches is no small amount -- it could have a big effect on coastal cities, especially during storms.

Tenein