ACTIVITY FOUR: READ THE CASE STUDY ON PAGE 5 AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW [16] 1. What is climate change? (1 x 2) (2 ) 2. Explain the consequences of climate change according to the article. CASE STUDY: CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING Climate change is a long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns. Often climate change refers specifically to the rise in global temperatures (global warming) from the mid-20th century to present. Climate change is the long-term alteration (change) of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole. Climate change may cause weather patterns to be less predictable. These unexpected weather patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops in regions that rely on farming, because expected temperature and rainfall levels can no longer be relied on. Climate change has also been connected with other damaging weather events, such as more frequent and more intense hurricanes, floods, downpours, and winter storms. In polar regions, the warming global temperatures associated with climate change have meant ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate from season to season. This contributes to sea levels rising in different regions of the planetl Together with expanding ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the resulting rise in sea level has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion. The cause of current climate change is largely human activity, like burning fossil fuels, like natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning these materials releases what are called greenhouse gases into Earth's atmosphere. There, these gases trap heal from the sun's rays inside the atmosphere causing Earth's average temperature to rise. This rise in the planet's temperature is called global warming. The warming of the planet impacts local and regional climates. Throughout Earth's history, climate has continually changed. When occurring naturally, this is a slow process that has taken place over hundreds and thousands of years. The human influenced climate change that is happening now is occurring at a much faster rate. (2 (1 x 2) ) 3. What will be the economic impact of climate change on farming? (2 ) (1 x 2) 4. Describe TWO effects of climate change on the polar regions. 5. Explain how climate change causes global warming. (2 x 2) (SOURCE: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/climate-change/]
