Water As a Cause and

Consequence of Global Climate

Change

Emre Kör | Water Biotopes in Urban Landscape Design | 11.12.2022

Global Warming

In recent years, global climate change has become a major concern for people around the
world. Global climate change refers to the long-term trend of changing average weather
patterns on the Earth's surface, which is primarily caused by human activities such as
burning fossil fuels and deforestation. These activities release large amounts of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat and cause the Earth's climate to
change.

The consequences of global climate change are widespread and potentially catastrophic.
Changes in weather patterns can lead to more extreme weather events, such as heatwaves,
droughts, and hurricanes. It can also cause the melting of glaciers and polar ice, leading to
sea level rise and flooding. In addition, global climate change can have serious impacts on
human health, agriculture, and natural ecosystems.

Water is a key component of the Earth's climate system, and it plays a crucial role in both
causing and responding to global climate change. In this report, we will explore the ways
in which water is effective in causing global climate change, and how it changes in
response to changes in the Earth's climate. We will also discuss the feedback effects of the
water cycle on global climate change, and the implications of these interactions for the
future of the Earth's climate.

WATER AS A CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

As we have seen, water is a vital component of the Earth's climate system, and it plays a
key role in both causing and responding to global climate change. In this section, we will
explore in more detail the ways in which water is effective in causing global climate
change, and how it changes in response to changes in the Earth's climate.

One of the key ways in which water is effective in causing global climate change is
through its high heat capacity. This means that it can absorb and release large amounts of
heat energy, which helps to regulate the temperature of the Earth's surface. As the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) explains, "Water in the climate
system is a major factor in regulating the Earth's temperature and precipitation patterns.
Changes in the water cycle can amplify or dampen the effects of other climate change

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drivers." (IPCC, 2013) In other words, water plays a crucial role in maintaining a stable
climate on the Earth's surface.

However, as global temperatures rise due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels
and deforestation, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere also increases. This can
lead to more intense precipitation events, such as heavy rain or snowfall. In some cases,
this can cause flooding and other natural disasters. In other cases, it can lead to drought
conditions in areas that are already experiencing water shortages.

For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notes that
global climate change is causing the Arctic to warm at a faster rate than the rest of the
planet. This is leading to the melting of sea ice and glaciers, which in turn is causing sea
levels to rise. (NOAA, 2018) In other words, global climate change is having a direct and
tangible impact on the availability and distribution of water on the Earth's surface, which
can have serious consequences for human society and the natural environment.

Furthermore, changes in the water cycle can have a feedback effect on global climate
change. As the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains, "increases
in atmospheric water vapor can lead to more intense precipitation events and can also
contribute to the greenhouse effect, trapping more heat on the Earth's surface." (EPA,
2017) In other words, as the Earth's surface warms and more water evaporates from the
oceans, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases, leading to more intense
precipitation events and contributing to the greenhouse effect.

In conclusion, water is an essential part of the Earth's climate system, and it plays a key
role in both causing and responding to global climate change. Understanding the complex
interactions between water and climate is critical for predicting and mitigating the
impacts of global climate change.

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Bibliography:

IPCC, 2013: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science
Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M.
Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley (eds.)].
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2018: The Water Cycle.

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-
atmospheric-carbon-dioxide/water-cycle.

United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2017: Water and Climate Change.
https://www.epa.gov/climate-change-water-sector/water-and-climate-change.

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