9.

2 Changes in Climate

What causes climate to change? Major climate changes are caused by three natural factors -
the slow drifting of the continents, changes in the Sun’s energy output and the variations in the
position of Earth in relation to the sun. Some minor climate changes may be the result of shifts
in ocean and air currents.
Many scientists believe that for over a long period of time during the lce Ages, the shape of
Earth’s orbit changed from nearly circular to elliptical and back again. When Earth was in an
elliptical orbit, Earth was Further away from the sun, As, result a cooling of Earth took place.
Scientists also charmed that the tilt of Earth’s axis slowly changed from 22° to 25° and back
again. During the time that tilt of Earth's axis was at the greatest angle, Earth received less
energy from the sun. As a result Barth cooled.

Global Climate Phenomenon

Ocean currents help transfer heat to the atmosphere, a process char generates global winds.
When winds cause warm waters along the coast to move out to sea, an upwelling occurs Cold
deep waters rise up to take the place of the warm surface waters.
El Nino strikes when the winds that cause upwelling fail to blow. Instead of blowing out to sea,
the warm air remains stationary causing a kind of "heat wave in the ocean. El Niño refers a
warm water current that flows from west to east across the Pacific Ocean near the equator and
down the western coast of South America.
In 1982 and 1983, the strongest El Niño caused several droughts in some regions. Other
regions experienced severe heavy pains and flooding. El Niño can have a devastating effect on
world climate. Scientist are will trying to determine more precisely the extent of El Niño's
influence in collecting climate patterns.
Climate change is one of the world's biggest environmental concerns. Earth’s atmosphere is
overloaded with heat-trapping carbon dioxide, which threatens lunge scale disruptions in climate
with disastrous consequences. This process, called the greenhouse effect, warms Earth's
environment.
Global warming can lead to an environmental disaster. What can be done to prevent global
warming?
Heat waves, wildfires, Hoods, and droughts have hit many areas worldwide.
Climate change is one of the nose serious public health threats facing the world, but few people
are aware of how it can affect them. Children, the elderly, and commumities living in poverty are
the most vulnerable. There are six ways climate change threatens health. These are through air
pollution, extreme heat, infectious diseases, drought, flooding, and extreme weather.