Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on Earth,
including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. While Earth’s
biodiversity is so rich that many species have yet to be
discovered, many species are being threatened with
extinction due to human activities, putting the Earth’s
magnificent biodiversity at risk.
B Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on
I Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi.
While Earth’s biodiversity is so rich that many species
have yet to be discovered, many species are being
O threatened with extinction due to human activities,
putting the Earth’s magnificent biodiversity at risk.
D
Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous
variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically
I to refer to all of the species in one region
or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing,
including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans.
V Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7
million species of plants and animals in existence.
However, only around 1.2 million species have been
E identified and described so far, most of which are
insects. This means that millions of
other organisms remain a complete mystery.
R Biodiversity is essentially everywhere, ubiquitous on
earth’s surface.
All of the Earth’s species work together to survive and
S maintain their ecosystems. For example, the grass in
pastures feeds cattle. Cattle then produce manure that
I
returns nutrients to the soil, which helps to grow more
grass. This manure can also be used to fertilize cropland.
Many species provide important benefits to humans,
T including food, clothing, and medicine.
Y
"Human cannot exist
without Biodiversity”
C Climate is sometimes mistaken for weather. But climate
is different from weather because it is measured over a
long period of time, whereas weather can change from
L day to day, or from year to year. The climate of an area
includes seasonal temperature and rainfall averages, and
wind patterns. Different places have different climates.
I A desert, for example, is referred to as an arid climate
because little water falls, as rain or snow, during the
M year. Other types of climate include tropical climates,
which are hot and humid, and temperate climates,
which have warm summers and cooler winters.
A
Climate change is the long-term alteration of
temperature and typical weather patterns in a
T 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
E 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,
C downpours, and winter storms.
H
A
N Effects of Climate Change
G
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E 2.
3.
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Causes of Climate Change
1. Generating power -Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels
causes a large chunk of global emissions.
2. Manufacturing goods- Manufacturing and industry produce emissions,
mostly from burning fossil fuels to produce energy for making things like
cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics, clothes, and other goods.
3. Cutting down forests -Cutting down forests to create farms or pastures, or
4.
for other reasons, causes emissions, since trees, when they are cut, release
the carbon they have been storing.
Using transportation- Most cars, trucks, ships, and planes run on fossil
fuels. That makes transportation a major contributor of greenhouse gases,
5.
especially carbon-dioxide emissions.
Producing food-Producing food causes emissions of carbon dioxide,
methane, and other greenhouse gases in various ways, including through
deforestation and clearing of land for agriculture and grazing, digestion by
cows and sheep, the production and use of fertilizers and manure for
growing crops, and the use of energy to run farm equipment or fishing
boats, usually with fossil fuels.
6. Powering buildings-Globally, residential and commercial buildings
consume over half of all electricity. As they continue to draw on coal, oil,
and natural gas for heating and cooling, they emit significant quantities of
greenhouse gas emissions
7. Consuming too much- Your home and use of power, how you move
around, what you eat and how much you throw away all contribute to
greenhouse gas emissions. So does the consumption of goods such as
clothing, electronics, and plastics.
Hotter temperatures- As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, so does
the global surface temperature.
More severe storms- Destructive storms have become more intense
and more frequent in many regions.
Increased drought- Climate change is changing water availability,
making it scarcer in more regions.
A warming, rising ocean- The ocean soaks up most of the heat from
global warming. The rate at which the ocean is warming strongly
increased over the past two decades, across all depths of the ocean.
Loss of species -Climate change poses risks to the survival of species
on land and in the ocean.
Not enough food- Changes in the climate and increases in extreme
weather events are among the reasons behind a global rise in hunger
and poor nutrition.
More health risks- Climate change is the single biggest health threat
facing humanity.
Poverty and displacement- Climate change increases the factors that
put and keep people in poverty.