UTES

There have been periods of change in the climate in the past, but today things are changing much more quickly. Scientists think that this is because of a rise in emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases, collectively known as ‘greenhouse gases’. The greenhouse gases act as a partial blanket that increases the amount of heat from the sun that is trapped by the atmosphere. Since the industrial revolution, concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased, reducing heat loss from the Earth, and resulting in warming of the Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere.

Scientific predictions suggest we will experience higher sea levels in the future and changes in weather patterns, which bring with them a greater risk of flooding, more storminess and possible summer water shortages.

Climate change will affect us all and we are already seeing some of the impacts.

It affects some of the Earth’s most basic natural processes – such as the weather - and this makes it difficult to predict exactly what will happen, and when. In response, scientists have developed powerful computer models that help answer these questions.

The models suggest that over the next few years, World can expect:

• A hotter average temperature
• Hotter, drier summers
• Milder winters with less snow
• More rain falling in the winter
• More heavy rain and storms
• Rising sea levels

These changes will affect us in lots of different ways

• More storms and heavy rain will mean a greater risk of flooding, which may cause damage to buildings and disruption to transport, and other services.
• Longer, drier summers will put increased pressure on our water supply at certain times of the year.
• It will be more difficult to keep buildings cool in the summer