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Global Climate Change

Increasing the average global temperature is a significant reason for global climate change. The potential consequences are severe and wide-ranging:

Melting of polar ice caps

Melting of polar ice caps

  • The melting of polar ice caps would cause:
    • Sea levels to rise, leading to flooding and erosion of our coastlines.
    • Some species to be less successful hunters (e.g. the polar bear).
Meteorological events

Meteorological events

  • Extreme meteorological events, such as storms, heatwaves and droughts, could increase in frequency, severity, and intensity.
Changes in water availability

Changes in water availability

  • Changes in water availability could affect how species are distributed.
Changes in precipitation

Changes in precipitation

  • The quantity, timing and distribution of precipitation could change. This would result in some regions receiving much less or much more rainfall than they previously did.
Food shortages

Food shortages

  • A combination of some or all of these factors could hinder a region’s ability to produce food. This could lead to potential famines.
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Biology

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Reactivity

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Disciplinary Knowledge

Practice questions on Climate Change

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