PLANET A COLLECTIVE
Because there is no planet B.
INTRO TO CLIMATE SCIENCE
To gain a basic understanding about what climate change is, we need to be able to distinguish between climate and weather. Weather refers to a short-term forecast that is predicted on a local scale. Climate refers to a long-term trend that is based on weather averages over many years of data. Climate data can range from a local scale, such as a city, to a global scale
Unfortunately, our planet has warmed by just over 1°C since 1880. When looking on a smaller scale, countries such as Canada follow the rising temperature trend. The average temperature throughout the winter months from 1948 to 2019 has experienced an increase of 3.3°C. However, the opposite effect was seen in the desert states of the USA with snow covering most cactuses in Arizona.
Although snow in the desert makes it appear as if the planet is cooling, it’s important to refer back to the word global. Just because one area
experiences cooling does not mean Earth’s overall temperature follows the same trend. Snow in uncommon areas is just a small result when compared to the higher frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Want to learn more about contributors to climate change? Stay tuned.