These three phenomena are related, and are the result of retention and re-radiation of heat in the earth’s atmosphere by chemical substances collectively called greenhouse gases.
It is hoped our elementary and high school pupils will appreciate the processes leading to these phenomena because they are the ones expected to experience them.
One of the consequences of global warming is sea level rise. Under high temperatures, seawater expands, and glaciers that have remained frozen in the poles for ages melt, and add more liquid water to oceans. Thus, global warming results in rising sea levels.
Another consequence of global warming is large-scale evaporation of water in oceans, seas, and lakes. Liquid water in the process of evaporation becomes vaporized or gaseous, and moves up into the atmosphere to form rainclouds.
Under certain atmospheric conditions, these clouds condense or become liquid, and fall as rain in tropical (warmer) areas, or snow in temperate (cooler) areas.
It is no wonder that global warming or high temperatures cause tremendous volumes of water to evaporate, and form clouds that pour back to earth heavy rains that cause widespread, severe floods on the surface of the earth.
What makes the earth warm? We all know that sun provides heat to the earth. Climate experts maintain that some gas molecules have the ability to capture and retain the heat from the sun, and re-radiate it back to the earth’s atmosphere.
These molecules include carbon dioxide, which is produced by all living things but are absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.
Burning of fuels to provide energy for industrial plants also release carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
There is now a high concentration of this gas in the atmosphere which keeps the temperatures high.
Experts believe that there is a limit to this temperature rise, beyond which will mean trouble for all of us on this planet.
That is why the representatives of nearly 200 countries in the world met in Paris last month to agree on what to do to prevent the rise of temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius.
The Philippines must do its part in this agreement to keep temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius.
Programs must be in place to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Energy use from more sustainable sources such as the sun, wind, and water should be used to generate electric power. Use of fossil fuels should be minimized. Tropical rainforests should be kept intact to absorb and store in their tissues the carbon they take in.
We know that our country is vulnerable to rising sea levels. But many of us are not aware of the risk from sea level rise.
Geologists tell us that about 10,000 years ago, the sea level around us was 120 meters below the present level. Sea level rose 8,000 years ago to reach present stable levels. Now, sea levels are rising fast.
For example, the Visayan Sea before was mostly land but now, it is about 100 meters deep at its deepest parts.
We are experiencing a more rapid rise now. Climatologists predict that by the year 2100, the sea level will be about 0.5 to 1.0 meter higher than what it is now. Other predictions are even higher — and scary.
For one thing, we have many low-lying small islands that are inhabited by people.
We have also many coastal communities with infrastructures in our larger islands. These communities could be covered by sea water by the year 2100.
Now is the time to plan to re-locate our homes and towns and cities to higher ground to escape from sea level rise in the next century.
The young people who expect to live by the next century are advised to plan their future.
Ignore what the three American Republican presidential candidates declared in a television program recently that they do not believe in climate change.
Climate change is real, and it is now with us.
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Author’s email: [email protected]
