Global warming and its impact explained
The perceptible warming of Earth over the past 150 years has been caused by an increase in the emission of gases such as carbon dioxide, which amplify the greenhouse effect.
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Transcript
[Music in]
NARRATOR: For about 150 years, Earth's surface has been measurably warming up. The average annual temperature increased by 0.6 degrees in the last century, and it may increase by another 1 to 3 degrees by the year 2100.
The consequences of this temperature variation are difficult to predict, but they may be considerable. It is very likely that the warmer water in the oceans will take up more volume, causing the average sea level to rise. Many coastal zones, such as Florida, may be threatened by the sea. And thousands of inhabited islands may be submerged. In other regions drought may occur.
The heating of the planet is probably caused by an increase in the greenhouse effect, which captures heat in the lower atmosphere. One way to slow the heating would be to reduce emissions of gases responsible for the greenhouse effect.
[Music out]
NARRATOR: For about 150 years, Earth's surface has been measurably warming up. The average annual temperature increased by 0.6 degrees in the last century, and it may increase by another 1 to 3 degrees by the year 2100.
The consequences of this temperature variation are difficult to predict, but they may be considerable. It is very likely that the warmer water in the oceans will take up more volume, causing the average sea level to rise. Many coastal zones, such as Florida, may be threatened by the sea. And thousands of inhabited islands may be submerged. In other regions drought may occur.
The heating of the planet is probably caused by an increase in the greenhouse effect, which captures heat in the lower atmosphere. One way to slow the heating would be to reduce emissions of gases responsible for the greenhouse effect.
[Music out]
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