11. WORLD CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
The chapter explores world climate and climate change, focusing on Koeppen's climate classification scheme, which categorizes climates based on temperature and precipitation. It discusses the historical context of climate fluctuations, the significance of greenhouse gas emissions, and their contribution to global warming. It emphasizes the need for international cooperation in addressing climate change through initiatives like the Kyoto Protocol.
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Sections
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What we have learnt
- Koeppen's classification scheme identifies five major climatic groups based on temperature and precipitation.
- Historical records suggest that climate change is a natural, continuous process affected by both astronomical and anthropogenic factors.
- Global warming, primarily caused by greenhouse gases, has significant environmental impacts, including rising sea levels and altered weather patterns.
Key Concepts
- -- Koeppen Climate Classification
- A system that classifies climate into five major groups based on temperature and precipitation, correlating with vegetation distribution.
- -- Greenhouse Gases
- Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect, which is primarily caused by human activities.
- -- Global Warming
- The long-term rise in Earth's average surface temperature due to human-induced increases in greenhouse gases.
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