AGU statement and impressions about it - Essay Example

Climate can be explained as the geometrical of the variation of all the elements in the weather system over time. On the other hand, climate change is the alteration in the statistical explanation of the weather conditions, which can include changes in the biographic, biophysical and biogeochemical patterns. The climatic change as a result of human activities is usually referred to as the human-caused climate change. The Earth has a nonlinear climate system since, over time, it experiences abrupt and episodic changes as opposed to slow and gradual forces.

The Earth’s population has been growing consistently over time, and this has therefore resulted to the increase in human activities causing climate change. These human activities could include factors such as emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), nitrogen, and changes in the use of land and land cover among others. These human activities influence climatic changes and it is therefore beyond doubt that they will always continue to be of great concern in the future.

In addition to the human-caused climatic changes, other natural activities have also led to the alteration of the climatic conditions. However, the relative role that these natural or human activities play towards altering the ocean circulation features and the atmospheric conditions still remains uncertain. The AGU statement points out that “climate models have predicted the rise in global temperatures” due to gas emissions (2000). However, quite unfortunately, the Climate models are usually incapable of providing skillful likelihoods of the climatic changes.

For this reason, the AGU’s statement is quite misleading when it identifies that factors such as increased amounts of high temperature, experience of high water in the coastal regions, and precipitation, which are harmful to the society, are projected to increase. In addition, the summer arctic sea ice extent, has significantly been wrongfully predicted by the statement, whereas the concept of the increase in the summer Antarctic sea ice extent, has also been neglected by the AGU statement.

In addition, the specific attribution of adverse weather conditions as a result of over-time climatic changes is yet to be shown and it could even be more likely impossible that it would be shown. Unfortunately, This Statement does not adequately give a clear summary of issues affecting the changes in climatic conditions, and therefore, the statement does not represent an effective policy framework that can be used in reducing the effects of climatic changes.Relatively important, some parts of statement are scientifically in accurate.

For instance, in the first paragraph, the statement points out that greenhouse gases, specifically carbon dioxide, are projected to influence and influence the earth’s climatic conditions for a period of up to thousands of years. Nevertheless, experienced professionals and specialists in this subject, have factually established that of the total CO2 released in the atmosphere, half of it is usually absorbed in a period of about 30 years, and the remaining traces in at least a century (Shirley & Fairbridge 1997).

Therefore, whereas the statement acknowledges that a small percentage of CO2 may be able to stay for quite a long period of time, it creates a misleading impression more so to a layman, when it fails to point out the 30 year period. Ultimately, the statement identifies two ways that could diminish the threats posed by the changes of climatic conditions to the general ecosystem and society. These changes include the provision of substantial emissions moderate the amounts of climatic changes, along with preparing for the unavoidable changes and secondly, working with the stake holders to pursue research that would enable understanding of climatic change, thereby conveying accurate clear information to the public.

The first way seems more appropriate though due to the fact that the climatic conditions are mostly nonlinear. Therefore, providing substantial emissions to moderate the levels of climatic changes and preparing for the unavoidable changes would yield better results.Works CitedAmerican Geophysical Union. Human‐Induced Climate Change Requires Urgent Action. Washington DC: Florida Avenue, 2000. Print.Shirley, James H, and Rhodes W. Fairbridge. Encyclopedia of Planetary Sciences. London: Chapman & Hall, 1997. Print.