Class II ozonedepleting
substance
A chemical with an ozone depletion potential of less than 0.2. Currently, all
hydrochlorofluorocarbons are Class II ozone-depleting substances.
Climate
(a) Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the “average weather” or,
more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and
variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months
to thousands of years. The classical period is three decades, as defined by the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often
surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a
wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate
system. (b) It is the average weather (usually taken over a 30-year time period)
for a particular region and time period. Climate is not the same as weather, but
rather, it is the average pattern of weather for a particular region. Weather
describes the short-term state of the atmosphere. Climatic elements include
precipitation; temperature; humidity; sunshine; wind velocity; phenomena
such as fog, frost, and hail storms; and other measures of the weather.
Climate change
(a) Changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades
or longer. Climate change encompasses both increases and decreases in
temperature, as well as shifts in precipitation, changing risk of certain types
of severe weather events, and changes to other features of the climate system.
(b) Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate
lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes
major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others,
that occur over several decades or longer.
Deforestation
The change of forested lands to non-forest uses. This is often cited as one of
the major causes of the enhanced greenhouse effect for two reasons: (a) trees
that are burned or decompose release carbon dioxide; and (b) trees that are cut
no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Desertification
Land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from
various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Further,
the UNCCD (the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification)
defines land degradation as a reduction or loss, in arid, semiarid, and dry
subhumid areas, of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of
rain-fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest, and woodlands
resulting from land uses or from a process or combination of processes,
including processes arising from human activities and habitation patterns,
such as (a) soil erosion caused by wind and/or water; (b) deterioration of the
physical, chemical, and biological or economic properties of soil; and
(c) long-term loss of natural vegetation, such as conversion of forest to
non-forest.
Ecosystem
(a) All the living things in a particular area as well as components of the
physical environment with which they interact, such as air, soil, water, and
sunlight. (b) Any natural unit or entity including living and nonliving parts
that interact to produce a stable system through cyclic exchange of materials.
(c) The complex of a community of organisms and the community’s environment functioning as an ecological unit.
Emissions
The release of a substance (usually a gas when referring to the subject of
climate change) into the atmosphere.
Enhanced
greenhouse
effect
The concept that the natural greenhouse effect has been enhanced by increased
atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (such as CO 2 and methane)
emitted as a result of human activities. These added greenhouse gases cause
the earth to warm.
1 Effect of Global Warming and Climate Change on Glaciers and Salmons
27
substance
A chemical with an ozone depletion potential of less than 0.2. Currently, all
hydrochlorofluorocarbons are Class II ozone-depleting substances.
Climate
(a) Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the “average weather” or,
more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and
variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months
to thousands of years. The classical period is three decades, as defined by the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often
surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a
wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate
system. (b) It is the average weather (usually taken over a 30-year time period)
for a particular region and time period. Climate is not the same as weather, but
rather, it is the average pattern of weather for a particular region. Weather
describes the short-term state of the atmosphere. Climatic elements include
precipitation; temperature; humidity; sunshine; wind velocity; phenomena
such as fog, frost, and hail storms; and other measures of the weather.
Climate change
(a) Changes in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades
or longer. Climate change encompasses both increases and decreases in
temperature, as well as shifts in precipitation, changing risk of certain types
of severe weather events, and changes to other features of the climate system.
(b) Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate
lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes
major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among others,
that occur over several decades or longer.
Deforestation
The change of forested lands to non-forest uses. This is often cited as one of
the major causes of the enhanced greenhouse effect for two reasons: (a) trees
that are burned or decompose release carbon dioxide; and (b) trees that are cut
no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Desertification
Land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from
various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Further,
the UNCCD (the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification)
defines land degradation as a reduction or loss, in arid, semiarid, and dry
subhumid areas, of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of
rain-fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest, and woodlands
resulting from land uses or from a process or combination of processes,
including processes arising from human activities and habitation patterns,
such as (a) soil erosion caused by wind and/or water; (b) deterioration of the
physical, chemical, and biological or economic properties of soil; and
(c) long-term loss of natural vegetation, such as conversion of forest to
non-forest.
Ecosystem
(a) All the living things in a particular area as well as components of the
physical environment with which they interact, such as air, soil, water, and
sunlight. (b) Any natural unit or entity including living and nonliving parts
that interact to produce a stable system through cyclic exchange of materials.
(c) The complex of a community of organisms and the community’s environment functioning as an ecological unit.
Emissions
The release of a substance (usually a gas when referring to the subject of
climate change) into the atmosphere.
Enhanced
greenhouse
effect
The concept that the natural greenhouse effect has been enhanced by increased
atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (such as CO 2 and methane)
emitted as a result of human activities. These added greenhouse gases cause
the earth to warm.
1 Effect of Global Warming and Climate Change on Glaciers and Salmons
27