Shannon H. Harts - Climate Change and Earths Population

Published in 2022 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2022 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

First Edition

Editor: Theresa Emminizer

Book Design: Michael Flynn

Photo Credits: Cover Glen Allen/The Image Bank/Getty Images Plus; (series globe background) photastic/Shutterstock. com; p. kwest/Shutterstock. com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Harts, Shannon H.

Title: Climate change and Earths population / Shannon H. Harts..

Description: New York: Rosen Publishing, 2022. | Series: Spotlight on global issues | Includes glossary and index. Identifiers: ISBN 9781725323094 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781725323124 (library bound) | ISBN 9781725323100 (6 pack) Subjects: LCSH: Climatic changes--Juvenile literature. | Climatic changes--Effect of human beings on--Juvenile literature. | Global warming--Juvenile literature. | Nature--Effect of human beings on--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC QC903.15 2022 | DDC 363.73874--dc23

Manufactured in the United States of America

Some of the images in this book illustrate individuals who are models. The depictions do not imply actual situations or events.

CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #CSR22. For further information contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York at 1-800-237-9932.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

RISING POPULATIONS,
DISAPPEARING SPECIES

Earths human population is approaching 8 billion people. From the planets highest peaks to its greatest depths, humanitys impact is becoming more evident than ever. This is partly due to climate change, which is putting the very systems humans depend on for survival at risk.

As the human population continues to grow, animal species are disappearing. The Florida panther, which can grow to around 7 feet (2.1 m) long, is an efficient predator thats perfected the art of gracefully sneaking up on its prey. Despite its many remarkable adaptations, this top predator is on the brink of extinction. That makes it one of the 30,000 or so species a year that humans are driving to extinction. In fact, scientists say the world is in the midst of its sixth mass extinction, and humans are the root cause.

Floridas human population has nearly doubled in the last 30 years, but the Florida panthers population has dropped. In 2017, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service estimated there were only around 120 to 230 panthers left in Florida, making it one of the worlds rarest mammals.

The rising human population and declining panther population is a perfect example of how people are affecting the natural environment. Luckily, many of the planets top engineers and scientists are making strides to address climate change and peoples influences on the planet. Activists are also using their powerful voices to work against the devastating consequences of climate change even as those changes unfold.

Climate change is causing Earths ice caps to melt, which causes sea levels to rise. This flooding could destroy the Florida panthers low-lying habitat in southwestern Florida.

CHAPTER TWO

EARTHS CHANGING
ATMOSPHERE

Earth is unique among the planets in our solar system. Earths temperature and mix of chemicals provide the perfect ingredients for life. These unique ingredients havent been found anywhere else in the expansive Milky Way galaxy.

Earth has been around for about 4.5 billion years. Within that time, its undergone many changes. During ice ages, vast ice sheets covered huge areas of land. Species have come and gone. Life affects the planets climate. In turn, the climate shapes how species are able to survive.

Humans have impacted the climate by changing the delicate balance of gases in our atmosphere. The atmosphere is about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and less than 1 percent other gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2).

Fossil fuels are fuels that form in the earth from dead plants or animals. Humans burn fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, for energy and during industrial activities. This releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Within the last 150 years, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million. Other greenhouse gases, such as methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide, are also rapidly increasing due to human activities.

In 2017, CO2 made up about 82 percent of U.S. emissions. Methane was the second most common gas emission, accounting for about 10 percent. Methane is mainly produced from the decay of organic matter in landfills and from agricultural activities, especially raising livestock.

This photo shows the layers of Earths atmosphere.

The correct balance of atmospheric gases is essential to life on Earth. Scientists fear that the increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases could have a domino effect on Earths climate. This means that the consequences of greenhouse gas emissions could lead to further climate problems.

A climate tipping point is a threshold that, when passed, can lead to large-scale changes to the climate system. For example, the melting layers of frozen ground in Earths polar regions could unleash large stores of greenhouse gases from land called permafrost. This would intensify, or worsen, the problems caused by greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The rapid growth of the human population is believed to be fueling these climate tipping points.

Since AD 1, the human population has grown from 200 million to nearly 8 billion. However, populations arent growing at the same rate everywhere. Certain populations have much higher greenhouse gas emissions than others.

Populations are growing fastest in the Middle East and Africa. Asia, which is home to around 60 percent of the worlds population, is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases. The United States is the secondhighest emitter of greenhouse gases, producing 5.3 billion tons (4.8 mt) of CO2 a year.

Although less-developed countries emit lower levels of CO2, the consequences of climate change may hit them the hardest. This is just one example of climate justice issues that are becoming increasingly common as Earths climate changes.

In Alaska, methane gas bubbles in lakes are becoming more common as climate change causes frozen permafrost to thaw.

The human population is now large enough to impact nearly all the cycles that make Earths land and climate habitable.

The water cycle is the most important system that climate change impacts. The water cycle involves water evaporating from lakes, oceans, and other bodies of liquid water and turning into clouds through condensation. Water then returns to Earths surface in the form of precipitation, such as rain and snow.