EARTHSC 2EI3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Grand River Conservation Authority, Risk Assessment, Nuclear Power
24 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Humans have constantly experienced changes: ex. Little ice age: started in medieval times and ended in 19th century: people in europe experienced cool glacial conditions. Oscillations between cold glacial periods and warm interglacial periods over the past several hundred thousand years. Changes in natural systems are more abrupt and are happening faster. Earth"s climate is changing and so is environment. Global warming: increasing global avg. surface temp since middle of 19th century. Strong evidence that human activities are key driving force behind environmental change. Changes are due in part to how humans are interacting with natural systems and their activities. Human pop. growth and increased consumption leads to both economic growth and environmental change. Some changes are due to rapid population increase in past two centuries, it does not explain all of the changes. Growing demand worldwide for certain standard of living. More people around the world own a car. Changes are occurring rapidly and with greater magnitude than previously.
