patrickbdevaney/mia9 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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Section II) is that warming of the Earth’s climate
system is unequivocally taking place, and that
most of the temperature increase since the mid20th century is very likely caused by increased
concentrations of greenhouse gases from
human activities (see the sidebar) (1).
Thus, the question for Floridians is not whether
they will be affected, but how much—that is,
to what degree warming will continue, how
rapidly, what other climate changes will
accompany the warming, and what the longterm effects of these changes will be. Some
detrimental effects, such as ocean acidification,
are already well documented. Others will begin
in the coming years and decades, and the time
is coming when the state is simultaneously and
persistently challenged by all of these effects.
W H AT A R E G R E E N H O U S E
GA S E S ?
Greenhouse gases, found in the Earth’s at
mosphere, are produced by natural and in
dustrial processes. They absorb and emit
heat, or infrared radiation, from the planet’s
surface, atmosphere, and clouds. While
these gases are essential to maintaining the
Earth’s temperature, excess quantities can
raise temperatures by radiating heat toward
the surface. The most important green
house gases are water vapor (which
causes 36 to 70 percent of the green
house, or warming, effect on Earth); carbon
dioxide (9 to 26 percent); methane (4 to 9
percent); and ozone (3 to 7 percent).
Other greenhouse gases include nitrous
oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocar
bons, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluoro
carbons (2).
1
I
2
I
Florida is especially vulnerable to the effects of
climate change. It has over 1,200 miles of
coastline almost 4,500 square miles of estuaries
and bays, and more than 6,700 square miles of
other coastal waters (3). The entire state lies
within the Atlantic Coastal Plain, with a maximum elevation less than 400 feet above sea
level, and most of Florida’s 18 million residents
live less than 60 miles from the Atlantic Ocean
or the Gulf of Mexico (3, 4).
In addition, Florida’s coastal and marine
resources comprise some of the nation's most
diverse and productive ecosystems, supporting
vast numbers of aquatic and terrestrial animals
and plants—some of which exist nowhere else
on Earth. These ecosystems include the coastal
ocean, barrier islands, bays, estuaries, lagoons,
sounds, tidal salt marshes and creeks, mangrove swamps, shellfish beds, seagrass beds,
coral reefs, and oyster bars. They are an
important source of food and other products;
perform valuable and irreplaceable ecological
functions at no cost; and provide significant
aesthetic and recreational opportunities.
Florida’s lifesupport system, economy, and
quality of life depend on preserving and sustaining these natural resources over the long term.
WHAT I S CL I MAT E CHANGE ?
Global climate comprises the atmosphere, land,
snow and ice, the oceans and other bodies of
water, and living organisms. The atmosphere is
typically what we envision when talking about
climate (which often is defined as the average
weather) (5). However, the oceans are also a
critical component of climate because of their
ability to retain heat, their role in distributing heat
globally, and their capacity as a reservoir for
dissolved carbon dioxide.
According to the United Nations’ Intergovern
—

mental Panel on Climate Change, climate
change is “a change in the state of the climate
that can be identified (e.g., using statistical tests)
by changes in the mean and/or the variability
of its properties, and that persists for an
extended period, typically decades or longer.
It refers to any change in climate over time,
whether due to natural variability or as a result
of human activity” (1).
Currently, the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere is changing as a result of both natural
and human activities—including the burning of
fossil fuels (which have caused the atmospheric
buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases) and largescale deforestation. In
recent decades, average air and ocean
temperatures have increased; there is widespread melting of snow and ice at the poles;
and average sea levels are rising. Because
greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for
a long time—from decades to hundreds of
years—atmospheric levels of these gases will
continue to increase during the 21st century (6).
. . . The question for Floridians is not whether
they will be affected, but how much that is,
to what degree warming will continue, how

Section II) is that warming of the Earth’s climate

system is unequivocally taking place, and that

most of the temperature increase since the mid20th century is very likely caused by increased

concentrations of greenhouse gases from

human activities (see the sidebar) (1).

Thus, the question for Floridians is not whether

they will be affected, but how much—that is,

to what degree warming will continue, how

rapidly, what other climate changes will

accompany the warming, and what the longterm effects of these changes will be. Some

detrimental effects, such as ocean acidification,

are already well documented. Others will begin

in the coming years and decades, and the time

is coming when the state is simultaneously and

persistently challenged by all of these effects.

W H AT A R E G R E E N H O U S E

GA S E S ?

Greenhouse gases, found in the Earth’s at

mosphere, are produced by natural and in

dustrial processes. They absorb and emit

heat, or infrared radiation, from the planet’s

surface, atmosphere, and clouds. While

these gases are essential to maintaining the

Earth’s temperature, excess quantities can

raise temperatures by radiating heat toward

the surface. The most important green

house gases are water vapor (which

causes 36 to 70 percent of the green

house, or warming, effect on Earth); carbon

dioxide (9 to 26 percent); methane (4 to 9

percent); and ozone (3 to 7 percent).

Other greenhouse gases include nitrous

oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocar

bons, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluoro

carbons (2).

1

I

2

I

Florida is especially vulnerable to the effects of

climate change. It has over 1,200 miles of

coastline almost 4,500 square miles of estuaries

and bays, and more than 6,700 square miles of

other coastal waters (3). The entire state lies

within the Atlantic Coastal Plain, with a maximum elevation less than 400 feet above sea

level, and most of Florida’s 18 million residents

live less than 60 miles from the Atlantic Ocean

or the Gulf of Mexico (3, 4).

In addition, Florida’s coastal and marine

resources comprise some of the nation's most

diverse and productive ecosystems, supporting

vast numbers of aquatic and terrestrial animals

and plants—some of which exist nowhere else

on Earth. These ecosystems include the coastal

ocean, barrier islands, bays, estuaries, lagoons,

sounds, tidal salt marshes and creeks, mangrove swamps, shellfish beds, seagrass beds,

coral reefs, and oyster bars. They are an

important source of food and other products;

perform valuable and irreplaceable ecological

functions at no cost; and provide significant

aesthetic and recreational opportunities.

Florida’s lifesupport system, economy, and

quality of life depend on preserving and sustaining these natural resources over the long term.

WHAT I S CL I MAT E CHANGE ?

Global climate comprises the atmosphere, land,

snow and ice, the oceans and other bodies of

water, and living organisms. The atmosphere is

typically what we envision when talking about

climate (which often is defined as the average

weather) (5). However, the oceans are also a

critical component of climate because of their

ability to retain heat, their role in distributing heat

globally, and their capacity as a reservoir for

dissolved carbon dioxide.

According to the United Nations’ Intergovern

—

mental Panel on Climate Change, climate

change is “a change in the state of the climate

that can be identified (e.g., using statistical tests)

by changes in the mean and/or the variability

of its properties, and that persists for an

extended period, typically decades or longer.

It refers to any change in climate over time,

whether due to natural variability or as a result

of human activity” (1).

Currently, the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere is changing as a result of both natural

and human activities—including the burning of

fossil fuels (which have caused the atmospheric

buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases) and largescale deforestation. In

recent decades, average air and ocean

temperatures have increased; there is widespread melting of snow and ice at the poles;

and average sea levels are rising. Because

greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for

a long time—from decades to hundreds of

years—atmospheric levels of these gases will

continue to increase during the 21st century (6).

. . . The question for Floridians is not whether

they will be affected, but how much that is,

to what degree warming will continue, how