Sandwatch & Climate Change
What is climate change?
Climate on earth has changed continually as the planet has evolved geologically. Natural causes include changes in the amount of the sun's solar radiation reaching the earth, and volcanic eruptions that can shroud the earth in dust thereby reflecting the heat from the sun back into space. Most of the historical changes in climate have occurred on time scales far longer than a human life - centuries, millennia or millions of years.
Natural causes, however, can explain only a small part of the present warming trend that has been observed during the second half of the 20th century. There is now unequivocal evidence that the earth's climate is changing as a result of human activities, principally, increased carbon dioxide emissions since pre-industrial times (1700s). The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that rising concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) in the atmosphere are causing climate to change.
From: Clark College, 2003
Where to get more information on climate change?
How will climate change affect beaches?
How can Sandwatch play a role?
Should we panic? No. Should we listen, learn, understand and begin to adapt to climate change now? Yes. Within the framework of Sandwatch we can learn firsthand about the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on our beaches and coasts. For example, how will rising sea levels and more intense hurricanes affect our particular beach and will increasing temperatures affect turtle hatching? Sandwatch can help us conduct research, share our findings and then take action on these potential impacts.
Here are some examples of how Sandwatch is involved in climate changes activities:
Sandwatch climate change activities