Climate is constantly changing. We know that the world has gone through periods when the temperature was much warmer and much cooler than it is today. Evidence to support this can be found by studying rocks and fossils and analysing pollen found in ice that dates back thousands of years.
Our glaciated landscape tells us that Ireland was covered in ice during the last ice age, which ended around 10,000 years ago.
Go to Chapter 11 to learn more about glaciation in Ireland. There are a number of natural causes for climate change, such as:
• Changing ocean current patterns
• Earth’s changing orbit and tilt
• Volcanic activity blocking the sun.
However, the hottest years on record have all occurred since 2000, which tells us that the climate change that is occurring at the moment is faster than ever before. This is due to human activity and what is called the greenhouse effect.
: Figure 14.16 The effects of global warming: a dried-up reservoir in Thailand ACT VITY
Work in pairs. Discuss what life might be like in Ireland in a hundred years’ time if the temperature keeps increasing. How will it impact on our economic activities?
