News #10

Figure: Estimate of the Earth’s annual and global mean energy balance. Over the long term, the amount of incoming solar radiation absorbed by the Earth and atmosphere is balanced by the Earth and atmosphere releasing the same amount of outgoing longwave radiation. About half of the incoming solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth’s surface. This energy is transferred to the atmosphere by warming the air in contact with the surface (thermals), by evapotranspiration and by longwave radiation that is absorbed by clouds and greenhouse gases. The atmosphere in turn radiates longwave energy back to Earth as well as out to space. Source: Kiehl and Trenberth (1997).

DID YOU KNOW?

For over a century, scientists around the world have been steadily building a clearer picture of Earth’s climate. From the first CO₂ measurements in 1958 to global temperature records stretching back to the 1800s, climate science has become one of humanity’s greatest collaborative achievements. Thanks to countless observations, refined models, and discoveries—from ice-core records to satellite tracking—we now understand our climate system better than ever before. For instance, the complexity of the climate system can be broken down into five major elements: the atmosphere, land surface, snow and ice, oceans and other bodies of water, and, last but not least, living things. This growing body of knowledge about the interactions between these elements empowers us: the same science that revealed human influence on climate also guides the solutions that can secure a resilient, sustainable future. For example, nature-based solutions such as restoring wetlands, planting forests, or protecting mangroves help absorb carbon dioxide, reduce flooding, and support biodiversity—all while mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Le Treut, H., Somerville, R., Cubasch, U., Ding, Y., Mauritzen, C., Mokssit, A., Peterson, T., & Prather, M. (2007). Historical overview of climate change science. In S. Solomon et al. (Eds.), Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC. Cambridge University Press.
https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/ar4-wg1-chapter1.pdf