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Ask the Expert” articles feature insights and information from MSU researchers, scientists, and scholars on national and global issues and complex research. They can include historical information, background, research findings or tips.
Yadu Pokhrel is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State UniversityDiscusses the topic of climate change and its impact on the world. Pokhrel answers your questions about climate change and what you can do to stop it.
What is climate?
Climate change refers to a change or rise in temperature. Climate change can also include many other things in the larger Earth’s system. The water cycle is one example. However, if there’s any change to the water cycle due to climate change, that means we are changing the fundamental human need on Earth. That includes water, water supplies for humans and food production, energy generation, and so forth.
What does this mean for the planet?
Changes in temperature mean that the air’s ability to hold moisture is going increase. The hydrological cycle becomes more intense when this happens. The result is that rain can fall more in some areas, while it can rain less in others.
What causes climate change?
Our recent study found that extreme to exceptional droughts have increased significantly, and this was primarily due to climate change as a result of rising greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most striking results of the study was the finding that the number of people suffering from extreme droughts would more then double if there is a moderate to high rate global warming.
Climate change is directly caused by humans releasing more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. This causes a change in the temperature and impacts on the water cycle. There is another aspect to drought that humans can do, such as building dams and pumping groundwater for irrigation. By doing so, humans directly alter the water cycle on the ground. These two activities can have even greater impacts when combined.
How has climate change impacted communities so far?
These are just a few examples. California is currently experiencing a decade of drought, while Cape Town in South Africa suffered from a severe drought in 2018. Climate change is making things worse. We may see more of these places in the future. All over the globe, there are more severe droughts. So, the issue related to drought is not just a local problem — in some places it’s a global problem.
What can we do for you?
Even if we limit greenhouse gas emissions in a significant way, climate change is inevitable. It is important that we teach climate change issues and produce scientists and engineers who are able to deal with the growing impacts of climate.
