Comphrensive Passage 159

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below.

A new analysis has determined that the threat of global warming can still be greatly diminished if nations cut emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases by 70% this century. The analysis was done by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). While global temperatures would rise, the most dangerous potential aspects of climate change, including massive losses of Arctic sea ice and permafrost and significant sea-level rise, could be partially avoided.

“This research indicates that we can no longer avoid significant warming during this century,” said NCAR scientist Warren Washington, the study paper’s lead author. “But, if the world were to implement this level of emission cuts, we could stabilize the threat of climate change”, the Average global temperatures have warmed by close to 1 degree Celsius since the pre-industrial era. Much of the warming is due to human-produced emissions of greenhouse gases, predominantly carbon dioxide. This heat-trapping gas has increased from a pre-industrial level of about 284 parts per million (ppm) in the atmosphere to more than 380 ppm today. With research showing that additional warming of about 1 degree C may be the threshold for dangerous climate change, the European Union has called for dramatic cuts in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

To examine the impact of such cuts on the world’s climate, Washington and his colleagues ran a series of global studies with the NCAR based Community Climate System Model (CCSM). They assumed that carbon dioxide levels could be held to 450 ppm at the end to this century. In contrast, emissions are now on track to reach about 750 ppm by 2100 if unchecked. The team’s results showed that if carbon dioxide were held to 450 ppm, global temperatures would increase by 0.6 degrees Celsius above current readings by the end of the century. In contrast, the study showed that temperatures would rise by almost four times that amount, to 2.2 degrees Celsius above current readings, if emissions were allowed to continue on their present course. Holding carbon dioxide levels to 450 ppm would have other impacts, according to the climate modeling study.

Sea-level rise due-to thermal expansion as water temperatures warmed would be 14 centimeters (about 5.5 inches) instead of 22 centimeters (8.7 inches). Also, Arctic ice in the summertime least shrink by about a quarter in volume and stabilize by 2100, as opposed to shrinking at least three-quarters and continuing to melt, and Arctic warming would be reduced by almost half.

Guest You need to login to ask any Questions from chapter comphrensive-passage-159 of comprehension-passage

Chapter:

A study of the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.

Only I

The ill-effects of the change in climate can be minimized.

All of the above would be key positive impacts.

None of these

None of these

None of these

None of these

All Chapters

Comphrensive Passage 1

Comphrensive Passage 2

Comphrensive Passage 3

Comphrensive Passage 4

Comphrensive Passage 5

Comphrensive Passage 6

Comphrensive Passage 7

Comphrensive Passage 8

Comphrensive Passage 9

Comphrensive Passage 10

Comphrensive Passage 11

Comphrensive Passage 12

Comphrensive Passage 13

Comphrensive Passage 14

Comphrensive Passage 15

Comphrensive Passage 16

Comphrensive Passage 17

Comphrensive Passage 18

Comphrensive Passage 19

Comphrensive Passage 20

Comphrensive Passage 21

Comphrensive Passage 22

Comphrensive Passage 23

Comphrensive Passage 24

Comphrensive Passage 25

Comphrensive Passage 26

Comphrensive Passage 27

Comphrensive Passage 28

Comphrensive Passage 29

Comphrensive Passage 30

Comphrensive Passage 31

Comphrensive Passage 32

Comphrensive Passage 33

Comphrensive Passage 34

Comphrensive Passage 35

Comphrensive Passage 36

Comphrensive Passage 37

Comphrensive Passage 38

Comphrensive Passage 39

Comphrensive Passage 40

Comphrensive Passage 41

Comphrensive Passage 42

Comphrensive Passage 43

Comphrensive Passage 44

Comphrensive Passage 45

Comphrensive Passage 46

Comphrensive Passage 47

Comphrensive Passage 48

Comphrensive Passage 49

Comphrensive Passage 50

Comphrensive Passage 51

Comphrensive Passage 52

Comphrensive Passage 53

Comphrensive Passage 54

Comphrensive Passage 55

Comphrensive Passage 56

Comphrensive Passage 57

Comphrensive Passage 58

Comphrensive Passage 59

Comphrensive Passage 60

Comphrensive Passage 61

Comphrensive Passage 62

Comphrensive Passage 63

Comphrensive Passage 64

Comphrensive Passage 65

Comphrensive Passage 66

Comphrensive Passage 67

Comphrensive Passage 68

Comphrensive Passage 69

Guest
You need to login to ask any Questions from chapter comphrensive-passage-159 of comprehension-passage