WTG - Ch 7. Reawaking the Giant

Question 1

A lot has been made of climate change and how it will impact the Earth. If a worse possible scenario takes place and the Earth’s atmosphere warms significantly how might this affect the frequency and magnitude of potentially catastrophic geological events such as volcanoes, earthquakes and landslides?

Answer 1

If climate changes, there will be significant increases in sea level. This means there will be more weight bearing down on coastal areas. Climate change also means there will be more extreme weather events such as storms. This means there will be more sudden shifts of water in coastal areas. Both scenarios suggest an increase in the frequency, size and duration of events where large excesses of water are moved on the earth’s surface. Shifting weight (water) of this magnitude can change the behaviour of volcanoes, earthquakes and landslides. The change could be an increase in frequency and magnitude.