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Measurement of global average temperatures is so important

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because it's one of the most direct
indicators of Earth's changing climate.

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But the Earth is really a system
of environmental systems, land,

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ocean atmosphere and ice, and changes
in one system impact the others.

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Our oceans are our first line of defense
in climate change

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because they absorb so much of the extra
trapped energy in the Earth system.

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We are seeing the impacts
of climate change now.

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Now we know that as our climate warms,

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wet areas are getting wetter
and dry areas are getting drier.

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For example, we see more intense snowstorms.

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We see slower hurricanes that are causing
more precipitation that inundate land.

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And we have more extreme precipitation
in the form of atmospheric rivers

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that come from the Pacific
and reach our West Coast.

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The oceans are observing a large amount
of heat because of climate change.

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And once that heat is in the ocean,
it actually travels all around the planet

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because of the ocean currents.

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And that has impacts on local weather and long-term climate.

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As the planet warms.

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It's not just the ocean
that's warming, it's also the ice

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that sits in the ocean and on land.

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The ice on land being warmed increases
melting, which is increasing freshwater

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input into the polar oceans and causing
sea levels to rise across the globe.

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So as the climate is changing,
we really are 

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seeing a lot of changes
to the environment up in the Arctic.

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We're seeing more permafrost

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thaw when it's warmer up there,

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the warmer air temperature can lead
to warm ground temperature

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and we get that thawing
of that permafrost layer.

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We're finding that the fire season

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is being exacerbated by longer periods
of drought and decreased snowfall.

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Knowing that our climate is changing due
to human activities means that we know how

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to lessen the effects of future warming
and knowing how we know

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what causes climate change confirms
that our efforts would be meaningful.

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The situation is serious,
but it's not hopeless.

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Together, we can decide to make.

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A better choice.