The Climate Question Your questions answered: The speed of global warming; space junk; advice for kids
Jan 27, 2025
Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor, explores rapid climate change phenomena. Akshat Rathi, Bloomberg News senior climate reporter, discusses climate trends and the implications of space junk on the environment. Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC CrowdScience, shares insights on kids' questions about climate issues and survival skills. They dive into why the climate has shifted dramatically in the last 50 years, and a delightful young listener even shares a climate-themed song, adding a whimsical touch to the serious topic of our planet's future.
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Warming Acceleration Uncertain but Likely
- Global warming rate appears to have accelerated since the 1970s, going from 0.18 to 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade recently.
- However, data limitations mean scientists remain cautious about confirming a long-term acceleration trend.
Space Junk's Climate Impact Unknown
- Space junk likely has a negligible thermal effect, possibly even reflecting sunlight slightly.
- Metallic particles from space junk are now found in the atmosphere, but their environmental impact is unknown.
Space Junk Density Is Extremely Sparse
- Space junk consists of tens of thousands of large items and millions of small fragments orbiting Earth.
- Despite the large number, space junk's overall presence is very sparse relative to Earth's atmosphere size.