Clamate change introduction class 1.pptx

Environmental studies

1. Climate Changes The term climate refers to the general weather conditions of a place over many years. Climate change is a significant variations of a weather conditions. Conditions becoming warmer, wetter or drier over several decades (or) more Its that longer term trend that differentiates climate change from natural weather variability While climate change and global warming are often used interchangeable, global warming the recent rise in the global average temperature near the earth’s surface. The global climate is the system connected to sun, earth, ocean, wind, rain and snow, forests, deserts and savannas etc.

2. Global climate change refers to the average long term changes over the entire earth. These including warming temperature and changes in precipitation as well as effect of earth warming such as Rising sea level Shrinking mountain glaciers Ice melting at a faster rate than usual in Greenland, Antarctica and the arctic. Changes in flower and plant blooming times. Some parts of the world earth are warming faster than others. An average global air temperature near earth’s surface have gone up about 2 degrees in the past 100 years. Climate changing right now:

3. Many people, including scientist are concerned about this warming. As earth’s climate continues to warm, the intensity and amount of rainfall during storms such as hurricanes is expected to increase. Due to warms climate to increase drought , heat waves, when the earth temperature increase by one or two degrees that can change and impacts on human health, earths plants animals etc. According to NASA scientist , Climate change describe a change in a average conditions, such as temperature and rainfall. In a region over a long period of time.

4. Weather Vs Climate: Weather describes the conditions outside right now in a specific place. Forex: Rain , Snow, Wind, hurricanes, tornadoes these are all weather events. Climate: Climate describes the weather conditions that are expected in a region at a particular time of year . The mechanics of the earth’s climate system are simple. When energy from the sun is reflected off the earth and back into space by clouds and ice OR when the earth’s atmosphere release energy the planet cools. When the earth absorbs the suns energy OR when atmospheric gases prevent heat released by the earth from radiating into space (The GHE) the planet warms. A variety of factors, both natural and human can influence the earth’s climate system. causes climate change

5. The American association for the advancement of science has stated. The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now and it is a growing threat to society. Below are a few of the ways humans are accelerating climate change. Green house gases: Green house gases play a vital role in the earth’s climate cycles. As the planet gets reflected into space. Green house gases in the atmosphere trap the reflected energy, redirecting it back down to the earth and eventually contributing to global warming. Various gases play this role including Water vapour , Co 2, CH 4, NO x, CFC’s

6. While some of these green house gases such as wate r vapour are naturally occurring other such as CFCs are synthetic CO 2 has been increasing at an alarming rate and has the potential to stay in the earth’s atmosphere for thousands of years unless it gets absorbed by the ocean, land, trees and other sources. However as CO 2 production has steadily risen, the earth’s natural resources to absorb it has also been diminished. Some studies even predict that plants and soil will be able to absorb less CO 2 as the earth continues to warm-possible accelerating climate change even further.

7. The evidence is clear: the main cause of climate change is burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal . When burnt, fossil fuels release carbon dioxid e into the air, causing the planet to heat up . The climate on earth has been changing since it formed 4.5 billion years ago. recently , natural factors have been the cause of these changes. Natural influences on the climate include volcanic eruptions , changes in the orbit of the earth and shifts in the earth’s crust (known as plate tectonics ).

8. Over the past one million years , the earth has experienced a series of ice-ages (glacial periods) and warmer periods (inter glacial). Glacial and inter glacial periods cycle roughly every 100,000 years, caused by changes in earth’s orbit around the sun. For the past few thousand years , earth has been in an interglacial period with a constant temperature. However , since the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s , the global temperature has increased at a much faster rate . By burning fossil fuels and changing how we use the land, human activity has quickly become the leading cause of changes to our climate.

9. Green house gases and the green house effect Some gases in the earth’s atmosphere trap heat and stop it escaping into space. We call these green house gases. These gases act as a warming blanket around the earth, known as the green house effect. Green house gases come from both human and natural sources . Gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide naturally occur in the atmosphere . Others, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) , are only produced by human activity.

10. When short wave radiation from the sun reaches earth most of it passes straight through and hits the surface . The earth absorbs most of this radiation and gives off longer wavelength infrared radiation . The green house gases absorb some of this infrared radiation instead of it passing straight out into space. The atmosphere them emits radiation in all directions, sending some of it back to the surface, causing the planet to heat up. This process is known as the green house effect .

11. The green house effect is critical to our survival. In fact, without green house gases, earth would be about 30 degrees colder than it is today . Without green house gases and their warming effect, we would not be able to survive. However , since the Industrial revolution , we have been adding more and more green house gases into the air , trapping even more heat. Instead of keeping earth at a warm, stable temperature, the green house effect is heating the planet at a much faster rate. main cause of climate change .

12. Human causes of climate change Humans cause climate change by releasing carbon dioxide and other green house gases into the air. Today , there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than there ever has been in at least the past 800,000 years. During the 20 th and 21 st century , the level of carbon dioxide rose by 40%.

13. We produce green house gases in lots of different ways: Burning fossil fuels : Fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal contain carbon dioxide that has been locked away in the ground for thousands of years. we release the stored carbon dioxide into the air. Deforestation – Forests remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cutting them down means that carbon dioxide builds up quicker since there are no trees to absorb it. Not only that, trees release the carbon they stored when we burn them.

14. Agriculture – Planting crops and rearing animals releases many different types of green house gases in to the air. For example, animals produce methane which is 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a green house gas. The nitrous oxide used for fertilizers is ten times worse and is nearly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide Cement – Producing cement is another contributor to climate change, causing 2% of our entire carbon dioxide emissions .

15. Livestock: While interconnected to many of the agricultural and deforestation issues we have already touched on, livestock in the form of cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry play a significant role in climate change. According to one study “Livestock and climate change”, livestock around the world is responsible for 51% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.

16. Natural changes to the climate Natural cycles can cause the climate to alternate between warming and cooling . natural factors that force the climate to change, known as forcings . Even though these natural causes contribute to climate change, we know that they are not the primary cause, based on scientific evidence .

17. Some of these natural cycles include: Milankovitch cycles – As earth travels around the sun, its path and the tilt of its axis can change slightly . These changes, called Milankovitch cycles , affect the amount of sun light that falls on earth. This can cause the temperature of earth to change. However, these cycles take place over tens or hundreds or thousands of years .

18. El Nino Southern Oscillation ( ENSO) – ENSO is a pattern of changing water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. In an EI Nino year, the global temperature warms up and in a La Nina year, it cools down . These patterns can affect the global temperature for a short amount of time (months or years) but cannot explain the persistent warming that we see today.

19. Natural forcings that can contribute to climate change include: Solar irradiance – Changing energy from the sun has affected the temperature of earth in the past. However , we have not seen anything strong enough to change our climate. Any increase in solar energy would make the entire atmosphere of earth warm, but we can only see warming in the bottom layer. Volcanic eruptions – Volcanoes have a mixed effect on our climate. Eruptions produce aerosol particles that cool earth, but they also release carbon dioxide, which warms it . Volcanoes produce 50 times less carbon dioxide than human do, so we know they are not the leading cause of global warming. On top of this, cooling is the dominant effect of volcanic eruptions, not warming.

20. Immediate effects of climate change Agriculture, deforestation and livestock are interconnected Livestock in the form of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry play a significant role in climate change , live stock around the world is responsible for 51% and global green house Stronger storms & hurricanes Heatwaves Wildfires More flooding Heavier droughts

21. In 2014 the U.S. department of defence released a report that stated climate change posed a severe and immediate threat to national security. According to former secretary of defence , chuck hagel , “Rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns , climbing sea levels and more extreme weather events will intensify the challenges of global instability , hunger, poverty, and conflict. Furthermore climate change is likely to cause economic challenges in many parts of the world. Some estimates have the US already spending around $ 240 billion annually due to human caused climate change and future costs are projected to be even higher. However, putting and exact number on the real costs of climate change is difficult once you consider the staggering costs of losing natural resources like clean air and water.

22. Long term impact of climate change The long term impact of climate change could be absolutely devastating to the planet and everyone and everything living on it. If the world continues on its current trajectory then we will likely continue to see increasing effects on everyday life. Health There are many ways in which climate change could impact people’s health . Depending on age, location and economic status, climate change is already affecting the health of many and has the potential to impact millions more. According to the center for disease control and prevention climate change related health risks may include:

23. Heat related illness Injuries and fatalities from severe weather Asthma & cardiovascular disease from air pollution Respiratory problems from increased allergens Diseases from poor water quality Water & food supply insecurities

24. Ecosystems are interconnected webs of living organisms that help support all kinds of plant and biological life. Climate change is already changing seasonal weather patterns and disrupting food distribution for plants and animals throughout the world potentially causing mass extinction events . Some studies estimate that nearly 30% of plant and animal species are at risk of extinction if global temperatures continue to rise. Negative impact on ecosystems:

25. Water and food resources: Climate change could have a significant impact on food and water supplies. Severe weather and increased temperatures will continue to limit crop productivity and increase the demand for water . With food demand expected to increase by nearly 70% by 2050 , the problem will likely only get worse.

26. Rising sea levels could have far reaching effects on coastal cities and habitats . Increasing ocean temperatures and melting ice sheets have steadily contributed to the rise of sea levels on a global scale. At current rates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate sea levels to rise by at least 8 inches by 2100, potentially causing increased flooding and decrease in ocean and wetland habitats. Sea levels rising:

27. White contributing to rising sea levels, shrinking ice sheets present their own set of unique problems, including increased global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change has driven summer melt of the ice sheets covering Greenland and Antarctica to increase by nearly 30% since 1979. Shrinking Ice sheets

28. The ocean is one of the main ways in which CO2 gets absorbed. human caused CO2 is pushing the world’s oceans to their limits and causing increased acidity . As pH levels in the ocean decrease, shellfish have difficulty reproducing, and much of the oceans food cycle becomes disrupted. Ocean Acidification

29. The main pathways and categories of health impact of climate change are shown in Figure 1.

30. Mitigation Solutions Between 1970 and 2004 global emissions of greenhouse gases rose by 70%, mainly as a result of rising energy consumption . The CO2 emissions of electrical power stations, factories, motor vehicles, homes, offices and other sources grew even greater: by 80%. Developed countries are responsible for half the world’s CO2 emissions. While the share of emerging economies like China and Latin America in global CO2 emissions is rising , it is still far less than that of Europe and the United States taken together (both in absolute terms and per head of the population). If no action is taken, global CO2 emissions are projected to rise by a further 45% to 110% between 2000 and 2030.

31. In many of the world’s regions and countries governments have introduced policies to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases . This is often referred to as mitigation policy. A case in point is the Kyoto Protocol , under which industrialized countries have committed themselves to a certain cut in emissions; this has not been ratified by Australia or the US, however The European Union has an additional policy target of reducing its CO2 emissions by twenty to thirty percent by the year 2020 relative to 1990 One of the key instruments for securing these targets is the European “carbon emissions trading scheme”. At the national and local level, too, action is being taken by governments as well as environmental organizations . One example of the latter type of action is Green sure , a green energy plan presented to the Dutch government in 2007 by the Netherlands’ largest environmental and trades unions organizations.

32. Young people themselves can also take action to limit climate change. The first step to realize that many everyday activities— computer gaming , showering, travel , consume energy and that energy is also required to produce food, clothing, cars, buildings and all kinds of other products. Everyone uses energy and every unit of energy consumed can further exacerbate climate change . It’s therefore important to realize that all of us share some of the responsibility for climate change. What we ourselves can do to tackle climate change depends very much on our personal situation .

33. Purchase renewable energy certificate for your home power needs Make your home energy efficient Buy carbon offsets Adopt a plant based diet Reduce food waste Recycle Stop using fossil fuels Stop deforestation

34. Future effects: Some of the long term effects of global climate change in the united states are as follows: According to the third and fourth national climate assessment reports. Change will continue through this century and beyond Global climate is projected to continue to change over this century and beyond. The magnitude of climate change beyond the next few decades depends primarily on the amount of heat trapping gases emitted globally and how sensitive the earth’s climate is to those emissions

35. Temperature will continue to rise Frost free season (and growing season) will lengthen Changes in precipitation pattern More drought and heat waves Hurricanes will become stronger and more intense Sea level will rise 1-8 fact by 2100

36.   1 C 2 C 3 C 4 C 5 C Fresh water supplies Small glaciers disappear threatening water supplies for 50 million people Potential water supply decrease 20-30% in some region (southern Africa and Mediterranean) Serious drought in southern europe every 10 years 1-4 billion more people suffer water shortages Potential water supply decrease of 30-50% in southern Africa and Mediterranean Large glaciers possible disappear affecting % of Chinas population Food and Agriculture Modest increase in yields in temper region Decline in crop in tropical region (5-10% in Africa) 150-550 million more people at risk of hunger yield likely to peak higher latitude Yield decline 15-35 in Africa some entire region out agricultural production Increase in occen acidity possible reduce fish stock Human health At least 3,00,000 die each year from climate related evidence reduction in water mortality in high latitude 40-60 million more exposed to malaria in Africa 1-3 million more potentially people die annual from mal nutrition Upto 80 million more people exposed Further disease increase and substantial burden on health care service Possible effects of Climate change Environmental temperature rise relative to pre industrial temperature

37. The economics of Global climate change Coastal Areas Increased damage from coastal flooding Upto 10 million more people exposed to coastal flooding Upto 170 million more people exposed to coastal flooding Upto 300 million more people exposed to coastal flooding Sea level rise threaten major cities such as newyork, Tokyo and London Ecosystem At least 10% land species facing extinction increased wild fire 15-40% species potential face extinction 20-50% species potentially face extinction possible on set of collapse of amazon forest Loss of half of arctic tunders wide spared Loss of coral reef Significant extinction across the globe

38. Adaptation Solutions Adaptation is processes through which societies make themselves better able to cope with an uncertain future Adapting to climate change taking the right measures to reduce the negative effects of climate change (or exploit the positive ones) by making the appropriate adjustments and changes (UNFCCC, 2007 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines adaptation as ‘adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities ( IPCC, 2 The consequences of climate change can be seen all over the world. Sea level rise, flooding, hotter summers and wetter winters are the picture of present and future