Unit 6

Climate Change
6.1. Climate Change: Causes and effects
Definition of Climate Change
Climate change is the global phenomenon of
climate transformation characterized by the
changes in the usual climate of the planet
(temperature, precipitation, and wind) that are
especially caused by human activities.
Climate change is a systematic change in the long-
term state of the atmosphere over multiple decades
or longer.crease in the average atmospherire.
What Causes Climate change?
Natural and anthropogenic
substances and processes that
alter the Earth’s energy budget
are drivers of climate change.
Humans are increasingly
influencing the climate and the earth's temperature
by burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests and
farming livestock that increases the concentration
of atmospheric CO2 by more than 40%, with over
half the increase occurring since 1970
This adds enormous amounts of greenhouse gases
to the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect
and global warming. At its most basic, climate
change is caused by a change in the earth’s energy
balance how much of the energy from the
sun that enters the earth (and its atmosphere) is
released back into space. The earth is gaining
energy as we reduce the amount of solar energy
that is reflected out to space.
6.1.1. Greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere
at various scopes that have an influence on the
earth's energy balance by trapping heat in the
atmosphere, which makes the Earth warmer.
Scientists have known for centuries that gases of
various sources.
In Earth’s atmosphere like carbon dioxide
and methane act as a greenhouse,
preventing a certain amount of heat
radiation from escaping back to space.
Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities
have added very large quantities of
greenhouse gases (GHG) into Earth’s atmosphere.
These GHG act like a blanket or car windshield to
trap the sun’s energy and heat, rather than letting it
reflect back into space.
When the concentration of GHG is too high, too
much heat is trapped, and the earth’s
temperature rises outside the range of natural
variability. There are many GHG, each with a
different ability to trap heat and a different half-life
in the atmosphere. GHG are sometimes
called “climate active pollutants” because most
have additional notable effects on human
health.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the GHG responsible for
greatest amount of warming to date. The majority
of CO2 is released from the incomplete combustion
of fossil fuels-coal, oil, and gas used for electricity
production, transportation and
industrial processes .
Table 6.1. Types of greenhouse gases and their
major sources
6.1.2. Effects of climate change
“You say you love your children above all else, and
yet you are stealing their future in front of their
very eyes.” Greta Thunberg.
Climate change destabilizes the earth’s
temperature equilibrium and has far-reaching
effects on human beings and the environment
During the course of global warming the
energy balance and thus the temperature of the
earth change posing a significant impact on humans
and the environment. And, it is likely that global
warming will increase the probability of extreme
weather events. The direct consequences of man-
made climate change include:
 rising maximum temperatures
 rising sea levels
 higher ocean temperatures
 an increase in heavy precipitation and
shrinking of glaciers
BIOLOGY GRADE 12 STUDENT TEXTBOOK

The indirect consequences of climate change which
affect humans and our environment
include:
 an increase in hunger and water crises,
 health risks
 economic crisis
 increasing spread of pests and pathogens
 loss of biodiversity
 ocean acidification conc
Effects of climate change on biodiversity
Biodiversity provides immense direct benefits to
humans with at least 40% of the world’s
economy being derived from biological resources.
Maintaining biodiversity provides greater
food security, opportunities for economic
development, and provides a foundation for new
pharmaceuticals and other medical advances.
However, climate change is affecting the
Habitats of several species, which they must either
adapt or migrate to areas with
more favorable conditions. Climate change is likely
to become the dominantly direct driver
of biodiversity loss by the end of the century.
Projected changes in climate combined with
land use change and the spread of exotic or alien
species are likely to limit the capability of
some species to migrate and therefore will
accelerate their loss.
Effects of climate change on Agriculture
Agricultural biodiversity refers to all components
of biological diversity of relevance to food
and agriculture. It includes plants genetic
resources, crops, wild plants harvested and
managed
for food, trees on farms, pastures, rangeland
species, medicinal plants and ornamental plants
of aesthetic value. Animal genetic resources
include domesticated animals, wild animals
hunted for food, wild and farmed fish and other
aquatic organisms, insect pollinators and
microbial and fungal genetic resources. Climate
change can disrupt food availability, reduce
access to food, and affect food quality. For
example, projected increases in temperatures,
changes in precipitation patterns, changes in
extreme weather events, and reductions in water
availability may all result in reduced agricultural
productivity . OGY GRADE 12 STUDENT
TEXTBOOK
Effect of climate change on forest productivity
Climate change could alter the frequency and
intensity of forest disturbances such as pest
outbreaks, invasive species, wildfires, and storms.
These disturbances can reduce forest
productivity and change the distribution of tree
species. In some cases, forests can recover
from a disturbance. In other cases, existing species
may shift their range or die out. In these
cases, the new species of vegetation that colonize
the area create a new type of forest. Insect
outbreaks often defoliate, weaken, and kill trees.
Warm temperatures and drought conditions
during the early summer triggered wild fire, which
can consume millions of acres of forest
Climate change and natural disasters
Climate hazards are natural events in weather
cycles. We have always had hurricanes,
droughts and wildfires, high winds and flooding.
Surprisingly however, we are currently
witnessing a scale of destruction and devastation
that is new and terrifying.
With the increasing global surface temperatures,
the possibility of more droughts and increased
intensity of storms will likely to occur. As more
water vapor is evaporated into the
atmosphere, it becomes fuel for more powerful
storms to develop.
Melting ice and rising seas
When water warms up it expands. At the same time
global warming causes polar ice sheets
and glaciers to melt. The combination of these
changes is causing sea levels to rise resulting
in flooding and erosion of coastal and low lying
areas.
Extreme weather, shifting rainfall
Heavy rain and other extreme weather events are
becoming more frequent. This can lead not
only to floods and decreasing water quality but also
to decreasing availability of water
resources in some regions.
Risks of climate change for human health
Climate change is already having an impact on
health: There has been an increase in the
number of heat-related deaths in some regions of
the earth and a decrease in cold-related
deaths in other parts of the world. We are already
observing changes in the spread of some
water-borne illnesses and disease vectors.
6.3. Safety rules/ precautions during natural
disaster
Disaster risk management is a comprehensive
approach involving the identification of threats
through implementation of the proposed mitigation
measures.
Natural disasters are catastrophic events that often
occur without warning and disrupt the ecosystem
causing damage to personal lives, property,
transportation, and livelihood. While it is never
possible to prevent a disaster, the damage can be
minimized through timely preparation. As such,
every natural disaster has its own set of precautions
to be taken, which must be followed to save
precious lives.
Page317BIOLOGY GRADE 12 STUDENT
TEXTBOOK
Figure 6.12. Elements of Comprehensive risk
management
Here under are a few precautions to be taken during
natural disasters.
Earthquakes
The shifting of tectonic plates under the earth’s
crust causes earthquakes, which are
responsible for mass destruction. When faced with
an earthquake, these tips can be of
use:
If you are indoors
 Take cover under a sturdy table or other pieces
of furniture, and hold on until the
shaking stops.
 Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors
and walls, and anything that could fall,
such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
Stay inside until the shaking stops, and it is safe to
go outside. Most injuries occur to
people trying to move a different location inside
the building or try to leave.
 Do not use the elevators.
If you are outdoors,
 Stay away from buildings, streetlights, and
utility wires.
 Stand in open ground until the shaking stops. It’s
dangerous to stay directly outside
buildings, at exits, and alongside exterior walls.
Ground movement during an
earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or
injury. Most earthquake-related
casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass,
and falling objects.
Tsunamis
 Tsunamis are a series of enormous ocean waves
caused by earthquakes, underwater
landslides, or volcanic eruptions. Tsunami waves
range from tens to hundreds of feet
tall and can travel twenty to thirty miles per hour.
When faced with this phenomenon,
these tips are to be followed:
Turn on your radio/TV to learn and follow the
precautionary instructions
during a tsunami warning, primarily when you
reside near a coastal area.
Move inland to higher ground immediately and
stay there.
Check for a noticeable recession in water away
from the shoreline as this is
nature’s tsunami warning and should be heeded. It
would help if you moved
away immediately.
o Stay away from flooded and damaged areas until
officials say it is safe to
return.
o Keep yourself away from debris in the water; it
may pose a safety hazard to
boats and people.
IOLOGY GRADE 12 STUDENT TEXTBOOK
Cyclones
 Cyclones are tropical storms, caused by
atmospheric disturbances around a low
pressure area. Cyclones are accompanied by strong
winds, moving at a speed of sixty
two Kmph or more. When faced with a
hurricane, keep these tips in mind:
 Be alert to the changing weather conditions.
 Listen to radio/TV for the latest information.
 Look for approaching storms.
 Look for the following warning signs: – Dark,
often greenish sky – Large
hailstones, a large, dark, low-lying cloud
(particularly if rotating), roars,
similar to a freight train. If you see approaching
storms or any of the danger
signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately. If
you are under a tornado
warning, seek shelter immediately. NOTE: In
places where you have
designated cyclone shelters, take refuge there.
Floods
Floods are among the earth’s most common and
dangerous natural hazards formed due to a
flow of water on areas of land that are usually dry.
Excessive rains can damage nearby dams
where tsunamis are some of its causes. When faced
with flooding, these tips are to be
followed:
 Do not attempt to walk, swim, or drive through
the floods. Floodwater contains debris
and contamination and can also be deadly due to
fallen electrical lines in the water.
 Stay clear of bridges over fast-moving water.
 Keep an eye out for evacuation alerts.
 Move to higher ground. If your vehicle is
trapped in flood and water starts filling
inside the car, seek refuge on the roof.
Mitigation Measures
There are three main climate change mitigation
approaches. The first route is conventional
mitigation effort that employs decarbonization to
reduce CO2 emissions. The techniques
include renewable energy, fuel switching,
efficiency gains, nuclear power, and carbon capture
storage and utilization.
The second route focuses on capturing and
sequestering of CO2 from the atmosphere through
ocean fertilization, ocean alkalinity enhancement,
soil carbon sequestration, afforestation and
reforestation, wetland construction and restoration
(Figure 6.12). The third route is the principle of
altering the earth’s radiation balance through
the management of solar and terrestrial radiation.
6.4. International conventions
Various international conventions have
continuously evolved to address the increasingly
complex and changing environmental
priorities of the world .
Figure 6.15

Climate Policy Timeline

In 2009 in Copenhagen (COP15), for the first time
it was decided that each country would
propose a national contribution (INDC, Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions). All
the 195 UNFCCC countries pledged to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions by 2025-2030.
It aimed “to strengthen the global response to the
threat of climate change, in the context of
sustainable development and efforts to eradicate
poverty” and contained three key provisions:
 Holding the increase in the global average
temperature to well below 2 °C above pre
industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the
temperature increase to 1.5 °C above
preindustrial levels, recognizing that this would
significantly reduce the risks and
impacts of climate change;
 Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse
impacts of climate change and foster
climate resilience and low greenhouse gas
emissions development, in a manner that
does not threaten food production;
 Making finance flows consistent with a pathway
towards low greenhouse gas
emissions and climate-resilient development.
IOLOGY GRADE 12 STUDENT TEXTBOOK
6.4.1. The United Nations Framework
Convention
The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), agreed in 1992, is the
main international treaty to combat "dangerous
human interference with the climate system", in
part by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in
the atmosphere. Its objective is to prevent
dangerous man-made interference with the global
climate system.
6.4.2. Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change
The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December
1997 The Kyoto Protocol operationalizes
the UNFCCC by committing industrialized
countries and economies in transition to limit and
reduce GHG emissions in accordance with agreed
individual targets. That means the Kyoto
Protocol is an international agreement that called
for industrialized nations to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions significantly. Other
accords, like the Doha Amendment and the
Paris Climate Agreement, have also tried to curb
the global-warming crisis.
First agreed in 1997, it took eight years for
participating countries to ratify the Kyoto Protocol
 The deal was simple. Industrialized countries
would be legally obliged to cut their greenhouse
gas emissions 5% on 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
Developing countries –
including China, India, Brazil and South Africa –
would face no restriction on their emissions but
were encouraged to adopt policies to promote
greener growth. To help countries meet
targets, Kyoto also offered a range of market
mechanisms that could help rich countries offset
emissions by investing in low carbon projects in
poorer parts of the world. It was hailed as
an “environmentally strong and economically
sound” deal by US President Bill Clinton,
speaking just after agreement had been reached in
1997. “It reflects a commitment from our
generation to act in the interests of future
generations,” he said