GLOBAL
CLIMATE
CHANGE
CXC – CSEC OBJECTIVES
▪ Define and distinguish between the concept ‘ global warming,
climate change, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas
▪ Describe the processes of heat transfer on earth – insolation,
radiation and the role of greenhouse gases
▪ Describe the ways in which human activities influence climate
change
▪ Compare the consequences of climate change in the Caribbean
[Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica] with those in the United States of
America or the United Kingdom
▪ Compare the measures to reduce the effects of climate change in
the Caribbean [Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica] with those of the
United States of America or the United Kingdom
TOPIC OUTLINE
▪Global Climate Change
▪Greenhouse effects and earths heat balance
▪Sources of greenhouse gases
▪Greenhouse effect and global warming
▪Causes and impact of global climate change
▪ Melting Ice and Rising Sea Level
▪ Changes in Precipitation Patterns
▪ Effects on Organisms; Human Health; Agriculture
CLIMATE CHANGE TERMINOLOGY
▪Global warming
▪ a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's
atmosphere and sea surface attributed to the greenhouse effect
caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other
pollutants
▪Greenhouse Gas
▪ Gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the earths atmosphere
▪Greenhouse Effect
▪ Increase of heat in the earths atmospheric system where energy
enters (often as light), is absorbed as heat, and released
sometime later
▪Positive Feedback
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
5. The Global Energy System
GREENHOUSE
EFFECT & HEAT
TRANSFER
GREENHOUSE EFFECT & EARTH’S HEAT BALANCE
• The greenhouse effect is a natural process that regulates the earths
average temperature about 15˚C
• Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap radiation, warming the earth
and making life possible
• The amount of solar radiation, the amount absorbed and reflected by
earth and the amount reflected back into space is known as the earths
energy balance.
• The enhanced greenhouse effect refers to additional heat retained by
the earths atmosphere due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases that humans have released since the
industrial revolution.
The Global Greenhouse Effect
Water vapor and
carbon dioxide act like
glass, allowing
shortwave radiation
through but absorbing
and radiating longwave
radiation
5. The Global Energy System
GREENHOUSE
GASES LIKE
CO2 RETAIN
ATMOSPHERIC
HEAT
Greenhouse gases absorb
reflected energy; they
allow the atmosphere to
retain more of the heat
from solar radiation.
GREENHOUSE
GASES
CAUSES OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
▪Increased concentration of CO2
▪ Burning fossil fuels in cars, industry and homes
▪ Deforestation
▪ Burning of forests
• Until 1800, atmospheric CO2 was around 280 ppm
• Since then, burning fossil fuels, deforestation etc. have
increased CO2 to 390 ppm
• Other greenhouse gases have also increased.
Major Greenhouse Gases & Sources
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE:
▪Increased temperatures
▪Melting Ice
▪Retreating glaciers
▪Rising Sea Levels
▪Changing rainfall and temperature patterns
▪Impacts on organisms
▪Impact on human health
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE:
• Increased temperatures
• Changes in precipitation patterns and amounts
• Some areas will get more rainfall, some areas will have greater
droughts
• Increased incidence of droughts due to higher evaporation rates
• Mores pests and diseases
• Stronger tropical storms due to higher sea temperatures that
provide more energy over oceans
• Bleaching and death of coral reefs due to high sea temperature –
affects fishing and tourism
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE
•Arctic sea ice was reduced by 15-30% in the 30 years to
2010.
•Large ships can now go through the Arctic from Europe to
Japan.
•Sea ice changes make it harder for Polar bears to
survive.
•Sea levels have risen by 15 cm,
MELTING ICE AND RISING SEA LEVELS
Glacier National
Park, USA
1957
1998
GLACIAL
RETREAT
- MT.
KILIMANJARO
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE:
•Sea level rise
•Higher sea levels due to thermal expansion and
melting ice caps
•Loss of productive coastal agricultural lands
•Contamination of groundwater by salt water
intrusion
•Loss of heavily populated coastal communities and
increased migration from lowlying areas
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
•There have been extreme
droughts, floods and heat
waves in many areas.
•The growing season in
some northern areas is two
weeks longer than before.
•Further south, crops are
affected by flood or drought
Drought and wildfires in California
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE:
▪ Effects on Organisms
▪ Zooplankton in parts of California Current have decreased
by 80% since 1951 effecting entire food chain
▪ Decline in krill around Antarctica
▪ Species have shifted their geographic range
▪ Migrating birds are returning to summer homes earlier
EFFECTS ON ORGANISMS: CORAL REEFS
▪ Coral Bleaching
▪ Coral reefs can be bleached (right) due to increase in seawater
temperature
▪ Affects coral symbiotes and makes them more susceptible to
diseases
More than half of the
area of living coral reefs
is threatened by human
activities ranging from
water pollution to coral
mining.
These anemones, in
the Maldive Islands,
exhibit bleaching—a
process in which coral
animals expel symbiotic
algae as a response to
stress.
EFFECTS ON
AGRICULTURE
▪ Productivity will increase in
some areas and decrease in
others
▪ Rise in sea level will
inundate flood plains and
river valleys (lush farmland)
▪ Warmer temperatures will
decrease soil moisture-
requiring more irrigation
▪ Location (i.e. elevation and
altitude) where certain crops
can be grown may have to
▪ Increased number of heat-related illnesses and deaths
INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE
▪Most CO2 emissions are from
North America, Europe and
China.
▪The Kyoto agreement set CO2
targets for 1997-2012. No
replacement treaty had been
agreed by the start of 2012.
▪Many countries do not want to cut
their own emissions.
▪Small island states want to limit
warming to 1.5 °C. They need
assistance to adapt.
World’s top ten carbon dioxide producers, 2002
Country Emissions (million metric tonnes Share of global
carbon equivalent) per year total (%)
United States 1,568.0 23.4
China 908.1 13.6
Russia 415.2 6.2
Japan 321.7 4.8
India 279.9 4.2
Germany 228.6 3.4
Canada 161.4 2.4
United Kingdom 150.8 2.3
South Korea 122.9 1.8
Italy 122.4 1.8
All other countries 2,411.9 36.0
Global total 6,690.7 100.0
INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE
▪ Developed vs. Developing
countries
▪ Differing self-interests
▪ Differing ability and
willingness to meet the
challenges of climate
change
DEALING WITH GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE
▪ Two ways to manage climate Adaptation:
change ▪ Locate/invent alternative fuels to fossil
▪ Mitigation: Limiting fuels
greenhouse gas ▪ Increase efficiency of cars and trucks
emissions to moderate ▪ Carbon Capture and Storage : removing
global climate change CO2 from the atmosphere
▪ Plant and Maintain trees to naturally
▪ Adaptation: Learning to sequester carbon
live with environmental ▪ Rising sea levels and coastal
populations
changes and societal
▪ Move inland
consequences brought
▪ Construct dikes and levees
about by global climate
▪ Adapt to shifting agricultural zones
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TO REPLACE FOSSIL
FUELS
• Nuclear power: has risks.
• Biomass energy: may divert
land from food.
• Hydroelectric power: has
environmental impacts.
• Solar water heating: used
widely in Barbados.
• Photovoltaic panels to
generate electricity: costs have
now been reduced.
• Geothermal power: energy
from the Earth’s heat.
GLOBAL WARMING THREATENS THE LOW-LYING
MALDIVES
• The Maldives are small,
low-lying coral islands which
depend on fishing and tourism.
• Much of the country may be
flooded by 2035. Damage to
reefs increases the danger.
• Hulhumale, an artificial island,
is being built as the future
capital.
• The government campaigns
worldwide for controls on CO2
emissions.
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE
IMPACT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
▪ Kyoto Protocol 1997, in which countries commit to reduce their emissions
of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
▪ Legally binding
▪ Provides operational rules on reducing greenhouse gases
▪ US and Australia have not sign it - it will be difficult to implement without US
backing
▪ At negotiations in Paris in 2015, most countries agreed to reduce CO2
emissions. However, warming is still expected to exceed 2 °C.
▪ Small island states want to limit warming to 1.5 °C.
Measures to reduce the impact of global warming
Individual level
• Reduce the use of electricity
• Use public transport rather than private cars
• Use environmentally-friendly products that do not contain CFCs
National level
• Maintain forested areas or parks as trees help to absorb carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere
• Increase the tax on electricity use
• Educate the people on the need to reduce the use of electricity
Case study: Measures taken to reduce the impact of
global warming in the United Kingdom
• Ratification of Kyoto Protocol 1997, which has set a target
of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 12.5% below the
1990 level
• Launch of Climate Change Programme in 2000 to cut
greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the economy
• Measures proposed in Climate Change Programme:
– Changing the main fuels used for electricity generation
– Encouraging the use of renewable energy sources
– Implementing policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions
Case study: Measures taken to reduce the impact of
global warming in the United Kingdom
Changing the main fuels
Electricity generation using
various energy sources,
used for electricity
1990 – 2020 generation
Kilojoules 400
350
• Switch from coal and oil
300 to natural gas, nuclear
250 power and renewable
200
resources such as wind
150
100 • This helps to reduce
50
0
carbon dioxide emissions
1990 2000 2010 2020
Coal Renewable Time
Gas Others
Nuclear
Chapter 22: Environmental Degradation
Case study: Measures taken to reduce the impact of
global warming in the United Kingdom
Encouraging the use of renewable energy sources
• Government aims to have renewable energy sources contribute
10% of the total electricity generated for use by 2010
• 18 wind farms have been built
Scroby Sands Wind Farm at Great Yarmouth, UK
Case study: Measures taken to reduce the impact of
global warming in the United Kingdom
Biofuels
– Encouraging the cultivation of energy
crops such as
poplar, miscanthus and reed canary grass
to be used as biofuel
•Increasing forest land
–Forests help to absorb carbon dioxide in Miscanthus
the
atmosphere
–Total amount of forest land has increased
Implementing policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions
● Carbon dioxide
– Requiring transport fuel suppliers to mix a percentage of biofuel (fuel from
crops such as oilseed rape and wheat) with conventional fossil fuels
– Supporting the use of new vehicle technology that improves the fuel
efficiency of vehicles
● Nitrous oxide and methane
– Encouraging the use of more efficient machinery to spread fertilisers on farms,
so that smaller amounts of fertilizers are used and hence less nitrous oxide is
generated
– Introducing changes in animal feed to reduce the amount of methane gas
produced by the animals, e.g. switching from grass to corn feed
INCREASED TEMPERATURES
HTTP://WWW.METOFFICE.GOV.UK/CLIMATE-GUIDE/CLIMATE-CHANGE/IMPACTS/FOUR-DEGREE-RISE/MAP
CHECK
OUT THIS
WEBSITE
HTTP://WWW.METOFFICE.G
OV.UK/CLIMATE-GUIDE/CLI
MATE-CHANGE/IMPACTS/F
OUR-DEGREE-RISE/MAP
Complete the table below to show the causes and effects of global warming by
inserting at least 2 sources and impact of each gas listed.
GREENHOUSE GASES SOURCE OF EMISSION IMPACT ON CLIMATE
Carbon dioxide
Carbon Monoxide
Nitrogen Oxide
Methane
Chloro-floro Carbons
• Explain how global climate change may lead to each of the following;
• Sea level rise causing coastal flooding, impacts on coral reefs, coastal wetlands
and settlement
• changes in weather patterns and their impacts
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• a) What is global warming?
• Global warming us defined as the increase in the average temperature of
the Earth’s atmosphere and sea surface.
• What is the greenhouse effect?
• The greenhouse effect occurs naturally in the Earth’s atmosphere where
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides trap
heat in the atmosphere.
Explain THREE causes of global warming:
1. Global warming is a result of increasing temperature of the earth’s
atmosphere due to several factors that can be natural or manmade. Scientists
believe the main reason behind global warming is the increase in the
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. There are several
greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and CFC’s) that are
responsible for global warming and humans emit them in a variety of ways.
2. The gas responsible for the most warming is carbon dioxide also called CO 2
which is derived from the burning of fossil fuels in motor vehicles, factories and
electricity production.
3. Methane (CH4) which is released from landfills and agriculture –especially
from the digestive systems of grazing animals has increased with growing
population and increased demand for food worldwide.
4. The increasing use of fertilizers to improve crop yields in farming releases nitrous
oxides into the atmosphere.
5. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) are released during industrial processes and the
manufacture of refrigerators and air conditioning units.
6. Deforestation – forests remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and
deforestation releases large amounts of carbon dioxide when trees are burnt.
Explain TWO consequences of global warming.
1. Changing rainfall patterns will result in severe flooding or drought and
falling crop yields which could lead to famine.
2. Rising temperatures and increased rainfall will result in more people around
the world being at risk from diseases such malaria, dengue fever and
cholera
3. Changes to the Arctic – the warming of the Arctic could enable large ships
to navigate through the Arctic in the summer cutting the sea journey from
North Atlantic ports to Japan by 12 days. The changing climate also
threatens the habitat of polar bears and other Arctic animals.
4. Melting icecaps and glaciers is expected to cause rise in sea levels which
would mean severe problems for about 40% of the worlds’ population who
live within 100 km of the coast
5. As temperatures rise species may either move to cooler habitats or die thus
changing ecosystems due to lack of food, competition, etc.
Explain how global warming is likely to impact the coastal environment in the Caribbean.
1. The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre is of the view that global warming
will impact the Caribbean in the following ways:
2. Rising sea levels will flood low lying areas and countries ruining their beaches and
threatening hotels and the tourist industry on which so many of the islands depend.
3. Hurricanes and storms are predicted to become more frequent and intense. Together
with rising sea levels this would worsen flooding, storm surge and erosion of beaches,
threaten vital infrastructure, settlements and facilities that support the livelihood of island
communities.
4. Marine and coastal ecosystems are at risk. The warming ocean waters threaten corals
by causing them to ‘bleach’ as they expel the symbiotic algae that nourish and give
them colour. For example, in the last decade, more than 300 km of Belize’s barrier reef
has been bleached and could die.
5. Coastal mangroves and wetlands which currently protect valuable coastlands from
storm surges and flooding are also threatened by rising sea levels.
6. Summer drought is expected to increase causing water shortages in many islands.
7. Increased carbon dioxide levels come from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation.
Increased levels of methane come from grazing cattle and termites. Increased levels of
nitrous oxide and tropospheric ozone come from transportation and smog.
