Change in climate
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The document discusses climate change and its causes. It defines climate change according to the IPCC and UNFCCC as a change in weather patterns due to either natural variability or human activity. It identifies human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrialization as amplifying emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which are accelerating climate change. It also discusses effects of climate change like rising global temperatures and sea levels, melting ice sheets, and ocean acidification.
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Change in climate
- 1. TOPIC CHANGE IN CLIMATE INTRODUCTION: Climate change is a phenomenon being experienced by the mankind since its origin on the earth. The Planet earth is going through this phenomenon ever since its birth. It is also a driving force of evolution that life on earth has undergone over the last million of years. Climate change necessarily brings about changes in the weather conditions. There is reason to believe that climate ch ange could affect agricultural productivity, and cause increased health hazards and submergence of lands due to rise in the sea level to name a few. Climate change is the net result of many factors caused by continuous evolution of Planet Earth through many geological eras. However, there is growing concern about manmade developments causing, even if partially or insignificantly, the climate change outcomes Revision of the Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics’ (FDES) The Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES) was first published in 1984 by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD. The 1984 FDES and subsequent publications have been a useful framework for guiding countries in the development their environment statistics programmes. During the time since its publication there have been a number of scientific, political, technological, statistical and experience-based developments which suggested that the FDES was ready for revision. As a consequence, the United Nations Statistical Commission, at its 41st session (23-26 February 2010), endorsed a work programme and the establishment of an Expert Group for the revision of the FDES Definition of Climate Change The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear view on the current state of Climate Change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences. IPCC defines climate change as ‘a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g., using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity’ The definition provided by UNFCCC is slightly different, as it emphasizes on ‘a change that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods’.
- 2. Factors Influencing Climate Change Climate is a vibrant phenomenon and undergoes continuous changes over centuries. There are natural forces like photosynthesis of the plants, eruption of volcanoes, emission of methane from agricultural activities, vapor emissions etc. The important factors, which are responsible for climate change and are causally contributed by human civilization on earth, are listed below: • Greenhouse Gases • Deforestation • Land-use Change • Energy Usage • Vehicular Usage Greenhouse Human civilization and industrialization have amplified the emissions of ‘Greenhouse Gases’, which are considered to be one of the main causal factors accelerating climate change in the post industrialization era. GHGs constitute • Carbon Dioxide (CO2), • Methane (CH4), • Nitrous Oxide (N2O), • Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) • Perflurocarbons (PFCs) • Sulpurhexafluoride (SF6) In addition to this, water vapor, which absorbs the heat radiations from Sun and trap such radiations in the atmosphere making the earth warmer, is considered important. Emissions of GHGs beyond certain limits make earth’s atmosphere hotter and induce climate change. The extent of GHGs in the atmosphere increased phenomenally. The global increases in CO2 concentrations are primarily due to • Fossil Fuel Use • Land-use and Land-use Change • Agricultural activities • Industrial Development • Forestry Greenhouse gasemissions,bysource sector,EU-28,1990 and 2012
- 3. Deforestation There isconsiderable reductioninthe forestcoverdue toencroachmentandlanduse change and economic development activities like construction of roads, canals and powerstations.Forestsare the major source of carbon sequestrationandthe wombof the biodiversity,whichactsasthe main arteryof any environmentandecosystem. NationalActionPlanonClimateChange(NAPCC) estimates that 77 to 68% of the forest areas in the country are likely to experience shiftin forest types by the end of the 21st century, whichneeds our immediate attention Temperature Global Temperature LATEST MEASUREMENT: January 2014 0.68 °C The temperature increase is wide spread across the globe and is greater at higher northern latitudes. It is estimated that there is a 100-year linear trend of 0.740C increase. It is observed since 1961 that the average temperature of the global ocean has been taking up over 80% of the heat being added to the climate system. Increase in average temperature of planet by 2 degree Celsius to 4 degree celsius Warming of the climate system induces increase in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level Warming oceans The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) of ocean showing warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969. Shrinking ice sheets The GreenlandandAntarcticice sheetshave decreasedinmass.Datafrom NASA'sGravityRecoveryand Climate Experimentshow Greenlandlost150 to 250 cubickilometers(36to 60 cubicmiles) of ice per yearbetween2002 and2006, while Antarcticalost about152 cubickilometers(36cubicmiles) of ice between2002 and 2005. Ocean acidification Since the beginningof the IndustrialRevolution,the acidityof surface oceanwatershasincreasedby about30 percent.Thisincrease isthe resultof humansemittingmore carbondioxideintothe atmosphere andhence more beingabsorbedintothe oceans.The amountof carbondioxide absorbed by the upperlayerof the oceansis increasingbyabout2 billiontonsperyear IMPORTANT DATA FROM NASA Carbon Dioxide LATEST MEASUREMENT: August 2015 400.57 ppm Carbondioxide (CO2) isanimportantheat-trapping(greenhouse) gas,whichisreleasedthroughhuman activitiessuchasdeforestationandburningfossilfuels,aswell asnatural processessuchasrespiration and volcaniceruptions.
- 4. Sea Level LATEST MEASUREMENT: June 2015 65.91 mm Sealevel rise iscausedprimarilybytwofactorsrelatedtoglobal warming:the addedwaterfrommelting landice and the expansionof seawaterasit warms. Land Ice Data from NASA'sGrace satellitesshow thatthe landice sheetsinbothAntarcticaandGreenlandare losingmass.The continentof Antarcticahasbeenlosingabout134 billionmetrictonsof ice peryear since 2002, while the Greenlandice sheethasbeen losinganestimated287 billionmetrictonsperyear Forest cover Global forestlossbetweenthe years2000 and 2012 was888,000 square miles(2.3millionsquare kilometers),while309,000 square miles(800,000 square kilometers) regrew duringthatperiod, accordingto a studyusingNASA/USGSLandsat7 satellite data SOLUTION TO OVERCOME CLIMATE CHANGE 1. Greenyourcommute Transportationcausesabout25 percent of Canada's greenhouse gasemissions,sowalk,cycle ortake transitwheneveryoucan.You'll save moneyandgetintobettershape!If youcan't go car-free,try carpoolingorcar sharing,anduse the smallest,mostfuel-efficientvehiclepossible. 2. Be energyefficient You alreadyswitchoff lights — what'snext?Change lightbulbstocompactfluorescentsor LEDs. Unplug computers,TVsandother electronicswhennotinuse.Washclothesincoldor warm (nothot) water. Dryersare energyhogs,sohang dry whenyoucan. Install aprogrammable thermostat.Lookforthe EnergyStar® label whenbuyingnewappliances.Andahome energyauditischeaperthanyouthink — bookone today to findevenmore waystosave energy. 3. Choose renewable power Askyour utilitytoswitchyouraccountto clean,renewable power,suchasfromwindfarms.If it doesn't offerthisoptionyet,askitto. 4. Eat wisely Buy organicand locallygrownfoods.Avoidprocesseditems.Grow some of yourownfood.Andeatlow on the foodchain — at leastone meat-free meal aday — since 18 per centof greenhousegasemissions come from meatand dairyproduction.FoodwriterMichael Pollansumsitupbest:"Eatfood.Not too much.Mostly plants." 5. Trim your waste Garbage buriedinlandfillsproducesmethane,apotentgreenhouse gas.Keepstuffoutof landfillsby compostingkitchenscrapsandgardentrimmings,andrecyclingpaper,plastic,metal andglass.Letstore managersand manufacturersknowyouwantproducts withminimal orrecyclable packaging. 6. Let polluterspay Carbontaxesmake pollutingactivitiesmore expensiveandgreensolutionsmore affordable,allowing energy-efficientbusinessesandhouseholdstosave money.Theyare one of the mosteffectivewaysto reduce Canada'sclimate impact.If yourprovince doesn'thave a carbontax, askyour premierand MLA to implementone. 7. Flyless
- 5. Airtravel leavesbehindahuge carbon footprint.Before youbookyournextairline ticket,consider greeneroptions suchasbusesor trains,or try vacationingclosertohome.Youcan alsostay intouch withpeople byvideoconferencing,whichsavestime aswellastravel andaccommodationcosts. 8. Getinformed Followthe latestnewsaboutclimate change. Joinourcommunity.Hostapresentationforyour communityorworkplace byrequestingapresentertrainedbyAl Gore from The Climate ProjectCanada. 9. Getinvolved Take a fewminutestocontactyour political representativesandthe mediatotell themyouwant immediate actiononclimate change.Remindthemthatreducinggreenhouse gasemissionswill also buildhealthiercommunities,spureconomicinnovationandcreate new jobs.Andnexttime you're atthe polls,vote forpoliticianswhosupporteffective climate policies. 10. Support and Donate Many organizations,includingthe DavidSuzukiFoundation,are workinghardonsolutionstoclimate change and relyonfinancial supportfromcitizenslike you