Global Warming and Climate Change Causes and Effects PDF

**Global Warming and Climate Change:** **Causes and Effects** Since the beginning of the 20th century, global temperatures have increasing. **Global warming** long-term increasing trend in the Earth's temperature since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activiti...

**Global Warming and Climate Change:** **Causes and Effects** Since the beginning of the 20th century, global temperatures have increasing. **Global warming** long-term increasing trend in the Earth's temperature since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, mainly burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) **greenhouse effect** is a natural process wherein naturally- occurring greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat near Earth's surface. It prevents Earth from freezing. **Greenhouse gases include:** Carbon dioxide (CO2) Methane (CH4) Nitrous oxide (N2O) Water vapor (H2O) Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) -- a manmade gas Human activities have increased the levels of GHGs in the atmosphere, trapping more heat and making the Earth warmer than usual (global warming). **Carbon dioxide** (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) for energy and transportation has increased the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere Cement, iron and steel production also release CO2. Deforestation has killed trees that absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. **Methane** is produced from the manure and digestive process of livestock (cattle, swine, sheep, and goats), production and processing of natural gas, cultivation of rice, and decomposition of wastes in landfills. **Nitrous oxide** is produced from commercial and organic fertilizers, and from burning of fossil fuels **Greenhouse gases are emitted at every stage of its life cycle:** Extraction Transport Manufacture Waste management (especially if incinerated) Breakdown **Microplastics** in the ocean may interfere with the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide. **Climate** - long-term regional or global average of temperature, humidity and rainfall patterns over seasons, years or decades **Climate change** - long-term change in climate Climate changes in the last 650,000 years are due to changes in the earth's orbit. Climate changes since the early 20th century are caused mainly by global warming and are occurring faster than the past warming that occurred after the ice age. **CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS:** Global warming causes coral bleaching. Coral reefs are made by tiny animals called polyps (with tentacles). Microscopic algae called zooxanthellae (brownish green) that live in coral polyps provide food for the polyps. A healthy coral reef is home to marine organisms. Warmer ocean temperatures cause zooxanthellae to be expelled from the corals, starving the corals and leaving them without colors (coral bleaching). If the stress is prolonged, the algae do not return and the corals eventually die. **IMPACTS OF CORAL BLEACHING:** Loss of biodiversity -- Thousands of organisms that depend on coral reefs for shelter, spawning grounds, and protection from predators may become extinct. Loss of fishermen's livelihood Loss of income and jobs from tourism Decreased food Lack of natural protection from storm surges and waves in coastal communities - Manmade seawalls cost a lot of money, are less effective, and are destructive to the environment. Impacts of coral bleaching **Technologies and actions that help reduce global warming and climate change** **Carbon footprint** "the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product" Gives information about sources of emissions, and which of those sources are the most significant Allows you to evaluate your progress in achieving your goals Measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) **Greenhouse Gas Protocol** An internationally recognized, standardized method for measuring (calculation tools), managing and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from organizations **Technologies to help fight global warming and climate change** **CO2 Capture Plant** The Swiss company, Climeworks, has built a carbon capture plant in Iceland that claims to suck out up to 4,000 tons of CO2 per year from the air. The carbon dioxide is pumped underground, mixed with water, and will slowly turn to stone **Electric vehicles (EVs)** Electric vehicles produce less emissions than conventional Vehicles **Offsets** Voluntary payments by an individual or organization to another organization that undertakes activities that reduce the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. **Some activities that reduce greenhouse gases:** Wind farms Solar installations Reforestation\\ [Example:] An organization that emits greenhouse gases might purchase offsets through a wind farm. ***[Climate Trust]*** is an organization that sells offsets. **Emissions trading (cap and trade system)** The buying and selling of permits to pollute Governments impose a maximum limit (cap) on the amount of pollution that may be released by a company. If the company's emissions are less than the cap, they can sell their emissions allowances. If the company's emissions exceed the cap, they can buy emissions allowances to make up for the excess. Emissions allowances are traded like a commodity. In Europe, emissions are traded through the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme **Glasgow Climate Pact (2021)** Decrease greenhouse gas emissions to limit rise in global average temperature to 1.5oC "Phase down" use of and subsidies for coal power use Halt and reverse deforestation Switch to electric vehicles Reduce methane emissions Strengthen efforts to build resilience to climate change Pledge to provide financing from developed to developing countries Work together to provide clean, accessible and sustainable solutions to climate change **Ecotourism** is a sustainable form of natural resource-based tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature, and which is ethically managed to be low-impact, non-consumptive, and locally-oriented. It typically occurs in natural areas, and should contribute to the conservation or preservation of such areas **Some tools for** **environmental management** 1\. Life cycle assessment or analysis (LCA) 2\. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) 3\. Geographic information systems (GIS) 4\. Cost-benefit analysis (recall lesson on valuation of ecosystem services) 5\. Indicators 6\. Footprints **Life cycle analysis (LCA)** the process of measuring the environmental impact of a product, process, or service throughout its life cycle  **Environmental impact assessment (EIA)** "a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making" **Environmental impact assessment (EIA)** 1\. To predict environmental impacts at an early stage in planning and design 2\. To find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts (identify alternative designs or solutions) 3\. To guide decisions on the approval of the project 4\. To monitor predicted and unpredicted impacts and mitigation measures   **Some uses of GIS technology in natural resource management** Create maps (e.g., land cover maps, vegetation maps, soil map, geology map) Monitor changes in land cover or vegetation over time Monitor environmental issues such as pollution, land degradation, deforestation, soil erosion, others Monitor movement of endangered species Global forest watch is an online platform that uses technologies such as GIS to provide information and tools for monitoring forests in real time. **GIS applications in architecture** The use of GIS allows architects and planners to make better- informed decisions about a building\'s location, orientation, and design, taking into account factors such as sunlight, wind, and water flow. "GIS can be used to analyze the impact of a building on the surrounding environment, including its effect on the landscape, water systems, and wildlife." **Some tools for measuring progress or** **achievement of sustainable development** Indicators Carbon footprint Ecological footprint **Indicator** A specific, observable and measurable characteristic that can be used to show changes or monitor progress of a project, or to evaluate achievement of goals. **Carbon footprint** "the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product" Allows you to evaluate your progress in achieving your goals Measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) The **ecological footprint** is a measure of the demand humans place on nature The amount of productive land and water area (cropland, grazing land, fishing grounds, built-up land, forest area, and carbon demand on land) required to produce the resources we consume and to absorb the waste we generate Used to measure ecological resource use of individuals, businesses, organizations, or country Expressed as land area (global hectares) or number of Earths (how many Earths would be required to support humanity if everyone had that Footprint?)