The causes and effects of climate change

INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Colin MattisClimate Change Officer

National Climate Change Office

Ready Preparedness Proposal (R-PP) Consultation

August 20th 2013

Overview

What is Climate Change

The Causes of Climate Change

Some evidences of Climate Change

The Effects of Climate Change

Dealing with Global Climate Change

Weather

Weather: the state of the atmosphere at some particular time and place…

It is measured through wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and precipitation.

Is it raining outside? How hot is it? Is it windy?

Climate

Climate is defined as an area's long-term weather patterns The average temperature and

precipitation over time The type and the timing of precipitation The average wind speeds and directions

Food, water, and energy supply systems are optimized to the current average climatic conditions

What is Climate Change……..? Any significant change in the measures of

climate lasting for an extended period of time (10 to 100s of years). In other words, climate change includes major changes in: Temperature Precipitation Winds other indicators

Climate change can involve both changes in average conditions and changes in variability, including, for example, extreme events.

The Causes of Climate Change

Life on Earth is possible because of the warmth of the sun. Some radiation trapped by a

delicate balance of gases making up the atmosphere.

Without this layer of insulation, Earth would simply be another frozen rock hurtling through space.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important gas in this layer of insulation.

Natural greenhouse effect

Causes…….-The Industrial Revolution

Major turning point in History Hand production methods

to machines New chemical

manufacturing and iron production processes

Development of machine tools

Shift from wood and other bio-fuels to Fossil Fuels

Causes…….Increased Emission of Green House Gases

Sources of Emissions Transportation-cars, trucks, ships, trains,

and planes Electricity production Manufacturing Industry Agriculture Commercial and Residential Land Use and Forestry

Causes- Increased Emission of Greenhouse Gases

Causes……Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Atmosphere contains 32 per cent more carbon dioxide than at the industrial revolution.

Atmosphere is now like a thick, heat-trapping blanket

Atmospheric balance disrupted that keeps climate stable climate changes, and it gets

warmer

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Causes……Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Evidence-Our Climate is changing……

Evidence-Global Temperature

Earth's average temperature has risen by 1.4°F over the past century Projected to rise another 2 to 11.5°F

over the next hundred years. Each year of the 21st century has

ranked among the 14 hottest since record keeping began in 1880. 2010 is the warmest year of the 21st

Century

Evidence- Melting Ice

1957

1998

Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometers (36 to 60 cubic miles) of ice per year between 2002 and 2006

Evidence-Sea Level Rise

Evidence-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.

Rise in global ocean heat content 1955-2005

Evidence-Annual Precipitation (1901 – 1995)

Green = increasing, Brown = decreasing

Effects of Climate Change

World’s industrial powers (OECD) account for 20% world’s population, but are responsible for >50 % of global emissions – the cause of global warming and resultant climate change.

Developing countries emit < 25 % of total GHG emissions.

Countries such as Belize emit < 1% of global emissions. Belize is among the most vulnerable groups

to GCC

Effects……….Energy

GCC will affect how much energy we need and when we need it. As temperature

rises, more energy needed

Harder to produce certain types of electricity, such as hydropower.

Effects……Water Supplies

GCC will affect where, when, and how much water is available for use

Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and increasing droughts will affect the amount of water in lakes, rivers, and streams

Effects……Human Health Increased number of heat-related

illnesses and deaths

Effects……. Agriculture

Difficult to anticipate Productivity will increase in some areas and

decrease in others Rise in sea level will inundate flood plains

and river valleys (lush farmland) Proliferation of pests and diseases Warmer temperatures will decrease soil

moisture- requiring more irrigation Location (i.e. elevation and altitude) where

certain crops can be grown may have to change

Effects……. Plants, Animals and Ecosystems

Disappearing habitats- up to one/fourth of all the plants and animals on Earth could become extinct within 100 years

Migration of species to cooler locations

Effects …..Coral Bleaching Coral reefs can be bleached (right)

due to increase in water temperature Loss of attractiveness of the region as a

destination Loss Employment

Effects…….. Forests

Wildfires start more easily, spread faster, and burn longer.

Bark beetle infestation affected 75% of the pine forest

Effects…….Coast

Increased coastal flooding

Rising sea levels erode beaches and damage many coastal wetlands

Total destruction of certain beaches and islands

Increased storms

Dealing with Climate Change To avoid the worst of climate change,

CO2 levels must be stabilized at 550ppm Two ways to attempt to manage climate

change Mitigation▪ Focuses on limiting greenhouse gas emissions to

moderate global climate change Adaptation▪ Focuses on learning to live with to the

environmental changes and societal consequences brought about by global climate change

Dealing with Climate Change

End of Presentation

Thank You