Climate Change

Climate
- the temperature, humidity, precipitation,
winds, radiation and other meteorological
conditions characteristic of a locality or region
over an extended period of time

Climate Change
UNFCCC (United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change)
-“A change of climate which is attributed
directly or indirectly to human activity that
alters the composition of the global
atmosphere and which is in addition to
natural climate variability observed over
comparable time periods.”
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change)
-“Any change in climate over time, whether
due to natural variability or as a result of
human activity.”
Climate Change vs. Global Warming
-Climate change is any long-term significant
change in the “average weather” that a given
region experiences. Average weather may
include average temperature, precipitation
and wind patterns
-Global warming refers to the observation that
the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface is
warming. This warning is one of many kinds
of climate change that the Earth has gone
through in the past and will continue to go
through in the future
3 Main factors that directly influence the
energy balance of the Earth
1. Solar Energy Influx
- The total energy influx, which
depends on the earth’s distance
from the sun and on solar activity
- The nearer the region from the sun,
it will get hotter
2. Chemistry of the Atmosphere
- The chemical composition of the
atmosphere
- Most significant factor that affects
the atmosphere
- Different molecules that can be
found on the atmosphere
3. Albedo
- Ability of a surface to reflect light
- The ability of the earth’s surface to
reflect light

Major Elements of the Climate System

 The Earth’s climate system is a compilation Socio Economic Systems
of the following components and their 1. Food and Agriculture
interactions - Food production system will be
 The atmosphere affected directly by changes in
 The landmass temperature, water balance, and
 The cryosphere atmosphere composition and
 The biota (Biosphere) extreme weather events
- Indirectly, pest and disease,
Impacts of Climate Change outbreaks, fire, weed infestation
Potential climate change impact sea level and variations in soil properties
rise, temperature, precipitation, impacts on… - Many developing countries may not
be able to adapt
Health – Weather related mortality, infectious
diseases, air quality respiratory illnesses 2. Human Health
- Poor countries are most
Agriculture – Crop yields decreases, irrigation susceptible
demands - Increase in heat-related deaths and
illnesses
Forest – Forest composition (heat stroke of - Extension of geographic ranges
animals), geographic range of forest (forest and seasons favoring vector-borne
fire), forest health and productivity organisms (Ex: Malaria)

Water Resources – Water supply, water 3. Infrastructure and Habitats

quality, competition for water
Coastal Areas – Erosion of beaches,
inundation of coastal lands, additional costs
to protect coastal communities
- Can damage physical infrastructure
- Coastal communities vulnerable to
inundation (flood)
- 1 m sea level rise will affect 120
million people

Species of natural areas – Loss of habitat

and species

Cryosphere – Diminishing glaciers

Hydrology and Water Resources

 Intensity global hydrological cycle
 1/3 to 1/2 of mountain snow cover
and glaciers will melt during next
century
 Affect magnitude and seasonality
of water flows
 Water availability could vary widely
among nations
 Countries in arid and semi-arid
zones at greater risk of
experiencing shortages
*Most of the fresh waters are FROZEN
Adaptation – Improving our ability to cope
with harmful impacts or taking advantage of
newly favorable conditions
Mitigation – Reducing the amount of climate
change, for example, by reducing heat-
trapping emissions or increasing their
removal from the atmosphere
Examples of Climate Change
Adaptation:
La Niña
- Is a climate representing the
cooling of the eastern tropical
Pacific ocean which impacts
weather and climate conditions all
over the world
- During a period of La Niña, the sea
surface temperature across the
equatorial eastern Pacific ocean
will be lower than normal by 3-5°C

1. Expanded use of traditional rainwater

harvesting and water conversing
techniques
2. Adjustment of planting dates and crop
variety
3. Improved management of water levels
through dredging, widening of river
banks, allowing rivers to expand into
side channels and wetland areas

Mitigation:

1. Increase soil carbon storage

2. Improved afforestation (the
establishment of a new forest by
seeding or planting on non- forested
land)
3. Use of renewable energy
4. Increases non-motorized transport
(cycling, walking, etc.)

El Niño
- Prolonged warming in the Pacific
Ocean sea surface temperatures
when compared with the average
value
- The adapted definition is a warming
of at least 0.5°C (0.9°F) averaged on
the east-central tropical Pacific Ocean
- It is a phase of El Niño Southern
Oscillation (ENSO), which refers to
variations in the temperature of the
surface of the tropical eastern
ocean and in air surface pressure
in the tropical western pacific