CLIMATE

CHANGE
What is climate
change? Is it real?
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in
temperatures and weather patterns.

These shifts may be natural, such as through

variations in the solar cycle.

But since the 1800s, human activities have been the

main driver of climate change, primarily due to
burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. (United
Nations)
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change may be due to natural internal
processes, external forces, or persistent
anthropogenic changes in the composition of the
atmosphere or in land use.
 GREENHOUSE GASES
Earth’s greenhouse gases trap heat in
the atmosphere and warm the planet.

The main gases responsible for the

greenhouse effect include carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and
water vapor (which all occur naturally),
and fluorinated gases (which are
synthetic).
GREENHOUSE EFFECT

By increasing the concentration of

greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere, we’re amplifying the
planet’s natural greenhouse effect
and turning up the dial on global
warming.
Do you know what is a
“Goldilock’s planet?”
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Part of what makes Earth so
amenable is its natural greenhouse
effect, which keeps the planet at a
friendly 15 °C (59 °F) on average.
But in the last century or so, humans
have been interfering with the
planet's energy balance, mainly
through the burning of fossil fuels
that add carbon dioxide to the air.
What is the cause of the
increase in greenhouse
gases?
 Human Activity
burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, & natural
gas)
Manifestations
of Climate
Change

increase in global temperatures

melting of ice caps and glaciers
rising sea level
increase in the number of
disasters
CLIMATE CHANGE
can increase
DISASTER RISK.
Disaster risk is magnified by climate
change; it can increase the hazard
while at the same time decreasing the
resilience of households and
communities.
Source: UNISDR, 2012
With increasing global surface
temperatures the possibility of
more droughts and increased
intensity of storms will likely
occur.
As more water vapor is
evaporated into the
atmosphere it becomes fuel
for more powerful storms to
develop. More heat in the
atmosphere and warmer
ocean surface temperatures
can lead to increased wind
speeds in tropical storms.
Rising sea levels expose
higher locations not usually
subjected to the power of the
sea and to the erosive forces
of waves and currents.
FUTURE TRENDS
Despite the uncertainty, there is
scientific consensus on the overall
future trajectory of some weather and
climate extremes.

Extreme temperatures and precipitation

events are anticipated to increase under a
warming climate (Peterson et al. 2012 ).
COMPLEMENTARY
STRATEGIES FOR
CLIMATE CHANGE

Adaptation
Mitigation
 ADAPTATION

process of adjustment to
current or project climate
and its effects in order to
either lessen or avoid
harm or exploit beneficial
opportunities
MITIGATION

process of reducing
emissions or enhancing
sinks of greenhouse gases
(GHGs), so as to limit
future climate change
COMMUNITY-
BASED CCA
Sustainable solutions for a
better tomorrow
Renewable Energy vs. Fossil fuels
Paris Agreement: Is it effective?