Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering

NATURE CONSERVATION
BFC 10202
Chapter 3B:
Impacts of Human Activities on
the Natural Environment

Q: How is air pollution linked to

global warming and climate
change?

Q: How is air pollution linked to

global warming and climate
change?
A: Emissions from the use
energy from unsustainable/
non-renewable sources

Environmental Issues
I.
II.
III.

Greenhouse Effect
Global Warming
Climate Change

Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Effect
The presence of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere keeps the temperature on Earth
suitable to live natural greenhouse effect
Human activities alter the chemical composition
of the atmosphere by emitting greenhouse
gases (mostly from the use of fossil fuels)
Natural Earth dynamics + anthropogenic
activities = enhanced greenhouse effect

Carbon dioxide is the main cause of the greenhouse

effect.
Sulphur dioxide and the oxides of nitrogen will mix with
rainwater in clouds and form acidic solutions. These then
fall as acid rain.

CONSEQUENCES OF GREENHOUSE
EFFECT
(1) More droughts and flooding: When the weather gets warmer,
evaporation from land and sea increases. Famine is the main problem
that this factor can caused due to crops failure.
(2) Less ice and snow: The icebergs and glaciers are shrinking
faster than before and this problem can caused drought and a lack of
domestic water supply.
(3) More weather incidents: The warmer climate will cause more
heatwaves, more violent rainfall and increase the number of storms.
(4) Rising the sea level: this happens due to the ices melting and
can caused the disappearance of areas that are now above the sea
level. For this reason, plants will be affected and there will be more
diseases spread by insects.

With no help, carbon dioxide will likely make the planets surface
warmer. Although, by adding carbon dioxide to the regulate amount of
water vapor, a very strong greenhouse gas, can have a huge effect on
the climate.

Global Warming
Definition : Increased in atmospheric temperature

Global Warming

Global Warming

Global Warming
Now you will see some impacts of global change nowadays:
More cold days and nights in winter
More hot days and nights in summer
More heat waves
Increased the incidence of extreme high sea level
Global area affected by droughts
Increase the activity of the tropical cyclone activity

Causes of Global Warming

Greenhouse effect
Some gas molecules trap heat radiated from
Earths surface in the lower atmosphere
Human impacts
Human activities have increased the
abundance of several greenhouse gases in
atmosphere

Human impacts
This effect is caused by some reasons:
Deforestation: Increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
and this is one of the main reasons why photosynthesis cannot take place.
Deforestation has increased because of the burning of wood.
Burning of Fossils: Greenhouse gases can also be released into the
atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels, oil, coal and gas. They are
used in factories and are the principal reason of greenhousing.
Electrical Appliances: Another man-made that have caused Greenhouse
effect is the use of electrical appliances that emit greenhouse gases to the
atmosphere; those gases are called Chlorofluorocarbons and are produced
by refrigerators, aerosol cans.
Population Growth: It is an indirect factor and one of the major causes of
greenhouse effect. If the population increases, the needs increase and that
create an increase of the manufacturing and the industry process that means
that they produce more gases to the atmosphere.

Human Activities

Causes of Global Warming

Consequence of global warming causing climate

change
Drier and wetter : global warming is producing
wetter conditions in some places and drought in
others
Melting Glaciers and ice sheets
Rising sea level : thermal expansion and
meltwater from glaciers are increasing ocean
volume
Changing populations and ecosystem : because
climate is a key component of habitats, global
warming is producing significant changes in the
population of many species and in many
ecosystems

Climate Change
Variation in the Earths global climate or in
regional climate over time
These changes can be caused by processes
internal to the Earth, external forces (variations
in sunlight density), and more recently, due to
human activities
Brings negative impacts on human health, food
security, environment, economic activities,
physical infrastructure, and biodiversity

Impacts of Climate Change

1. Surface and atmospheric changes
2. Changes in snow, ice, and frozen grounds
3. Oceanic climate change

Impacts of Climate Change

1. Surface and atmospheric changes
. The past 15 years rank among the warmest since 1750s
. Land regions warmed faster than ocean
. Precipitation has increased particularly over land north of
30C
. Drought has become more common in the tropics and
subtropics, enhancing more evapotranspiration
. Irregular El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event
. Intense tropical cyclones has increased both in magnitude
and number since 1970s

-The June 2016 combined average temperature over global land and

ocean surfaces was 0.90C (1.62F) above the 20th century average,
besting the previous record set in 2015 by 0.02C (0.04F).
- June 2016 marks the 40th consecutive June with temperatures at
least nominally above the 20th century average. The last time June
global land and ocean temperatures were below average was in 1976
(-0.07C / -0.13F).

Impacts of Climate Change

2. Changes in snow, ice, and frozen grounds

Snow cover in the northern hemisphere decreased by

5% and is continuously receding
Average thickness in Arctic has decreased by 1 meter
(in just 10 years, 1987-1997)
Temperature at the top of the permafrost layer in the
Arctic has increased 3C since the 1980s

Impacts of Climate Change

3. Oceanic climate change

Over the past decades, global ocean temperature rose

by 0.10C from the surface to the depth of 700 m
Freshening of ocean is pronounced in the Pacific while
increasing salinities is prevalent over most Atlantic and
Indian Oceans
Total inorganic carbon content of the oceans has
increased 118+19 Gt C in the last decades and
continuously increasing
Global mean sea level rise recorded: ~2.0+0.5 mm /
year

Climate change: Malaysia takes lead in cutting carbon

Country looking to do its part to fight climate change and
seeks to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2020

NEWS | AUGUST 3, 2016

NASA maps thawed areas under Greenland
Ice Sheet
By Maria-Jos Vias,
NASA's Earth Science News Team

A map of thawed ice is key information in better predicting how the Greenland
Ice Sheet will react to a warming climate.

NASA researchers have helped produce the first map showing what parts
of the bottom of the massive Greenland Ice Sheet are thawed key
information in better predicting how the ice sheet will react to a warming
climate.
Greenlands thick ice sheet insulates the bedrock below from the cold
temperatures at the surface, so the bottom of the ice is often tens of
degrees warmer than the top, because the ice bottom is slowly warmed by
heat coming from Earths depths. Knowing whether Greenlands ice lies on
wet, slippery ground or is anchored to dry, frozen bedrock is essential for
predicting how this ice will flow in the future. But scientists have very few
direct observations of the thermal conditions beneath the ice sheet,
obtained through fewer than two dozen boreholes that have reached the
bottom. Now, a new study synthesizes several methods to infer the
Greenland Ice Sheets basal thermal state whether the bottom of the ice
is melted or not leading to the first map that identifies frozen and thawed
areas across the whole ice sheet.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IPCC
UNFCCC

Scientific body jointly established by the

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
and the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) in 1988

Assess the available scientific and socioKYOTO

economic information on climate change and
PROTOCOL its impact

STERN
REVIEW

Provide scientific/technical/socio-economic
advice to the Conference of Parties (COP) to
the UNFCCC
Regularly publish reports that have become
standard work reference

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

IPCC
UNFCCC

Formed at the UN Conference on

Environment and Development (UNCED) in
Rio de Janeiro in 1992
Set no mandatory limits on greenhouse gas
emissions; legally non-binding (encourage)

KYOTO
PROTOCOL Has 190 member countries (Annex 1, Annex

2, Developing Countries, Observer Countries)

STERN
REVIEW

Parties are meeting annually in Conference of

Parties (COP)
Include provisions for updates known as
protocols that would set mandatory limits

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

IPCC

Annex 1 Industrialize countries: Australia, Austria,

Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada , Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA

UNFCCC

KYOTO
PROTOCOL

STERN
REVIEW

Annex 2- developed countries that are willing to

pay costs for developing countries: Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland,
UK, USA

Developing countries
Observer countries: Andorra, Brunei Darussalam, Holy See,
Iraq, Montenegro, Somalia

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

IPCC
UNFCCC

Upon ratification, signatories commit to a

non-binding aim to reduce atmospheric
concentrations of greenhouse gases with the
goal of preventing dangerous anthropogenic
interference with Earths climate system.

KYOTO
These actions target primarily the
PROTOCOL industrialized countries, with the intention of
STERN
REVIEW

stabilizing their emissions of greenhouse

gases at 1990 levels by the year 2050

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
3. Kyoto Protocol

IPCC
UNFCCC
KYOTO
PROTOCOL
STERN
REVIEW

Adopted at the 3rd Conference of Parties

(COP-3) in Kyoto, Japan
Shares the objectives and the institutions of
the UNFCCC
Commits develop countries to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5%
within the 5-yr time frame (2008-2012)
Three mechanisms:
Emissions trading
Joint Implementation
Clean Development Mechanism

QUIZ
What are Malaysias efforts in terms of
the three mechanisms of the Kyoto
Protocol?
1. Emissions trading
2. Joint implementation
3. Clean Development mechanism

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
4. The Stern Review

IPCC
UNFCCC

Assesses the evidence and building

understanding of the economics of climate
change

Considers the complex policy changes involved

in managing the transition to a low-carbon
KYOTO
economy and in inquiring that societies can
PROTOCOL adapt to the consequences of climate change

STERN
REVIEW

Should we continue our business-as-usual

(BAU) scenario, the stock of GHG could give us
50% risk of exceeding 5C global average
temperature in the following decades

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
4. The Stern Review

IPCC
UNFCCC

This increase in global average temperature will

take humans into unknown territories no
countries will be exempted from the impacts of
climate change

The poorest countries will suffer earliest and the

KYOTO
most; if and when the damages appear, it will be
PROTOCOL too late to reverse the process

STERN
REVIEW

Stabilization at whatever level requires that

annual emissions be brought down to the level
that balances the Earths natural capacity to
remove GHGs from the atmosphere

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
4. The Stern Review

IPCC
UNFCCC

To achieve stabilization of CO2 at 450 ppm

without overshooting, global emissions would
need to speak in the next 10 years and then fall
at more than 5% per year, reaching 70% below
current levels by 2050

KYOTO
Delay in action would mean accepting both more
PROTOCOL
climate change and higher mitigation costs

STERN
REVIEW

Achieving deep cuts in emissions of CO2 to meet

the stabilization of the 500-550 ppm CO2e will
cost about 1% GDP by 2050 significant but
manageable

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
4. The Stern Review

IPCC
UNFCCC
KYOTO
PROTOCOL

STERN
REVIEW

Therefore, the cost of strong and urgent action is

substantially less than the damages thereby
avoided
Framework strategies: emission trading,
technology cooperation, action to reduce
deforestation, adaptation, etc.

THE ENERGY

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE

The global energy demand is continuously growing,

with fossil fuel remains the dominant source
sharply pushing up CO2 emissions

US, China, India + developing worlds are the prime

energy giants

Coal has the greatest demand particularly in China

and India and is being lobbied in Malaysia
(CHEAP, but NOT so CLEAN)

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE :

ENERGY MIX

Refers to the proportional relationship between all

used energy sources, be it from fossil fuel or
renewable energy sources

Facing with the current challenges, the goal is to

achieve an energy mix from renewable sources
(solar, water, wind, geothermal, biomass, etc.)

The share of renewable energy supply in total

primary energy is strongly linked to countries
resource endowment, technological development,
policy choices, and private sector investments

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE :

ENERGY MIX

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE : ENERGY MIX

Transition from fossil fuel to biofuel/bioenergy and
beyond
Unstable and unpredictable oil price drive the
development of bioenergy and biofuels
Over the next 14-2- years, biofuel will provide 25% of the
worlds energy needs
Bioenergy will meet the need of 1.6 Bln worldwide who
still lack access to electricity
Bioenergy are produces from organic matter
Modern bioenergy technology in areas of heat, electricity
and transport fuel production are advancing

THE ENERGY CHALLENGE :

ENERGY MIX

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy

Energies that are non-traditional and have a low

environmental impact

Address concerns in sustainable development:

economical, ecological and social

First generation technology emerged from the industrial

revolution (hydropower, biomass, combustion,
geothermal, heat)

Second generation technology results of research,

development and demonstration investments since
1980s, most of what we enjoy now

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy

Third generation technology still under development

such as advances gasification, biorefinery, improved solar
thermal power, hot-dry rock geothermal power, ocean
energy, and nanotechnology

Mechanical photosynthesis applying the theory of

photosynthesis, by exploiting quantum mechanical
effects, the energy transferred from sunlight will be
converted into chemical energy with a higher efficiency
(plant cells work at a maximum of 2% efficiency only)

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy
Biofuel
Hydropower
Geothermal
Solar
Wind
Nuclear

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy
Biofuel
Hydropower
Geothermal
Solar
Wind
Nuclear

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy
Biofuel
Hydropower
Geothermal
Solar
Wind
Nuclear

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy
Biofuel
Hydropower
Geothermal
Solar
Wind
Nuclear

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy
Biofuel
Hydropower
Geothermal
Solar
Wind
Nuclear

The Change: Alternative/Renewable/

Sustainable Energy
Biofuel
Hydropower
Geothermal
Solar
Wind
Nuclear

Loss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity : Variety of species and their relative
abundance across landscapes and within ecological
communities, as well as the genetic diversity within
population

Loss of Biodiversity
Threats to Biodiversity
Habitat loss
Habitat fragmentation : human development and land use
is dividing landscapes into ever smaller and more
disconnected habitat islands

Overharvesting : species with large bodies, slow

population growth rates, and flocking behavior are
particularly vulnerable to human exploitation
Non-native Invasive Species : Newly introduced species
may be invasive because of their own biological traits or
because of the absence of predators or competitors

Loss of Biodiversity
Threats to Biodiversity
Pollution : Air and water pollution are directly responsible
for the disappearance of some species
Altered patterns of disturbance : changes in the frequency
and severity of fires are diminishing biodiversity is some
ecosystems
Climate change : Disappearing sea ice endangers polar
bears, and warmer seas threaten coral reefs.

Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest

Piping Plovers are one of many endangered decreases natural mitigation of CO2 and
destroys the habitats of many endangered
bird species in North America. Photo
species.
courtesy Audrey DeRose-Wilson

48% of the worlds primates are

threatened with extinction

Overfishing has left Bluefin Tuna an

endangered species

TECHNOLOGY AND LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Technology Change: Carbon Capture Storage

TECHNOLOGY AND LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Technology Change: Carbon Capture Storage
The fight against climate change need not be a fight
against oil, but rather a fight against emission
The capture of CO2 from emissions, followed by storage,
thereby preventing it from entering the atmosphere
Three stages: CO2 capture, transport and storage
Storage techniques: ocean, geo-sequestration, saline
aquifers, underground coal layers (RECOPOL) and
enhanced oil recovery
Limitations: cost, environmental safety

The future of Carbon Capture

and Storage

The main steps of CCS processes: capture,

transportation, storage

In the past, carbon capture

and storage has been seen
as a way of green washing
dirty fossil fuels or replacing
renewables. But CCS
actually paves the way
towards negative emissions
technology.
DrNiallMacDowell
Lecturer in Energy and
Environmental Technology
and Policy
by Jenn Bywater 02 June
2016

A Department of Energy graphic shows the basic idea of carbon capture and
storage (or sequestration.) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

TECHNOLOGY AND LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Lifestyle Change
Learn to live away from the business-as-usual habit
Reduce carbon footprints / learn carbon auditing
Changes can be done at home, in the office, and on the
road
1Liter petrol = 2.64 kg CO2
Consume less, conserve more, practice 3R (recycle,
reuse, reduce)
Patronize local produce

The Stone Age came to an end not for the

lack of stone in the same way the Oil Age will
not for the lack of oil