7.

2 Climate Change-Cause and

Impact
Significant ideas:
1) Climate change has been a normal feature of the
Earth's history,. but human activity has contributed to
recent changes
2) There has been significant debate about the causes of
climate change
3) Climate change causes widespread and significant
impacts on a global scale.
In 2016, scientists reported the largest die-off ever on the
Great Barrier Reef.
Higher-than-normal sea temperatures force corals, which are
animals, to jettison the algae on which they depend for
survival, draining the color from reefs and turning them white.
If temperatures remain high, the corals typically die within
months.
7.2.U3 Human activities are increasing levels of greenhouse
gases (GHGs, such as carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor)
in the atmosphere, which leads to:

-higher average global temperatures.

From 1880 to 2013, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels went up by over
40% and the global temperature increased by 0.85°C.
-Extreme weather patterns are likely to become more frequent, longer
in duration and more intense.
There may be more episodes of longer periods of drier hot weather
(heat waves) or more intense storm events with high rainfall, thereby
increasing the risk of drought or floods 
- the potential for long-term changes in climate and weather
patterns
- With the increase in global temperature, sea levels rose by an average
of 19cm between 1901 and 2013

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/why-the-paris-talks-wont-prevent-2-degrees-of-global-warming
7.2.U4 The potential impacts of climate change may vary from one
location to another and may be perceived as wither adverse or
beneficial. These impacts may include changes in water
availability, distribution of biomes and crop growing areas, loss of
biodiversity and ecosystem services, coastal inundation, ocean
acidification and damage to human health
The availability of water could be influenced by:
• A reduction in precipitation in semi-arid and arid regions will reduce
available water resources .The frequency and intensity of drought
conditions is expected to increase.
• Reduction in glacier or snow water storage leading to reduced water
resources downstream during spring and summer time.
7.2.U4 The potential impacts of climate change may vary from one
location to another and may be perceived as wither adverse or
beneficial. These impacts may include changes in water
availability, distribution of biomes and crop growing areas, loss of
biodiversity and ecosystem services, coastal inundation, ocean
acidification and damage to human health

• Some regions are expected to become more

favourable for agriculture due to increase
temperature and precipitation and other regions will
be adversely affected by climate change.
• Crop yields are expected to:
-Increase in mid to high latitudes regions.
-Decrease in low latitude regions.
•With a change in climatic conditions shift of
biomes with animals and plants moving
towards the poles and upwards in elevation.
7.2.U4 The potential impacts of climate change may vary from one
location to another and may be perceived as wither adverse or
beneficial. These impacts may include changes in water
availability, distribution of biomes and crop growing areas, loss of
biodiversity and ecosystem services, coastal inundation, ocean
acidification and damage to human health

•The geographical range for some species will

expand which may threaten local species.

•Less adaptive species will decrease in number

with a potential risk of becoming extinct.

•If change is rapid, species may not be able to

move quickly enough and therefore die out.

http://wwf.panda.org/our_work/climate_and_energy/cop24/
7.2.U4 The potential impacts of climate change may vary from
one location to another and may be perceived as wither adverse
or beneficial. These impacts may include changes in water
availability, distribution of biomes and crop growing areas, loss of
biodiversity and ecosystem services, coastal inundation, ocean
acidification and damage to human health
• Increase frequency and intensity of precipitation
is likely to increase the risk of flooding in the middle
and high latitude regions.
Floods can cause:
• Sewers to overflow.
• Contamination of drinking water supplies
and increase risk of disease.
• Landslides
• Injury or death by drowning.
• Damage to homes and possessions.
• Displacement of people. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-coastal-flooding
7.2.U4 The potential impacts of climate change may vary from one location
to another and may be perceived as wither adverse or beneficial. These
impacts may include changes in water availability, distribution of biomes
and crop growing areas, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services,
coastal inundation, ocean acidification and damage to human health

• Coral reefs are also vulnerable to damage by increase occurrence of

severe storms.
• Increase in ocean acidity as a result of higher atmospheric carbon
dioxide levels.
• Dissolved carbon dioxide reacts with water to form carbonic acid
which then dissociates to form hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions.
• The bicarbonate ions reduce available carbonate ions required by
corals, shrimp, oysters and other animals for the formation of their
skeleton or shells.
• Ocean acidification results in decline in reproduction and reduction in
growth and development of many marine organisms.
7.2.U4 The potential impacts of climate change may vary from one
location to another and may be perceived as wither adverse or
beneficial. These impacts may include changes in water
availability, distribution of biomes and crop growing areas, loss of
biodiversity and ecosystem services, coastal inundation, ocean
acidification and damage to human health

Climate change may affect health through:

• Insufficient water and food resources.
• Degraded ecosystems reducing goods and
services.
• Extreme weather such as heatwaves,
storms and floods.
A rise in temperature could result in a rise in
the number of cases of disease as a result of:
• Increase geographical range of disease
vectors, such as malaria or dengue
carrying mosquito.
• Increase reproduction and survival rates of
disease vector

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/Pages/CCHEP.aspx
7.2.U5 Both negative and positive feedback mechanisms are
associated with climate change and may involve very long time
lags

Positive and negative feedback mechanisms can

either enhance or reduce global warming
respectively.

https://www.fewresources.org/farms-feedlots-forests--climate-change-issues.html
ACTIVITY

• Cluster 1:
Ms.Rainupur students :Students need to complete Worksheet 26
of Workbook where they need to identify positive and negative
feedback mechanisms.
Cluster 2:
Ms. Shigee students :Students need to solve Worksheet 25
Q 1 a) Discuss positive and negative feedback loops with respect
to climate change.
Students need to complete Worksheet 26 of Workbook where they
need to identify positive and negative feedback mechanisms.