Climate change (2): consequences

What are the consequences of climate change? Effects because of this?

Weather getting more extreme and natural disasters are more likely to happen

Direct effects:

• Desertification

• Health problems

• Loss of biodiversity

• Melting permafrost and glaciers

Biodiversity

Glacier

Number of different plant and animal species that live in the world or in a particular area

Huge masses of ice that move very slowly and are mainly found in Antarctica and Greenland

Desertification: how does it happen? What are the consequences? Where is desertification likely to be found?

Temperatures rising and rainfall patterns changing causes once fertile land to become dry and desert like.

Fewer areas where agriculture is possible so less food being produced and potentially leading to famine.

This is commonly found along the Southern region of the Sahara (Sahel region) (e.g Niger)

Health problems: how and which health problems are caused?

• Rising levels of CO2 increase air pollution, which affects breathing leading to potential diseases developing.

• Rise in temperatures could attract more insects like mosquitos which spread diseases like malaria to humans

Loss of biodiversity: why does it happen?

Biodiversity is reduced because plants and animals cannot adapt quickly enough to the changing environment, making them in danger of becoming extinct.

How are corals being affected by climate change? Why are they so important + knock on effect on a particular animal? What do scientists predict?

Rising CO2 levels in oceans are causing them to get warmer and become more acidic. This leads to “coral bleaching” (corals are very sensitive to temp changes) where they expel the algae which they depend on for nutrition. Eventually the coral dies.

Coral reefs are home to ¼ of all marine life. Animals use reefs for shelter, food and laying eggs.

• Knock on effect: for example, the hawksbill turtle primarily feeds on sponges that inhabit coral reefs. When these die, the sponge populations dwindle, reducing the hawksbill’s food supply.

Scientists predict that we could lose over 90% of coral reefs by 2050 if we don’t act urgently to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

What is being done to protect corals?

• Establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) where fishing and other damaging activities are restricted

• Coral restoration through growing corals

  • The NOAA Restoration center works in many places including Florida, Puerto Rico by planting nursery-grown corals back into reefs, building coral resilience to threats like climate change or removing invasive species like non-native algae.

  • Selective breeding

How are monarch butterflies being affected by climate change?

Monarch butterflies depend on environmental cues (temp in particular) to trigger reproduction, migration and hibernation.

• Butterflies lay fewer eggs in wetter conditions

• Warmer temps reduce milkweed growth because of droughts so caterpillars are hungry

• Erratic winters freeze pupae

• Shifting seasons disrupt migrations

  • Climate change is causing delayed migration to overwintering sites in Mexico and California, so many of them are left stranded in colder regions where they might not survive.

• Warmer + wetter conditions promote growth of parasites/pathogens

What is being done to protect monarch butterflies?

• Milkweed restoration projects across migration routes

  • River Parters’ 15 million milkweed initiative (aim to establish 15 million milkweed plants in California by 2030)

• Journey North tracks monarch and milkweed populations which may be used by scientists for studying.

How are Asian elephants being affected by climate change?

• Elephants are very sensitive to temp changes (ideal temp is less than 24°C)

• Need high amounts of freshwater for daily activities: reproduction + care of offspring (mothers are unable to produce milk because of dehydration). Droughts and

• Invasive plant species (lantana) that thrive in warmer conditions outcompete their regular food sources.

• Shortages of food, water drives them to move closer to humans, increasing the risk of human-elephant conflict

What is being done to protect the Asian elephant?

• Habitat conservation efforts to secure freshwater

  • Project Elephant is an Indian government initiative to protect elephants and its habitats

  • NGOs like WWF safeguard and restore their habitats

• WWF manages human-elephant conflict by collaborating with communities and governments through the use of early detection tools, response teams to deter them from coming into farms.

How are polar bears being affected by climate change?

Rising temperatures causes Arctic ice to melt.

• Difficult for them to hunt, mate, breed, rest. They can swim but requires more energy than walking.

• Populations decline. If current trends continue, scientists predict that the polar bear population will have shrunk by 2/3 by 2025. Polar bears could face extinction by the end of the 21st century.

• Temperatures in the Artic rise 4 times as fast as the global average

What restrictions are there in trying to protect polar bears? What is being done to protect them?

Vast and remote and changing constantly Arctic we can’t build a fence around its habitat or assign officers to guard the gate.

Action

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the sue of fossil fuels and adopting more renewable energy

• Polar bears are protected under the marine mammal protection act, which makes it illegal to harass feed hunt, capture them (without permit)

How many square kilometres does permafrost (deeply frozen ground) cover across northern Canada and Russia? What happens when glaciers and permafrost melt?

23 million square kilometers

As temperatures rise, glaciers and permafrost will melt and release even more CO2 into the atmosphere. this raises sea levels which will cause land to be lost. It will affect areas such as coastal cities (e.g. Miami, USA)

What are the consequences of climate change for Spain?

• Spain will be a hotter, drier, more arid country as well as more flammable = more floods + wildfires

• Desertification is a growing threat, particularly in South + Southeast (Murcia) → reduced rainfall, water scarcity

  • Agriculture (insufficient irrigation) affected

• Biodiversity loss

• Health risks: intense heatwaves particularly in in urban areas like Madrid. Increase in heart related illnesses and mortality.

What has the Spanish government done about climate change?

• Plan Nacional Integrado de Energía y Clima (PNIEC)

• Madrid 360: Estrategia de Sostenibilidad Ambiental

• Plan Nacional de Adaptación al Cambio Climático

Plan Nacional Integrado de Energía y Clima (PNIEC) (2021-2030)

Aim? Example of a legally binding law linked to this? Another initiative that goes under this?

• Aim: to use more renewable energy (solar + wind) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By 2030 they plan to have 74% electricity and 42% all energy to come from renewables

• Example of a law under this project/plan: Ley 7/2021 which sets targets to reducing greenhouse gas emissions for companies (pushes them to opt for renewables)

• Initiatives to develop skills + training programmes that prepare workforce to maximise job opportunities in renewable energy sector.

  • Education for technical skills (e.g working to operate wind turbines) → help workers transition from traditional energy sector

Madrid 360: Estrategia de Sostenibilidad Ambiental

What is it (aim)? Key initiatives?

• Aim: reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the capital city of Madrid to control contamination levels and transform the city into a more sustainable and green space.

• Key initiatives include:

  • Zonas de Bajas Emisiones (ZBE): an area that restricts the access to certain vehicles (vehicles without the environmental badge—label A) to improve the air’s quality (in densely populated areas) and reduce contamination.

  • Starting in 2018 Madrid has started its project of decarbonisation. Last year (2025) Madrid’s public transport company, EMT, has electrified nearly 20% of its bus routes. Company operates over 2000 busss and are in the process I’d transitioning to ‘zero-emission vehicles’

Plan Nacional de Adaptación al Cambio Climático (PNACC) (2021-2030)

Aim? Scope (what it covers)/actions?

• Aim: to address the impacts of climate change in Spain

• Scope: covers a wide range of areas including human health, water resources, biodiversity, coastal areas, agriculture, food security

  • Actions:

    • water management to enhance water security (lower water consumption)

    • Recover, restore and protect rivers, lakes, aquifers, wetlands (bodies of water) by promoting the National River Restoration Strategy (ENRR)

    • Upgrade food risk management by e.g improving hydrological information systems (provides timely warnings to floods which prevents loss of life and property, provides data for climate change research, etc)

    • Recover natural heritage sites like the Doñana National Park

Doña a National Park in Andalucía

What is it? Recognised as UNESCO’s ____ so what does this mean? Why is it important?

• What it is: It is one of Europe’s most significant and biodiverse protected areas. It includes a variety of ecosystems.

• It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site highlighting its value and need for its conservation.

• Why it is important: it is a habitat/refuge for many species, including endangered ones like the Iberian lynx. The parks wetlands are crucial for migratory birds travelling between Europe and Africa for resting, feeding grounds. Over 300 bird species recorded.

Why is the Doñana National Park under threat? What is the impact on biodiversity?

• Over extraction of water: illegal and unsustainable irrigation practices for agriculture (especially for strawberry farming) has led to a dramatic drop in water levels vital for maintaining its wetlands, lagoons etc → drying up

• Climate change: higher temp = increase evaporation rates which further reduces water availability + reduced and erratic rainfall + as a coastal park, it is vulnerable to rising sea levels and saltwater would mix with freshwater ecosystems.

• Pollution: pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals from farms contaminate water and soil.

In summary: Doñana is suffering a reduction in water quality and quantity

• Many animals will die. Drying up of wetlands which are crucial for survival of plants and wildlife.