AICE Environmental Management Unit 8: Climate Change

greenhouse gases

as gases in the

the atmosphere that absorbs infrared radiation

major sources of greenhouse gas

emissions from human activities

• combustion of fossil fuels (carbon dioxide and

water vapour)

• rice fields and livestock (methane)

• landfill sites (methane)

Methane (CH4)

Methane contributes to the greenhouse effect. Since 1750, methane has increased about 150% due to use of fossil fuels, coal mining, landfills, grazers, etc.

-stays in atmosphere 12 years

increased concentrations of

greenhouse gases

leads to the enhanced greenhouse effect leading to global

warming

difficulties of monitoring and

predicting climate change

• limited historical data used to reconstruct past

climate conditions

• future climate predictions are made using

computer climate models which use different

variables

• climate feedback mechanisms are not fully

understood

• time delay between cause and effect

• uncertainty over the use of some data in drawing

conclusions has resulted in differences in

scientific and political opinion

climate change evidence

Ice cores drawn from Greenland, Antarctica, and tropical mountain glaciers show that Earth's climate responds to changes in greenhouse gas levels. Ancient evidence can also be found in tree rings, ocean sediments, coral reefs, and layers of sedimentary rocks.

impacts of climate change on the

environment

changes in:

• temperature and precipitation

• sea level

• ocean and wind circulation

• melting of sea ice, ice sheets, glaciers and

permafrost

• species distribution and biodiversity

impacts of climate change on human populations

including:

• increased frequency and severity of extreme

weather events leading to flooding and loss of

land, drought and wild fires

• damage to property and loss of life during

extreme weather events

• forced migration

• impacts on crop yields and increased pest

outbreaks

• impacts on food, energy and water security

strategies for managing climate change

through the reduction of greenhouse gas

emissions

including:

• reduction of global and individual carbon

footprint (fewer children per woman, eating

a plant-based diet, adopt an energy-efficient

lifestyle)

• switching to low-carbon fuels

• reducing the use of fossil fuels

• using alternative forms of energy

• transport policies

• use of carbon capture and storage

• reducing deforestation, increasing reforestation

and afforestation

• energy efficient buildings and infrastructure

• adaptation to climate change

• national and international agreements such

as Kyoto Protocol 1992, Paris Agreement 2016

(detailed knowledge of international agreements

is not required)

Kyoto Protocol

an amendment to the international treaty on climate change designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by specific countries

Paris Climate Agreement

The main international agreement on global warming signed in 2015. Calls for keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Nearly all countries of the world are participants.

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Space reflectors

. Blocking a small proportion of sunlight before it reaches the Earth.

Stratospheric aerosols

Introducing small, reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect some sunlight before it reaches the surface of the Earth.

Geoengineering

the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth's natural systems to counteract climate change. examples: albedo enhancement, space reflectors,

stratospheric aerosols

climate change impact on arctic

proxy climate data

natural environmental records used in paleoclimatology to infer past climate conditions: ice cores, tree rings, coral formation

Climate models

mathematical models that are not exact predictions of weather conditions but attempt to imitate Earth's climate to estimate what might happen- difficult to predict changes in factors

climate feedback loops

One change in the climate triggers further changes, in a chain reaction that reinforces itself

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Maldives and Climate Change

Climate change is a major issue for the Maldives. As an archipelago of low-lying islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean, the existence of the Maldives is severely threatened by sea level rise. By 2050, 80% of the country could become uninhabitable due to global warming.

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Sea wall

Highest level of protection in the short term

Lifespan of up to 50 years

Effectively prevents erosion in the local area *

Often has a walkway /promenade for people to walk along *

Eg Swansea Bay, S Wales

Sea Walls-

.Beach level drops and could underline the wall

.More erosion further down the coast (greater downdrift)

.More erosion in areas that aren't protected

.Very high maintenance - the most expensive *

.Can be obtrusive and unnatural to look at *

Carbon Footprint

the total carbon dioxide emissions produced by an individual, group, or location

methane causes

- Emitted from livestock and rice cultivation

- Decay of organic waste in landfill sites

-Livestock Ranching

-Permafrost Melting

reducing methane

reduced landfill (increase recycling), reduced livestock, improved gas recovery, do not flood rice fields

Carbon Dioxide Sources

Combustion of fossil fuels and clearing of land

Types of GHGs

Co2, Methane, Water Vapor

Which activity releases the greatest CO2?

Burning coal

enhanced greenhouse effect

the increased capacity of the atmosphere to trap thermal energy because of an increase in greenhouse gases