8) Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations

Describe 6 physical impacts of climate change

• Global Temperature Rise - warming is strongest over land and in the Arctic.

  • UK Example: Hot spells exceeding 30°C for ≥2 days occur 4 times per year by the 2070s - longer, hotter summers and milder winters.

• Changes in precipitation (amount, intensity, seasonality) - season and regional variation

  • Tropical and high-latitude regions see most rainfall increases.

  • UK: Less frequent but more intense summer rainfall.

• Melting ice & snow, permafrost thaw

  • Adds to sea level rise and albedo feedback.

• Sea level rise - driven by thermal expansion and ice melt; projections: 1–4 feet rise by 2100

  • Uncertainty remains over Greenland/Antarctica ice sheet responses.

  • Coastal flood risks rise, including in the UK

• Ocean acidification - harms calcifying species (corals, shellfish, plankton), food webs, fisheries, and tourism

• Increased frequency & intensity of extreme events – e.g. heatwaves, storms, heavy rainfall, droughts

Describe 5 societal impacts of climate change

• Agriculture - reduced yields, crop failure from droughts/floods

• Water stress from glacier loss, droughts; impacts on sanitation

• Health - heat-related mortality, spread of vector-borne diseases, malnutrition

• Climate refugees from sea level rise, drought and desertification

• Infrastructure - damage to roads, energy and housing from storms and heat

Describe 4 ecological impacts from climate change

• Habitat shifts (poleward and upward in altitude)

• Phenology changes (timing of flowering, breeding)

• Coral bleaching from warming and acidification

  • Coral reef growth could slow by 50% by 2050.

• Loss of biodiversity and collapse of ecosystem services

How are climate impacts assessed?

Risk = Hazard × Exposure × Vulnerability

• Exposure = What’s in harm’s way (people, assets, ecosystems)

• Vulnerability = Ability to cope/recover (e.g. wealth, governance, tech)

• Sensitivity = How badly a system is affected by the stressor

→ Example: Small island nations = high exposure + high vulnerability

Why can’t the same adaptation strategies be used everywhere?

• Need to be tailored to regional or local areas to their direct risks - e.g. flood risks, cooling centres, drought-tolerant crops

• e.g. UK - coastal flood planning, drought planning

• e.g. Africa - Crop diversification, water management.

5 factors that affect a population’s ability to adapt.

• Income & wealth

• Education & awareness

• Institutions & governance

• Technology access

• Equity (e.g. gender, marginalised groups)

Describe the global inequality on climate impacts

• Low-income countries: most affected, least responsible

• Climate injustice: those with low emissions & high vulnerability suffer most

• IPCC: Adaptation needs to be locally informed and globally supported

Briefly describe climate impacts on Bangladesh

• High exposure to floods and cyclones

• Adaptation: proactive measures - embankments, cyclone shelters, climate-smart agriculture

What is iterative risk management? Why is it useful for adaptation?

• Continuous process of identifying, analysing, and responding to risks

• Adaptation must be flexible due to uncertainty and evolving climate risks

  • Need to monitor, learn, adjust actions over time.

  • Maladaptation risks are actions that increase emissions burden the vulnerable, limit future options

  • e.g. Building seawalls that trap communities or harm ecosystems