Climate Change
4 factors that determines Earth's temperature?
-Amount of sunlight Earth receives -Amount of sunlight Earth reflects -Retention of heat by the atmosphere -Evaporation and condensation of water vapor
Climate Change
-Atmospheric conditions for a region on earth -For a long period of time
Actions taken to end climate change
-California Climate Action Registry -Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (cap and trade program) -Climate Change Action Plan of 2001
Examples of greenhouse gases
-Carbon Dioxide (CO2) -Methane (CH4) -Nitrous Oxide (N2O) -Fluorinated Gases
Fluorinated Gases
-Chlorofluorocarbons (CCl2F2): liquid coolants and foams -Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (CHClF2): liquid coolants -Perfluoromethane (CF4): Aluminum production -Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): dielectric fluid
Difference between climate change and global warming?
-Climate change is significant and lasting change in the distribution of weather patterns over the long term -Global warming is an increase in average global temperature
Components of Environmental Change
-Ecosystem degradation -Land use change -Urban sprawl -Water scarcity -Petroleum depletion -Climate change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
-Established in 1988 by World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme -Conducts 5- year assessments
Effects of Climate Change
-High temperatures lead to soil moisture evaporating more quickly which can result in severe drought -Warm air can hold more moisture than cool Air causing heavy precipitation events -Droughts decrease food production -Droughts also exacerbate malnutrition
Severe Storms
-Hurricanes -Rain events -Low lying coastal and delta regions including costal China, Bangladesh and Egypt are more vulnerable -Densely populated, low-lying, small island states are also more vulnerable
Risks from weather extremes
-Loss of housing and workplace -Heat
Greenhouse Effect
-Naturally occurring process of heating -In trapping heat - gasses panes in a greenhouse
Methane (CH4)
-Naturally produced by termites, freshwater wetlands, and livestock -Anthropogenically produced by landfills, agricultural activities, burning of coal and natural gas
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
-Naturally produced by the carbon cycle due to plants -Anthropogenically produced by fossil duel combustion, land use changes, and cement production
Aeroallergens
-Pollen may increase with climate change -CO2 promotes growth and reproduction
Who is most vulnerable to heat waves?
-Poor -Elderly -Socially Isolated -Lack of Air Conditioning -Medical conditions that impair the ability to dissipate heat
Ethical Considerations
-Poor and disadvantaged will bear the brunt of climate change impacts -Countries responsible for carbon emissions account for small proportion of world's population and are relatively resilient to effects of climate change -Large population of poor countries contribute a small share of carbon emissions and ability to protect themselves is limited
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
-Produced anthropogenically by agricultural activities, application of fertilizer, industrial processes, and burning of fossil fuels
Weather
-Refers to shorter periods of time
Rising Sea Levels
-Sea surface warming causes thermal expansion of salt water -Increase in flooding and coastal erosion in low-lying areas -since 1961 sea levels have risen on average by about 2mm per year -14 of the worlds 19 current megacities are at sea level
Threat to Global Fisheries
-Temperatures change aquatic environment -migration of various species -issue for coastal and island populations that rely on fish as a main source of protein
Flooding
-Upper Midwest 50% increase in days with precipitation over 4 inches -South has a marked increase in heavy downpours -Negative impact on sewer system an associated risk of waterborne disease (Cryptosporidium and Giardia)
Malnutrition
-about 800 million people are undernourished -by 2060 an additional 40-300 million people could be at risk -questionable nutritional value of some foods
Adaptation
-efforts to reduce the public health impact of climate change -education, notification, and preparations -vulnerability assessment: identifying likely events, at risk populations, opportunities to reduce harm
Human Health Impact
-malnutrition -risks from weather extremes -air pollution and aeroallergens -infectious diseases
Acidification of Oceans
-resulting from higher CO2 levels -uptake of anthropogenic carbon has reduced ocean pH by 0.1 units -impacts shell-forming organisms
Atmosphere with higher levels of greenhouse gases...
-retain more heat -result in higher average surface temperatures
Mitigation
-stabilizes or reduces the production of greenhouse gases -achieved by policies and technologies that result in more efficient energy production and reduced energy demand
Positive Radiative Forcing
Absorbing and reemitting infrared radiation toward the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface
Air Pollution
Climate Change influences: -production of pollutants -dispersion of pollutants
Changes in food production depend on what?
Direct effects -temperature -precipitation -CO2 levels -extreme climate variability -sea level rise Indirect effects -changes in soil quality -incidence of plant diseases -weed and insect populations
Infectious Diseases
Diseases most sensitive to ambient climate conditions are those spread directly from source: Waterborne Disease -freshwater -marine waters Food-Borne Disease -food spoilage is temperature dependent -pest species
Urban Heat Island
Generation and retention of heat as a result of buildings. human and industrial activities, and other factors
Heat Waves
Period of 5 or more days when temperatures exceed the average maximum by 5 degrees C.
Climate Change's impacts on currents
Slowing of the North Atlantic Gulf Stream
Melting Sea Ice
Studies conclude arctic and antarctic ice caps are melting
Atmosphere
Thin layer of gases that envelops Earth
Infectious Diseases
Vector-borne disease: -life cycle includes time outside host--exposure to environmental conditions -mosquito borne diseases (malaria) -tick borne diseases (lyme disease) -rodent borne diseases (hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and plague)
Effects of Climate Change
Weather extremes including: -increasing temperatures -droughts -severe storms -melting sea ice -rising sea levels