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