Climate Change

Climate Change

1. EVIDENCE

   • Sea Level Rise
     • water released from melting ice caps
     • The removal of ice caps has relieved the land and caused isostatic uplift (raised beaches of Arran)
     • 10-25cm rise during the 20th century
   • Radiocarbon Dating
     • ratio of C14 and C12 abundance in a plant to determine its age
   • Dendrochronolgy
     • the rings of trees can show what conditions were like at the time
     • warm and wet = thick ring
     • cold and dry = thin ring
   • Vegetation Belts
     • migration of species so they can now exist where they couldn't before
     • supported by the analysis of pollen in soil
   • Ice Core Analysis
     • Ice traps C02
     • less C02 present in cold periods, more C02 in warm periods
   • Glacial and Post Glacial deposits
     • the effect of ice on the landscape, and meltwater
     • NASA has measured shrinkage of Arctic pack ice at 2.9% per dacade
   • Landforms and Landscapes
     • glacial valleys and granite tors need certain conditions to form

2. THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

   • Human Causes
     • Burning fossil fuels
       • accounts for 49.4% of the greenhouse gases presents
     • Deforestation (Brazil)
       • reduced C02 absorbtion
     • Irrigation of land
     • Urbanisation
     • Transportation
     • Agriculture
       • methane produced by paddy fields
         • methane accounts for 12.5% of greenhouse gases
   • Natural Causes
     • Sunspots
       • dark patches on the sun that release more heat energy
     • Melting of Permafrost
       • the melting of frozen soil in Siberia/Russia releases methane
     • Volcanoes
       • eruptions release gases
       • ash clouds block out sunlight and reduce temperatures
     • Milankovitch Theory Variations in 3 of the Earth's orbital characteristics
       • oval - Oliptical over 100,000yrs
       • tilt changes by 1 degree over 41,000yrs
       • wobble as it spins over 23,000yrs
   • Natural Feedback Mechanisms
     • Cloud Cover
       • clouds reflect the sun's energy and so temperatures fall
       • increased insolation so temperatures rise
     • Warming of the Atmosphere
       • increases the capacity to hold water vapour which is a GH gas so increases the GH effect
     • Evaporation
       • Increased evaporation increases snowfall which increases albedo therefore more sunlight is reflected reducing the GH effect

3. PREDICTED EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

   • People
     • Water
       • decreased snow pack so fewer recreational activities
       • decline in drinking water
         • salt contamination
         • early glacial melt so no source
       • less for agrictulture
     • Economy
       • damage to infastructure
       • lost productivity
         • days 'locked' inside
       • mass migration
         • climate refugees as weather is too extreme
       • coping costs
     • Health
       • spread of diseases
         • malaria
       • poor air quality
       • constantly high temps cause heat strokes
     • Food
       • more pests so less organic
       • change in fishing
       • less productive countries at the equator
       • change in seasons and species migration
         • previously cooler areas can benefit from longer growing seasons
       • reduced yields due to dry/saturated ground - insecurity
       • more expensive meat as have to cool animals
   • Temperature
     • Ground
       • melting permafrosts
     • Oceans
     • Air
       • 3 degree increase by end of 21st century
   • Oceans
     • Sea Level Rise
       • threaten coastal communties
         • Maldives
       • salt water invasion to crops and water sources
       • ocean chemistry changed killing off species
       • decrease in sea ice decreases albedo so more heat absorbed
   • Freshwater
     • Precipitation
       • extreme
       • lack of
     • Land Ice
       • flash floods
       • decrease in resources
   • Ecosystems
     • displacement
     • life-cycles altered
     • habitat destruction
       • Polar Bears
         • Arctic is shrinking 2.9% per dacade
   • LEDCs will be hit hardest and lease able to adapt

4. EFFECTS ON THE BRITISH ISLES

   • Wetter Winters
     • benefit water supplies
     • more flooding and coastal damage
     • destroy habitats
     • increase in waterborne diseases
   • Higher Temperatures
     • increase in pests
     • reduce water levels in soil
       • only certain plants can grow
       • loss of native species
     • plants can grow at higher altitudes
     • longer growing season
     • tourism
       • fewer recreational activites
       • more desirable for holidays
   • annual temps will increase by 3 degrees
   • precipitation in winter will increase by 10-35%
   • 2003 Heatwave in Europe
   • Reservoir in South Oxford
     • supply Oxford, Swindon & London
     • destroy homes
   • River Severn flooding
     • Bewdley, Worchestershire
       • homes along the banks
       • barrier for £11 million
   • Glasgow Flooding 2002
     • 1/4 of homes flooded due to sewage
       • stop turning lawns into drives!
   • Aldbrough, Yorkshire
     • worst rates of coastal erosion in Europe
       • clay cliffs being eroded at 2 metres a year
   • Scotland
     • Scotland's snow will decrease by 60%
     • population decline of Salmon in the Blackwater river due to graval being washed away so eggs cannot be laid
   • Fens, East Anglia
     • lowlying farmland that accounts for 48% of our agricultural land
       • seas would flood it
   • BedZED community

5. RESPONSES

   • National
     • Biofuels
       • convert buses
       • deforestation - not sustainable
     • Solar Panels
       • government grants
       • uses crop space
       • limited by weather
     • Transport
       • accounts for 20% of emissions in the UK (2012)
       • congestion charges
         • goes towards public transport
       • catalytic converters and MOTs
       • low taxes for eco-cars: Fiat 500
       • few charging stations for electric cars
       • doesn't suit our lifestyle
   • Local
     • Navitus Bay Wind Farm
       • power for 700,000 homes a year
       • offsetting 1,290,000 tonnes of C02 each year
       • West of Isle of Wight
     • Food
       • save air miles
       • less packaging and processing
     • Poole Carbon Management
       • turn street lights off for 5hrs and it will save Poole 90 tonnes of C02
   • Large Companies
     • Tescos
       • reduces carbon emissions by 25% by 2020
       • F Plan
         • fuller cages
         • fewer miles
       • more efficient lorries
       • do just want to make money
     • Velvet
       • planting 3 trees for every one used
       • increase C02 absorbtion
       • hopefully other companies with follow
       • high demands
   • International
     • Carbon Trading
       • carbon credits
       • can change financial situation of LEDCs
       • annual quota for carbon emissions
     • Copenhagen Conference (2009)
       • pledge varying amounts to reduce by 2020
       • signed but not legally binding
     • Kyoto Protocol (1997)
       • countries pledge to cut carbon emissions by agreed amounts
       • reduction targets
       • US and China haven't signed

6. PROBLEMS WITH GLOBAL AGREEMENTS

   • change of government and policies
   • countries have their own problems to sort
   • how to enforce rules
   • difference in level of pollution
   • renewable resources not competitive on global market
     • Canada's statement
   • not all at meetings