Assessing and Responding to Climate Change (Overview)

• KEY CONCEPTS:

  1. The impacts of climate change will affect the environment and our society
  2. Climate change impacts will mostly be felt by the Arctic
  3. Switching to clean energy sources is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• GLOBAL IMPACTS

  • Rising sea levels
  • Impacts on agriculture
  • Impacts on ecosystems
  • Impacts on the health of humans, plants, & animals
• HOW CHANGES TO THE ARCTIC AFFECTS THE WORLD

  • The albedo effect will be greatly reduced due to the reduction in snow and ice
  • Release of CO2 that was trapped in the ice
  • The sea levels rising due to the ice melting
  • Changes in biodiversity as a major habitat is being destroyed
• LOCAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

  • warmer winters
  • hotter summers
  • lake level changes
  • ecosystem shifts
  • more risk of illness or disease
  • more forest fires
  • higher electricity demand
• CLEAN ENERGY

  • wind using wind turbines. renewable
  • geothermal using the heat underground. renewable
  • solar using solar panels. renewable
  • biofuel using liquid biological sources. renewable
  • hydroelectric using water. renewable
  • nuclear power using nuclear substances. non-renewable