Climate change

• Causes of climate change

  Physical

  • After volcanic eruptions, large amounts of ash/dust may absorb and reflect the suns rays lowering temperatures.
  • Milankavitchs theory shows how changes in the earths orbit/tilt after the amount of energy reaching the earth.
  • Every 41,000 years, there is a change in the tilt of the earths axis. A greater tilt means more sunlight in polar regions and over a 97,000 year cycle, the earths orbit stretches.
  • Global temperatures can be raised by peaks of sunspot activity which follow an 11 year pattern.
  • Meeting artic ice decrease reflection as more land is exposed, increasing temperatures. Methane is also being released from melting permafrost.
• causes of climate change

  Human

  • Burning fossil fuels for power produces carbon dioxide. Industry global air transport.
  • Deforestation, which often involved rain forest burning also produces carbon dioxide.
  • Agriculture, levels of methane are rising due to increased livestock flatulence/bleaching and rice production.
  • Vehicle emissions (Nitrious oxides). Car exhausts produce nitrous oxide this enhances the enhanced GHG effect.
  • Chlorofluocarbons found in air conditioning can leak into atmosphere not disposed of properly, they are 100,000 more powerful than CO2.
  • Population increase- increases population leads to a higher demand for flood and resources increasing GHA emissions.
• Impacts of climate change

  • As temps rise, tropical diseases such as malaria are spreading further north.
  • Tourism problems will increase as there will be less snow in some mountain resorts.
  • There is an increase in number of people in the world facing hunger and starvation since higher temps affect food production.
  • Sea level has continued to rise over the last decades due to increasing ice loss in the world’s polar regions.
  • Due to climate change, oceans are warmer, more acidic and less productive today.
  • the effect of climate change now endanger peoples lives due to an increase in disasters such as flooding.
• Management strategies

  local strategies

  • Bus lanes and cycle lanes are built in cities and public transport is improved to encourage people not to use their car.
  • People are educated from a young age to switch off, lights, power sockets, phone chargers and TV when not in use.
• Management strategies

  National strategies

  • Government grants are offered to home owners to make their homes more efficient. For example, to insulate house roofs and or install smart meters to monitor their energy consumption.
  • Since 2014 Scotland has been charged 5p for every carrier bag, this reduces the amount of plastic bags going to landfill and the amount being produced.
• Management strategies

  Global strategies

  • COP26 taken place in Glasgow where each country will bring forward nationally determined contributions (NDCs) which will outline how they plan to reduce their emissions over the next 5 years.
  • 195 countries signed the Paris agreement (COP21) which outlined agreement between leaders of developed and developing countries to limit climate change to below a 2°C rise.