Fragile environments

• Sustainability is the actions that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
• The three pillars of sustainability are economic, social, and environmental.
• Ecological Footprint is A measure of the mark we make on the planet and the natural world through our activities
• Fragile Environment are natural environments that are sensitive to, and easily abused by human activities.
• Examples of fragile environments are the Amazon Rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef and the Arctic Ocean
• Global warming - the average temperatures around the world are increasing.
• The greenhouse effect is created by some (greenhouse) gases including water vapour, C02 and methane which form a layer in the atmosphere, trapping and reflecting heat (keeping our Earth warm).
• We have created an enhanced greenhouse effect by adding more greenhouse gases to thicken the layer. 
• Climate change is when long term weather patterns  (average temperatures/rainfall etc) change.
• Climate change has happened continuously over the Earth’s long history but is occurring at an accelerated rate now. 
• Carbon dioxide is emitted by burning fossil fuels either in motor vehicles or power plants to generate electricity.
• Methane is released into the atmosphere from both natural e.g: wetlands and human activity e.g: natural gas production, coal mining, wastewater treatment and landfills.
• However, the rearing of livestock, the most atmospheric methane.
• Nitrous oxide comes mainly from agricultural activities such as fertilisers and livestock farming.
• Synthetic Fluorinated gases are used in refrigeration systems and industrial processes.
• Greenhouse gases trap heat within the earth's atmosphere which leads to rising temperatures on the surface of the planet.
• Variety of ways climate can be naturally affected:

  1. Milankovitch cycles (Orbital Geometry)
  2. Volcanism
  3. Solar variation/output
  4. Cosmic Material
• The Milankovich cycle includes Eccentricy, Precession, and Obliquity of the sun.
• Eccentricity is the change in shape of the Earth’s orbit around the sun. 
• Obliquity is the tilt of the Earth's axis compared to its orbit around the sun.
• Precession is the direction in which the Earth’s axis of rotation is pointed.
• When the Earth's axis - obliquity is more tilted, there are more extreme seasonal temperature differences. This can impact weather patterns and ecosystems which causes variations in climate over long periods.
• What happens when eccentricity change?

  This can influence the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth at different times of the year. If the orbit becomes more elliptical (less circular), it can lead to more significant variations in seasonal temperatures.
• How does precession affect climate change?

  This wobble can influence the timing of the seasons. When precession changes, it can alter the orientation of Earth's axis relative to its orbit around the sun.
• Solar radiation output Variation or solar flares describes the change in the Sun’s radiation output.
• If the sun's radiation changes, it affects the incoming radiation on Earth (insolation) and, as a result, the temperature.
• Large scale volcanic eruptions eject large amounts of volcanic gas, aerosol droplets and ash into the stratosphere. Which can block out solar radiation. This results in lowering the Earth’s temperature significantly.
• Volcanic gases like sulfur dioxide can cause global cooling
• While volcanic carbon dioxide (GH gas) has the potential to promote global warming
• • Meteors/asteroids can also emit lots of dust into the atmosphere having a similar effect as volcanoes on climate.
• Aphelion is furthest point of the Earth's orbit from the sun
• • Perihelion is the closest point of the Earth's orbit to the sun
• low eccentricity is Nearly circular orbit
• Elliptical is the high eccentricity which is how elongated the orbit is.
• What are the environmental impacts of climate change?

  1. Hazards or Extreme Weather
  2. Change in biome location
  3. Sea levels rising
  4. Loss of biodiversity
• What are the impacts on humans because of climate change?

  1. Poverty and displacement
  2. Health
  3. Economic opportunities
  4. Food insecurity
• Extreme weather can lead to hotter temperatures which can increase sickness and wildfires
• Extreme weather can lead to extreme storms which can lead to increased floods, landslides and homelessness
• Extreme weather can lead to frequent droughts which reduce land for crop plantations, water consumption and increase sandstorms
• Rising sea levels can cause ice caps/sheets to melt which will threaten island or coastal countries