climate change

• evidence for climate change?

  increasing storms

  rises temperatures

  rising sea levels

  glaciers melting
• global warming impacts?

  floods

  drier conditions affect crops

  wildlife affected
• causes of climate change?

  natural:

  energy from sun

  change in ocean current

  volcanic eruptions

  human:

  fossil fuels - greenhouse effect
• greenhouse effect

  1. heat hits earths atmosphere
  2. land + oceans absorb heat
  3. land + oceans radiate heat back into atmosphere
  4. greenhouses gases trap some heat
• effects of climate change?

  social:

  spread of disease

  refugees

  pressure for resources

  deaths from extreme weather

  political:

  responses to refugees

  cost of protecting communities

  economic:

  cost of sea defences

  cost of protecting property + infrastructure

  higher food prices
• mitigating climate change

  international agreements:

  kyoto protocol - cut CO2 emissions

  Paris agreement - limit global av. temp. rises to below 2 degrees

  alternative energy production:

  burn less fossil fuels - use solar, wind, nuclear, hydro-electric power instead

  carbon capture:

  filters capture CO2 as its emitted - compressed and transported into pipes underground.

  planting trees:

  trees absorb carbon emissions and release O2.

  carbon stores (but released when they die)
• adapting to climate change

  changing agricultural systems:

  introducing irrigation

  drought resistant crops

  managing water supply:

  small scale - improving rainfall storage for farmers

  medium scale - introducing new tech to use water more efficiently

  large scale - desalination, use solar energy to make sea water drinkable, water recycling

  
  

  reducing risk from rising sea levels:

  retreat from at-risk coastal areas

  adapt buildings to withstand effects

  large scale flood barriers