GROUP 6

• Climate change


  Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns
• Climate change can be natural, due to changes in the sun's activity or large volcanic eruptions
• Since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas
• Causes of climate change

  • Generating power
  • Agriculture
  • Deforestation
  • Transportation
  • Manufacturing goods
  • Powering buildings
  • Over consumption of goods
• Methane (CH4) and black carbon


  Major pollutants that greatly contribute to climate change, called SLCPs (short-lived climate pollutants) that are powerful enough to cause damage to our atmosphere greater than that of carbon dioxide
• Methane came from anthropogenic (human influenced) and natural sources, while black carbon came from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel
• Effects of extreme and unpredictable climate change

  • Flooding
  • Sea level rise
  • Melting sea ice
  • Higher average temperature
  • Long lasting droughts
  • More intense wildfires
• Changes in species and populations


  As the climate changes, some species will adapt by changing their behavior, physical characteristics, or how their bodies function, while others will not be able to adapt, leading to expansions, reductions, or extinctions of some populations, affecting the overall biodiversity of a region
• Effects of climate change on human health


  Climate change presents a fundamental threat, affecting the physical environment as well as all aspects of both natural and human systems, including social and economic conditions and the functioning of health systems, increasing the risk of deaths, noncommunicable diseases, the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, and health emergencies
• Effects of climate change on agriculture

  Climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality, with projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme weather events, and reductions in water availability potentially resulting in reduced agricultural productivity
• Sea level rise


  The rise in ocean levels caused by global warming, due to the combination of seawater's thermal expansion as it heats and the melting of ice sheets and glaciers
• Thermal expansion


  The buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases is the main cause of Earth's warming, and the seas absorb more than 90% of this trapped heat, causing ocean temperatures to rise and water to expand, increasing the sea level
• Melting of ice sheets and glaciers


  Glaciers are melting more quickly than they are gaining fresh snow as temperature rise, and the water from this melting eventually flows into the ocean, increasing sea levels
• Coastal erosion


  The disintegration and displacement of materials by the water, with destructive waves causing erosion along the coast
• Deposition is the material brought by the sea that is left behind or deposited on the coast
• Storm surge


  The abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide
• Coastal storms


  • Hurricanes, nor'easters, and tropical storms
  • Can produce significant flooding, powerful gusts, and a lot of rain
  • Hazards including falling trees, downed power lines, flying debris, and a loss of heat, water, and electricity can be caused by strong winds and high waves
• Precipitation


  • Any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull
  • The main forms include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel, and hail
• Changes in precipitation patterns

  • Alterations in the distribution, intensity, frequency, and type of precipitation over a specific area and time period
  • Often associated with climate variability and climate change
  • Can include shifts in rainfall, snowfall, and other forms of precipitation
• Changes in precipitation patterns

  • Increased intensity: precipitation events may become more intense, leading to heavy rainfall or snowfall within a shorter timeframe
  • Altered distribution: the geographical distribution of precipitation may change, with some areas experiencing more rainfall while others may become drier
  • Shifts in seasonal patterns: changes may occur in the timing of precipitation, including alterations to the typical seasonal patterns of rainfall or snowfall
  • Extreme weather events: changes in precipitation patterns can contribute to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and storms
  • Impact on ecosystems: altered precipitation patterns can have significant impacts on ecosystems, affecting water availability, soil moisture, and the overall balance of ecosystems
  • Global climate change influence: changes in precipitation are often linked to broader global climate change trends, including temperature increases and shifts in atmospheric circulation patterns
• International implications of global climate change

  • Human basic needs, such as food, water, health, and shelter, are affected by climate
  • Changes in climate may threaten these needs with increased temperatures, sea level rise, changes in precipitation, and more frequent or intense extreme events
• Impacts on agriculture and food

  • Changes in climate could have significant impacts on food production around the world
  • Heat stress, droughts, and flooding events may lead to reductions in crop yields and livestock productivity
  • Areas affected by drought, such as Australia and the Sahel in Africa, will likely experience reductions in water available for irrigation
• Impacts on water supply and quality

  • Semi-arid and arid areas (such as the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and northeastern Brazil) are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on water supply
  • Over the next century, these areas will likely experience decreases in water resources, especially in areas that are already water stressed due to droughts, population pressures, and water resource extraction
• Impacts on human health

  • Risks of climate-sensitive diseases and health impacts can be high in countries that have little capacity to prevent and treat illness
  • Examples include severe heat stress, malnutrition and foodborne illnesses, mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and West Nile virus, diarrheal diseases, and mental health issues
• Impacts on shelter


  • Climate change affects the migration of people within and between countries around the world
  • Reasons include conflicts, degraded ecosystem services, and extreme events such as flooding, drought, and hurricanes
  • Extreme events displace many people, especially in areas that do not have the ability or resources to quickly respond or rebuild after disasters
  • Many types of extreme events are becoming more frequent or severe because of climate change, which exacerbates existing conflicts
• Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global or regional climate patterns, typically over decades or longer
• Climate change is differentiated from natural weather variability by the longer-term trend
• Impacts of Climate Change


  Climate change, driven primarily by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, is causing a myriad of impacts on the Earth's ecosystems, weather patterns, and human societies
• One significant impact of climate change

  • Rise in global temperatures, leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves
  • Heatwaves can have devastating effects on human health, agriculture, and infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable regions lacking adequate resources for adaptation
• Ozone Depletion


  Thinning of the ozone layer in the Earth's stratosphere, particularly over the polar regions
• Example of Ozone Depletion

  • Annual ozone "hole" over Antarctica that has occurred during the Antarctic spring since the early 1980s
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)


  A compound that does not occur naturally, they are man-made gas containing carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and propane
• Acid Deposition


  Often referred to as acid rain, occurs when sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), primarily emitted from burning fossil fuels, react with water vapor and other chemicals in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid
• Sources of Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2): Coal, oil, and natural gas combustion in power plants, industrial boilers, and residential heating, volcanic eruption
  • Nitrogen oxides (NOx): Combustion engines, Vehicles, trucks, airplanes, ships, and other transportation, Power generation, Industrial processes, and Agricultural activities
• Acid deposition can have harmful effects on soil, water bodies, vegetation, and aquatic life, leading to decreased biodiversity and ecosystem health
• Climate change can influence the frequency and intensity of certain weather patterns, such as temperature inversions, which can exacerbate the formation of smog and increase emissions of ozone depleting substances

  In turn, ozone depletion can affect atmospheric circulation patterns and contribute to climate change
• Some of the chemicals responsible for ozone depletion, such as halons and methyl bromide, also contribute to global warming


  Sulfur dioxide emissions, which lead to acid deposition, can indirectly affect climate by producing sulfate aerosols, which can reflect sunlight and have a cooling effect on the atmosphere
• The links among these issues include feedback loops and chemical interactions, as well as ecological impacts
• Mitigation strategies


  • Transition to Renewable Energy
  • Energy Efficiency Improvements
  • Afforestation and Reforestation
  • Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
  • Sustainable Agricultural Practices
  • Early Warning Systems
  • Infrastructure Resilience
  • International Collaboration
• Transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions