3.

Global Climate change and role and response of man

Climate change: Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution
of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in
average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average (e.g., more or fewer
extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region or may occur across
the whole Earth.

Anomalies showing climate change.

There are so many events shown in the map. Write few to show the signs of climate
change
 Fenno-Scaodnav.Jal2008)
Warmest wintefl "'r
in most partsNerwaY.,So.oer{
. "
Europe (Mar 08)
, '""'?"v:('Pov.'E>Iful stormswith wind
J _ gusts up to160 km/hr.
-"'-ca_nlrai Eur<>Pe (June 09).Flooding:
v<>o;St natUral'disaster since f002
. !
dcj) Blst
-f Hel\;test snowrafintnore
thana dleca<le inlr;n
Fht soowlalllii': vg
llraq.
memory in Bagt>dail
I Max wilds 215kmlhr;one or the
South Africa (May.Jun07)
Cold front led to 54 weati11ef reoords
In May.InJune,Johannesburg receiVed
Its 1st major snowfaH snce 1981.
<:-=
Eurasoo Snow Cover Extent {Jan08)
:'f
'- Largest January extent on reoordand smallest
extent duringMarch,Apr ,and borealspring.
lfzbeklstan (Jan08)
Coldwave wah tov'E>st
temP,aiturs in 40 years.
'1Chlna (Feb9) S4!fers
worst drought In50
years,lhreate!11ngmore
WwM (A'ug09)Typhoon Moral<ot worst flooding in
than 10 milion-hectares
v.!iJ'.Sinches at raininsouthernparts.
affedlng4
Llaon ;hha (Aug 09) Experienced v.orst
drought in 60 )<'ats, affecting 5 mHion acres or
rabl
Typhoon Haguplt (Sep 09)
Max v.inds 220 kmlhr:worst
typhoonto hit China's Guangdong
province In more than a decade.
fordng 200,000 to evacuate.
,;;).' TyphoonFengshen (Jun08)
EaSi'emPhljppineIslands vn,;ds205kmlhr.
1
(Ma/09) Typhoon Kupra Phifippines'worst maritime
-lrigg&edflo.s and major disaster since 1987.
landS6Jesarrecting O!:E!'r
46. opl nds .JJ
were 213km/hr. '\ /
,... \
AUstrafla (Ja) Warmest January
in the!i0-2003recOt<t.DjlestI
May on oeoord,Drooghloondltions
Tropical Cyclone Ivan (Feb 08) -101o11eradecadeinsome palls.
strongest C)<:lones ever In Madagascar.
then Austra Melaoc't!(Jan09) 1/
On .larAJ&IY 28,lefl1)era-.res spllrad )
to45'C:the hottest day on 70 yeaos.
SouthernAustralia (2009)
Exceptionalheat wave,triggerilg
new temperatuoe records and
deadly wlidfres,daims 210 lives. New Zealand
Major winter.cvclo'e
!lash floods andwidespread wnid
damageacross North IslandIn July.
AUstraUaand New Zealand (2009)
Experienced their warmest August s:nce records
began 60 and 155 yearsago,respectively.
 Causes
o Natural causes
Climate drift over the centuries
Volcanoes
Mount pinatoba in phillipine , 1991 emitted thusands of tones of
gases . Such type of eruptions reduce the amount of solar insolation
which lowers the earths temperature. Global temperatures
decreased by about 0.5 C (0.9 F)

o Mainly Human causes

Emission of Green house gases more then the carrying capacity of
environment. ( Absorption by various natural factors).
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector
Industrial 16.S%
processes
Power stations
21.3%

Transportation fuels
14.0% Waste disposal
and treatment
3.4%

12.5%
Agricultural
byproducts 1O.O% L nd
b1omass burnmg

Fossli fuelretrieval ---....__..._- 10.3%

Residential,commercial, processing,and distribution 113% and other
sources

1.1%
1.5%
2.3%
5.9%
26.0%
Carbon Dioxide Methane Nitrous Oxide
(n96oftotill) (1896 of totill) (996 of total)
Total Release of Carbon dioxide
CLIMATE CHANGE INDICATORS
Temperature rise
The IPCC predicts a rise in annual mean surface temperatures of between 1.4 and 5.8C over the period 1990 to 2100. A mid-
range temperature rise scenario will have a devastating effect on food security not only in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of
the world but also in the mid-latitudes. As the British Foreign Minister stated in October 2006, [t]emperature rises of just 2-3
degrees will see crop yields in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia fall by as much as 30 to 40 percent. Higher average
temperatures will also stimulate the emergence and re-emergence of pests and diseases, and increase the vectors that carry
disease.

Ice melt
1.7 billion people currently live in water-stressed countries but this number is expected to increase to 5 billion by 2025. Retreating
glaciers and snowlines will increase variability in river flow, diminish consistent water supplies and exacerbate these stresses. The
South Asian sub-continent and South America are both likely to suffer. Sea level rise is predicted to be between 0.09 and 0.88
metres over the period 1990 to 2100. Higher sea levels will have catastrophic implications for small Pacific states and low-lying
countries such as Bangladesh, and also for all major coastal cities.

Extreme weather events

Increased precipitation will lead to more extensive flooding. These impacts will be accentuated in areas where drought has
hardened the earth and increased the likelihood of flash floods. Flooding leads to soil erosion and results in landslides which
cause extensive damage to dwellings and livelihoods. The Asian monsoon is sensitive to small temperature changes and stands
to wreak havoc across the sub-continent. In July 2005, Mumbai received 37 inches of rain in 24 hours, the largest downpour
recorded in an Indian city. Increased incidence of heat waves will result in illness and death, especially amongst the old and very
young. Increased storm surges will have a significant impact on coastal settlements.

Length of growing season

The length of a growing season depends on the first and last day of a base temperature above which plants will grow. Increased
climate variability is currently leading to unpredictable changes in the length of the growing seasons for all sorts of crops all
around the world. This is the major concern not only for farmers whose livelihoods depend on consistent crop yields, but also to
the billions of people living in poverty who are dramatically affected by variability in food prices. Climate variability can also play
havoc with the natural breeding cycle of insects and animals, and the balance of the ecosystems that they live within.

Acidification of the oceans

The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, forms carbonic acid and reduces the pH of the water. The oceans have
already absorbed fifty percent of the carbon dioxide that we have produced since the industrial revolution. The lowering of the
oceans pH has a significant impact on the ability of small marine organisms to form shells. These organisms play a crucial role at
the bottom of the marine food chain. Acidification also damages coral. Impacts on marine bio-diversity and the coral reefs have
significant implications for the communities who are dependent on already depleted fisheries for their subsistence and livelihood.

Human security
Indirect impacts have further implications for developing countries. A discussion paper written for the US Defense Department
presents a scenario where the effects of climate change and the resultant reduction in the environments carrying capacity in
terms of food, water and energy quickly lead to security issues. It is easy to see that when food and water security are
compromised, the likelihood of conflict and social insecurity increases.
Energy Security
Energy security is also threatened by extreme weather events that undermine the stability of ports and drilling rigs. Glacier retreat
and ice cap melt will impact on hydro-electricity and melting permafrost will weaken pipelines. Energy insecurity jeopardises the
social and economic services that improve peoples capabilities and ameliorate the affects of poverty. The cumulative effect of all
these factors will be to undermine the very basis of governance and productivity. With less capital and more desperate
circumstances, the fabric of civilisation itself becomes threatened. Consequently, action and support from developed countries on
climate change has to be seen in the context of an overall responsibility to promote sustainable development and to fight poverty
as expressed in the Millennium Development Goals.

Peoples perceptions
Climate change is a global challenge that requires immediate individual and collective action. Unfortunately, it is a self-evident fact
that information alone is unable to motivate action. Public opinion surveys all around the world consistently indicate that the
majority of people are concerned about climate change, but they also find that people feel unsure about what it means to them
personally and what should be done about it. Despite concern, often only a limited number of respondents are actually taking
concerted action to prevent climate change, less still are taking actions that are actually consistent and effective. So while there is
widespread acknowledgement of the threat, there is little substantive engagement with the problem. This inertia between problem
and action underlines the importance of enabling leadership at all levels of society to better motivate effective engagement on this
critical issue.

Effects of Climate change-----Some expected impacts--regionwise

Effects on Africa
Effects on Asia
Impact on Millennium Development Goals
Human Response

Adaptation
Mitigation

Adaptation response
Mitigation measures
It is mainly to reduce Green House reduction measures to mitigate the event of climate
change. Only UNFCCC is the international mechanism to control Climate change.

UNFCCC (I am assuming that all aspirants know everything UNFCCC properly.)

o Kyoto
o REDD+
 Countries individual plans
o India
Carbon tax
Perform Achieve and Trade mechanism
8 Missions
Solar Mission
Mission on Enhanced Enery Efficient
Sustainable Habitat
Green India mission
Sustainanble Agriculture
Strategic knowledge for Climate change etc
o Other Nations
If you know other nations measures then you can write