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Is the world getting warmer? If so, are the actions of mankind to blame for earths temperature increase? What can/should be done about these issues? Are the potential resolutions worth the cost to implement them?

The main reason behind the Climate Change is Global Warming. Global warming is mainly caused due to GHGs emissions.

Burning fuels such as coal, natural gas & oil produces Green house gases in excessive amounts.

There is a Increase CO2 emissions, especially in China and developing countries like India With rise in Economic growth , industries are increasing at incredible rate due to which rate of carbon dioxide has increased

The greenhouse effect

SUN
Some sola r radiation is reflected by the ea rths surface and the at mosphere Some of the infrared radiation is absorbed and re-em itted by the gre enhous e gases . The effe ct of this is to warm the surface and the lower atm osphere

ATMOSPHERE
Solar radiation passes through the clear a tmosphere

Mos t solar radiation is absorbed by t he surf ace, which wa rm s

EARTH

Infrared radia tion is e mit ted from the Earths surface

GJJ99 3

Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research

CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING

Northern vs. Southern Latitude

Land vs. Ocean

Land Ocean

Temperature Change (C)

1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere

0.0 -0.2 -0.4 -0.6 1920 1960 Year 2000 1920 1960 Year 2000

GRACE (gravity measured by satellite) found melting of Antarctica equivalent to sea level rise of 0.4 mm/year (2 in/century) Zwally, 2005 (satellite radar altimetry)
confirmed Antarctica melting
Greenland ice melting on

exterior, accumulating inland (higher precipitation)

Present rate is 1.8 0.3 mm/yr (7.4 in/century) Accelerating at a rate of 0.013 0.006 mm/yr2 If acceleration continues, could result in 12 in/century sea level rise Scenarios claiming 1 meter or more rise are unrealistic

Polar Bears
Require pack ice to live Might eventually go extinct in the wild

Sea turtles
Breed on the same islands as

their birth Could go extinct on some islands as beaches are flooded

Other species may go extinct as rainfall patterns change throughout the world

Decreased thermohaline circulation

Cooler temperatures in North Atlantic

CO2 fertilization effect Precipitation changes

Droughts and famine (some areas) Expanded arable land in Canada, Soviet Union

-50

-20

-10

-5

10

20

50

Lake Faguibine

Lake Chad

Impact on Agricultural Sector

A report from Carnegie Inst, shows that in past 20 years annual yield of worlds six largest crops has decreased due to increasingly warmer temperature. These drop in yield led to a economic loss of $5 billion a year.

According To Nicholas Stern Climate Change will have a serious impact on economic growth that 1% of GDP will be required to mitigate its effects. Thats lot of money, given that GDP was almost $70 trillion in 2008,according to world bank.

DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON COUNTRIES

Oxfam Internationals report concluded that trade patterns will likely to shift as climate changes take hold. Richer parts of world will receive a boost ,while poorer regions suffer . American Agricultural profits will raise by $1.3 billion annually ,while sub saharan will lose $2 billion annually due to viability of regions staple crops ,maize ,declined.

Electricity costs will go up 90% till 2035, Prices of petrol will rise rapidly up 58% Price of Natural gas will rise up 55% till 2035 There will be increase in the cost impact on Individual rising from average $829 to $1241 by 2035 There will be job losses averaging 11 lakhs From any point b/w 2012 to 2035

INVESTMENT TREND
According to new Energy Finance ,total new global investment in clean energy were $33.4 billion in 2004, $ 58.7 billion in 2005, 148.4 billion in 2007 (60% increase) It will increase through 2030.

TRANSPORTATION COSTS
The increase in temperature will cause various transport infrastructure like roads, bridges, ships to face greater temperature changes. Due to this the maintenance cost of the transport will increase. This will cause broken runways, malformed roads & sunken foundations.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
There are 5 essential biological systems which support the world economy Croplands Forests Grasslands Oceans Fresh waterways With change in temperature, it degrades these ecological factors. Hence, doing serious damage to economy.

IMPACT ON LIVING BEINGS

30 new diseases emerged in last 20 years, many thrived in warmer weather. Lyme disease is linked to warmer humid conditions that breed more deer ticks. Fewer deaths from cold, more from heat. 50 years from now, malaria could spread to parts of world that are now too cold to support lifecycle of the mosquitoes & its parasites that transmit the disease.

Conservation
Reduce energy needs Recycling

Alternate energy sources

Nuclear Wind Geothermal Hydroelectric Solar Fusion?

Depleted oil and gas reservoirs CO2 in enhanced oil and gas recovery Deep saline formations (a) offshore (b) onshore CO2 in enhanced coal bed methane recovery

3b
3a

Adapted from IPCC SRCCS Figure TS-7

Increased frequency of extreme temperature events (such as heat waves, forest fire etc.). Heightened storm intensity. Altered precipitation patterns. Sea-level rise(Melting of glaciers). Reversal of ocean currents . These factors can have relevant effects on the functioning of ecosystems, the viability of wildlife, and the well-being of humans.

Global warming is happening Most warming is probably the result of human activities There will be positive and negative (mostly) repercussions from global warming The costs to mitigate global warming will be high better spent elsewhere?