Climate Change: Solving the puzzle…

1. Climate Change: Solving the puzzle…

2. Pieces of the puzzle:What are the factors causing climate change? What are the recent trends in climate change? How does it affect us? What can we do to prevent it?

3. What causes climate change? • Changes in: • Sun’s output • Earth’s orbit • Drifting continents • Volcanic eruptions • Greenhouse gases

5. “Greenhouse effect”

6. Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide Methane Water Sulfur hexafluoride

8. EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

9. Effects of Global warming: Rise in Sea Level • Thermal Expansion • Melting of Glaciers and Polar Ice caps • Ice Loss from Greenland and West • Antarctica

10. Effects: Snow and ice Grinnell Glacier, Glacier National Park 1900 and 2008

11. Consequences • Constant floods, loss of wildlife, affects erosion, loss • of wetlands, freshwater supplies. • Extinction of endemic species • Global impacts: If the water level rises to • 2 ft: U.S. would lose 10,000 square miles • 3 ft: Would inundate Miami • National impacts: • Submergence of islands in Sunderbans • and West Bengal • Coastal areas of peninsular India largely affected

12. Effects on Ecosystems

14. Trends in Climate Change • Global temperatures have risen by over • 0.7C in the last 300 years • Eleven of the warmest years in the past • 125 years occurred since 1990, with • 2005 the warmest on record.

15. The 1990's was the warmest decade of the • last millennium. • 1998 was the warmest year globally after • 1861. • Global sea level has increased by • between 0.1 and 0.2 meters over the last • 100 years • Warming in this century projected to be • between 1.40C and 5.80C

17. “The State Scenario” Climate Change in Kerala

18. The State Scenario • Major green house gas emission in Kerala is from fossil fuel burning • Automobiles are the main source of CO2 here • Compared to 1975 the number of vehicles on the roads has gone up by almost 20 times • About 19.32tg carbon dioxide, 0.20tg methane and 0.0015tg nitrous oxide is produced annually • Nitrous oxide emission from the agricultural land of Kerala is 0.0013tg.

19. Increasing temperature leads to changes in the • flowering pattern of plants (eg: Kanikonna) • Frequent extreme droughts • Short term intensive rain is a catastrophe • Frequency of the occurrence of epidemics is very • high in Kerala

20. Kerala - Impacts due to Climate Change • Agrarian Crisis • Crisis in Food Security • Marine Resources • Health

21. Rise in Temperature • Increase in maximum temperature by 0.64°C during • the period of 49 years • Increase in minimum temperature was 0.23°C. • Overall increase in annual avg. temp. was 0.44°C. • Increase in mean annual average by 0.5 degree • centigrade. • Indicates a clear upward trend in surface air • temperature of Kerala.

22. Precipitation • Kerala showed decreasing trend in monsoon • rainfall for the period 1901-2007 • After 1999,rainfall was below long term average • rainfall (except in 2006). • Shifts in Rainfall: • A declining trend in annual and southwest • monsoon rainfall during the past 60 years • An increasing trend in post monsoon rainfall, • indicating likely shifts in rainfall patterns.

23. Sea Level Rise in Kerala • Mean sea level rise in Kochi is 1.75mm/ year. • Estimation of inundation of coastal areas for • Kochi reads 169 km2 of the coastal region • surrounding Kochi for a 1.0 m rise in sea level

24. MITIGATION MEASURES

25. Mitigation Measures • Bring down the use of fossil fuels • Cut down on consumerism • Halt deforestation • Use more environment - friendly agricultural • methods. • Taxing industries → the polluting industry has to • pay society for the damage it has caused.

26. Mitigation Measures • Lower emissions. • Shift to cleaner sources of energy -solar, wind, • geothermal, and nuclear energy. • Maintain the forest cover- plants use carbon • dioxide to grow and help remove it from the • atmosphere. • Forestation for every tree felled.

27. Mitigation Measures • Preserve wetlands to maintain ecological • balance and stability. • Use of Biotechnology in Agriculture. • Special strains of rice are being developed in • laboratories that can grow with less water and • lead to lower emissions of methane.

29. Individual measures • National Level: • Urban Planning • Garbage Management • Personal Level: • Share what we have learnt about climate change • and tell others about it. • Buy more efficient household appliances. • Incandescent bulbs - compact fluorescent bulbs. • Construction - let in sunlight during the daytime • reducing the need for artificial lighting.

30. Keep car engines well tuned and use more fuel-efficient vehicles. At crossings and during a traffic jam by switching off the engine. Form car pools and encourage parents and friends to do the same.Cycle or walk to the neighborhood market.

32. World Environment Day World Environment Day- Small Island and Climate Change Small Islands and Climate Change

33. Threat to small islands • Small Islands represent less than one • percent of global emissions. • - Yet, highly vulnerable to climate change. • - Rise in sea level due to global warming. • Inhabited sites and cultural areas • potentially in danger. • Loss of vibrant cultures and heritage, rich • ecosystems and biodiversity. • - Disruption of economy.

34. Mitigation Initiatives • Production of 100% of energy from solar • sources in Tokelau. • Restoration of mangroves and coral reefs • to prevent flooding and erosion in Fiji. • Marine Conservation and transition to • renewable energy in the Caribbean. • Building artificial rainwater catchments in • to augment agriculture production in • Antigua and Barbuda.

35. Mitigation Initiatives • Legislative Bill to add rainwater • harvesting to national building codes in • Seychelles. • Underwater cabinet meeting to highlight • the threat of global warming in Maldives. • The Global Island Partnership for island • conservation and sustainable livelihood. • - Participation by UNEP.

36. Underwater Cabinet Meeting of Maldives Government

37. This Environment Day, Raise Your Voice, NOT the sea level