Climate Change A Silent Threat to Humanity

ABSTRACT
Climate change is generally confined to the term Global warming. It is a long-term
change in the earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric
temperature. In reality, it involves a lot more. It involves changing weather patterns, Volcanic
eruptions, rainfall patterns, increasing sea levels, melting polar icecaps, shifting tectonic plates,
emergence of harmful diseases, loss of flora and fauna, drought, rising food prices, depletion of
the ozone layer.
Its hard to imagine that all this chaos can be created by one single species on Earth-
Man. Man has created all this damage in the fraction of a time that he has inhabited Earth. The
tools used in the measurement of climate change have become more accurate over time. This
accuracy has brought out the alarming pace of climate change especially in the post
industrialization era.
Dumping nuclear wastes, improper waste management, emission of carbon mono-oxide
(CO) from vehicle, methane extraction projects, harmful gases from industries, deforestation,
burning of coal, nitrous oxides, chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs) main component in refrigerants
have contributed to making climate change a silent treat to humanity.
MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), The
1996 London Protocol refers to the Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine
Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter. The International Convention on Oil
Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation 1990 (OPRC) requires parties to take all
appropriate measures to prepare for and respond to an oil pollution incident. All this
conventions, regulations are brought up control and prevent pollution by the ships in oceans.

We have chosen this topic for our presentation since we feel it is a much trending
problem concerning all the countries of the world. The Paris Climate summit in 2015 brought
together 195 nations to discuss and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the threat
of climate change. As future citizens of the world, we must realize the consequences of our every
single action. The consequence of a seemingly small action gets multiplied and leads to
annihilation of the human race.

INTRODUCTION
It is well accepted that climate change is caused by human beings. The Earth's climate
has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of
glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking
the beginning of the modern climate era - and of human civilization. Most of these climate
changes are attributed to very small variations in Earths orbit that change the amount of solar
energy our planet receives. The current warming trend is of particular significance because most
of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300
years.

Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to see
the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate on
a global scale. This body of data, collected over many years, reveals the signals of a changing
climate. The heat-trapping nature of carbon dioxide and other gases was demonstrated in the
mid-19th century. There is no question that increased levels of greenhouse gases must cause the
Earth to warm in response.

Ice cores drawn from Greenland, Antarctica, and Tropical Mountain glaciers show that
the Earths climate responds to changes in greenhouse gas levels. They also show that in the past,
large changes in climate have happened very quickly, geologically-speaking: in tens of years, not
in millions or even thousands.

THE EVIDENCE FOR RAPID

CLIMATE CHANGE

Sea level rise

Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters
(6.7 inches) in the last century. The rate in the last
decade, however, is nearly double that of the last
century.

Global temperature rise

All three major global surface
temperature reconstructions show that Earth
has warmed since 1880. Most of this warming
has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20
warmest years having occurred since 1981 and
with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in
the past 12 years. Even though the 2000s
witnessed a solar output decline resulting in an
unusually deep solar minimum in 2007-2009, surface temperatures continue to increase.

Warming oceans
The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (about
2,300 feet) of ocean showing warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969.
Shrinking ice sheets
The Greenland and Antarctic ice
sheets have decreased in mass. Data from
NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate
Experiment show Greenland lost 150 to 250
cubic kilometers (36 to 60 cubic miles) of
ice per year between 2002 and 2006, while
Antarctica lost about 152 cubic kilometers
(36 cubic miles) of ice between 2002 and
2005.

Ocean acidification
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has
increased by about 30 percent. This increase is the result of humans emitting more carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere and hence more being absorbed into the oceans. The amount of
carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per
year. The warmer air and ocean surface temperatures brought on by climate change impact
corals and alter coral reef communities by prompting coral bleaching events and altering ocean
chemistry. These impacts affect corals and the many organisms that use coral reefs as habitat.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers
have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted
and trees are flowering sooner. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from
global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer,
more intense heat waves.

Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades
to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United
States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the
next century.

Temperatures will continue to rise

Because human-induced warming is superimposed on a naturally varying climate, the
temperature rise has not been, and will not be, uniform or smooth across the country or over
time.
Frost-free season (and growing season) will lengthen
The length of the frost-free season (and the corresponding growing season) has been
increasing nationally since the 1980s, with the largest increases occurring in the western United
States, affecting ecosystems and agriculture. Across the United States, the growing season is
projected to continue to lengthen.

In a future in which heat-trapping gas emissions continue to grow, increases of a month

or more in the lengths of the frost-free and growing seasons are projected across most of the U.S.
by the end of the century, with slightly smaller increases in the northern Great Plains. The largest
increases in the frost-free season (more than eight weeks) are projected for the western U.S.,
particularly in high elevation and coastal areas. The increases will be considerably smaller if
heat-trapping gas emissions are reduced.

Changes in precipitation patterns

Average U.S. precipitation has increased since 1900, but some areas have had increases
greater than the national average, and some areas have had decreases. More winter and spring
precipitation is projected for the northern United States, and less for the Southwest, over this
century.

Projections of future climate over the U.S. suggest that the recent trend towards increased
heavy precipitation events will continue. This trend is projected to occur even in regions where
total precipitation is expected to decrease, such as the Southwest.

More droughts and heat waves

Droughts in the Southwest and heat waves (periods of abnormally hot weather lasting
days to weeks) everywhere are projected to become more intense, and cold waves less intense
everywhere.

Summer temperatures are projected to continue rising, and a reduction of soil moisture,
which exacerbates heat waves, is projected for much of the western and central U.S. in summer.
By the end of this century, what have been once-in-20-year extreme heat days (one-day events)
are projected to occur every two or three years over most of the nation.

Hurricanes will become stronger and more intense

The intensity, frequency and duration of North Atlantic hurricanes, as well as the
frequency of the strongest (Category 4 and 5) hurricanes, have all increased since the early
1980s. The relative contributions of human and natural causes to these increases are still
uncertain. Hurricane-associated storm intensity and rainfall rates are projected to increase as the
climate continues to warm.
Sea level will rise 1-4 feet by 2100
Global sea level has risen by about 8 inches since reliable record keeping began in 1880.
It is projected to rise another 1 to 4 feet by 2100. This is the result of added water from melting
land ice and the expansion of seawater as it warms.

In the next several decades, storm surges and high tides could combine with sea level rise
and land subsidence to further increase flooding in many of these regions. Sea level rise will not
stop in 2100 because the oceans take a very long time to respond to warmer conditions at the
Earths surface. Ocean waters will therefore continue to warm and sea level will continue to rise
for many centuries at rates equal to or higher than that of the current century.

SHIPPING & OCEAN POLLUTION

The environmental impact of shipping includes greenhouse gas emissions, acoustic,
and oil pollution. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates that Carbon
dioxide emissions from shipping were equal to 2.2% of the global human-made emissions in
2012 and expects them to rise by as much as 2 to 3 times by 2050 if no action is taken.

Ballast water
Ballast water discharges by ships can have a negative impact on the marine environment.
Cruise ships, large tankers, and bulk cargo carriers use a huge amount of ballast water, which is
often taken on in the coastal waters in one region after ships discharge wastewater or unload
cargo, and discharged at the next port of call, wherever more cargo is loaded. Ballast water
discharge typically contains a variety of biological materials, including plants, animals, viruses,
and bacteria. These materials often include non-native, nuisance, invasive, exotic species that can
cause extensive ecological and economic damage to aquatic ecosystems along with serious
human health problems.

Sound pollution
Noise pollution caused by shipping and other human enterprises has increased in recent
history. The noise produced by ships can travel long distances, and marine species who may rely
on sound for their orientation, communication, and feeding, can be harmed by this sound
pollution. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species has identified ocean noise
as a potential threat to marine life.

Wildlife collisions
Marine mammals, such as whales and manatees, risk being struck by ships, causing
injury and death. For example, if a ship is traveling at a speed of only 15 knots, there is a 79
percent chance of a collision being lethal to a whale. One notable example of the impact of ship
collisions is the endangered North Atlantic right whale, of which 400 or less remain. The greatest
danger to the North Atlantic right whale is injury sustained from ship strikes

Atmospheric pollution
Exhaust gases from ships are considered to be a significant source of air pollution, both
for conventional pollutants and greenhouse gases. There is a perception that cargo transport by
ship is low in air pollutants, because for equal weight and distance it is the most efficient
transport method.

Conventional pollutants
Air pollution from cruise ships is generated by diesel engines that burn
high sulfur content fuel oil, also known as bunker oil, producing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxide and particulate, in addition to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons. Diesel
exhaust has been classified by EPA as a likely human carcinogen. EPA recognizes that these
emissions from marine diesel engines contribute to ozone and carbon monoxide non-attainment
as well as adverse health effects associated with ambient concentrations of particulate matter and
visibility, haze, acid deposition, and eutrophication and nitrification of water

Oil spills
Most commonly associated with ship pollution are oil spills. While less frequent than the
pollution that occurs from daily operations, oil spills have devastating effects. While being toxic
to marine life, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the components in crude oil, are very
difficult to clean up, and last for years in the sediment and marine environment. Marine species
constantly exposed to PAHs can exhibit developmental problems, susceptibility to disease, and
abnormal reproductive cycles.

Sewage
Black water is sewage, wastewater from toilets and medical facilities, which can contain
harmful bacteria, pathogens, viruses, intestinal, and harmful nutrients. Discharges of untreated or
inadequately treated sewage can cause bacterial and viral
contamination of fisheries and shellfish beds, producing risks to public health. Modern cruise
ships are most commonly installed with a membrane bioreactor type treatment plant for all black
water and greywater, which produce near drinkable quality effluent to be re-used in the
machinery spaces as technical water.
Solid waste
Solid waste generated on a ship includes glass, paper,
cardboard, aluminium and steel cans, and plastics. It can be either non-hazardous or hazardous in
nature. Solid waste that enters the ocean may become marine debris, and can then pose a threat
to marine organisms, humans, coastal communities, and industries that utilize marine waters.

Bilge water
On a ship, oil often leaks from engine and machinery spaces or from engine maintenance
activities and mixes with water in the bilge, the lowest part of the hull of the ship, but there is a
filter to clean bilge water before being discharged. Oil, gasoline, and by-products from the
biological breakdown of petroleum products can harm fish and wildlife and pose threats to
human health if ingested. Oil in even minute concentrations can kill fish or have various sub-
lethal chronic effects.

MEASURES TO CONTROL & LIMIT CLIMATE CHANGE

Implement immediate emission reduction targets with the aim being to reduce net
emissions to zero as soon as practicable. The goal should be to achieve 95% of power
from renewable sources by 2020, with a 90% cut in overall emissions by 2030. Introduce
annual reduction targets.
Initiate further international treaty negotiations aimed at getting all countries to agree
to a global target of 90% emissions reductions on 1990 levels by 2030.
Start the transition to a zero-waste economy. Engage workers in industry, with
technical experts, to redesign their products and jobs sustainably.
Require the fitting of all feasible energy-efficiency measures to existing houses and
subsidize owner-occupiers for the costs.
Bring all power industries under public ownership and democratic control. Begin
phasing out coal mining and coal-fired power stations immediately. Provide guaranteed
jobs and retraining on full pay for coalmining and power-station communities, with new
sustainable industries being built in their areas and paid redundancies offered.
Bring the whole car industry under public control. Re-tool this industry to
manufacture wind turbines, public transport vehicles, solar hot water and solar photo-
voltaic cells. Subsidize the conversion of private cars to electric power.
Accelerate the construction of wind farms in suitable areas. Boost research into all
renewable energy sources. Build pilot solar-thermal and geothermal plants now. Create
localized power grids.
End logging in old-growth forests. Begin an urgent program of re-forestation, and
protection of biodiversity to provide increased carbon sinks.
End industrial farming based on fertilizers, pesticides and fuel sourced from
petroleum. Restrict farming areas to ensure that riverine, forest and other indigenous
 ecosystems return to healthy states. Encourage new farming practices including organic
and urban farming.
Make all urban and regional public transport free and upgrade services to enable all
urban residents to use it for all their regular commuting. Nationalize and upgrade
interstate train and ferry services, to provide real alternatives to air travel. Rail freight
must be prioritized. Ensure transport services are integrated.
Conclusion
We can imagine the consequences if we continue to go on at the present rate. The changes
in our lives need to come from the grass root level. It is difficult to reverse the changes that have
already occurred, but we have to start now. Think globally and act locally; this line has never
had a greater significance. Every small action that is performed in one corner of the world has far
reaching consequences. For example, you drive your car to the shop at the end of the road, a very
simple action right? Wrong! Every time you do that, a polar bear at the bottom of the world in
Antarctica, loses a little of his home. He had no part to play in this quest to satisfy mans greed,
but unfortunately the polar bear is affected the most. The world is in ruin already and we are
heading towards irreversible changes.

The Earth is our home. We need to be responsible for our behavior at home. Rather than
considering it as an inheritance from our parents, we should think of Earth as a gift to our
children. Dont you think the gift should convey our love to the fullest? More than money,
wealth and gold, a clean planet would be the greatest gift. So, lets work together to make our
home a better, healthier and happier place for our future generations.