Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Table of Contents

Global Warming..........................................................................................................................................2

How does Global Warming drive Climate Change? ...............................................................................3

What Causes Global Warming? ...............................................................................................................3

What evidence do we have of climate change? ........................................................................................4

Climate Change Impact..............................................................................................................................6

Temperature:...........................................................................................................................................9

Rainfall: ...................................................................................................................................................9

Snowfall: ..................................................................................................................................................9

Threats:........................................................................................................................................................9

What have we done to manage climate change?....................................................................................10

Possible Solutions to Climate Change.....................................................................................................11

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................12

References ........................................................................................................................................13

[1]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Global Warming

What is Global Warming?

Global warmingis the slowincrease in the average temperature of the earth’s atmospheredue
to an increased amount of energy (heat) striking the earth from the sun which is being trapped in
the atmosphere and not radiated out into space.

The earth’s atmosphere has always acted like a greenhouse to capture the sun’sheat that
permitted the emergence of life forms, such as including humans. Without our atmospheric
greenhouse the earth would be very cold. Global warming, however, is the equivalent of a
greenhouse with high efficiency reflective glass installed the wrong way around. [1]

Ionically, the best evidence of this may come from a terrible cooling event that took place
some 1,500 years ago. Two massive volcanic eruptions, one year after another placed so much
black dustinto the upper atmosphere that little sunlight could penetrate. Temperatures
plummeted. Crops failed. People died of starvation and the Black Death started its march. As
the dust slowly fell to earth, the sun was again able to warn the world and life returned to
normal.

Today, we have the opposite problem. Today, the problem is not that too little sun warmth
is reaching the earth, but that too much is being trapped in our atmosphere.

So much heat is being kept inside greenhouse earth that the temperature of the earth is going
up faster than at any previous time in history. NASA provides an excellent course module on
the science of global warming.

Many changes have been observed since 1950 compared to the available records, some of
which cover thousands of years. [2]

[2]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

How does Global Warming drive Climate Change?

Heat is energy and when you add energy to any system changes occur. Because all
systems in the global climate system are connected, adding heat energy causes the global climate
as a whole to change. Much of the world is covered with oceans which heats up. When the
ocean heats up, more water evaporates into clouds.

Where storms like hurricanes and typhoons are forming, the result is more energy-intensive
storms. A warmer atmosphere makes glaciers and mountainsnow packs, Polar icecaps to
meltdown which causes raising in level of seawater.

Changes in temperature change the great patterns of wind that bring the monsoons in Asia and
rain and snow around the world, making drought and unpredictable weather more common. [3]

This is why scientists have stopped focusing just on global warming and now focus on the
larger topic of climate change.

What Causes Global Warming?

There are three positions on global warming:

Global warming is not occurring and soneither is climate change

Global warming and climate change are occurring, but these are natural, cyclic
events unrelated to human activity

Global warming is occurring as a result primarily of human activity and so climate

change is also the result of human activity.

[3]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

The claim that nothing is happening is very hard to defend in the face or masses of visual,
land- based and satellite data that clearly shows rising average sea and land temperatures and
shrinking ice masses.
The claim that the observed global warming is natural or at least not the result of human
carbon emissions focuses on data which shows that world temperatures and atmospheric CO2
levels have been equally high or higher in the past. [4]

As for the final position that global warming and climate change result from human
activity, scientists attribute current atmospheric warming to human activities that have
increased the amount of carbon containing gases in the upper atmosphere and to increased
amounts of tiny particles in the lower atmosphere. Scientists call the tiny particles ‘black
carbon ’ (call it soot or smoke) and attribute their warming effect to the fact that the resulting
layer of black particles in the lower atmosphere absorbs heat like a black blanket.

What evidence do we have of climate change?

The most compelling climate change evidence scientists have of climate change is
long term data relating atmospheric CO2 levels and global temperature, sea level, the expanse
of ice, the fossil record and the distribution of species. Because all parts of the global
climate are connected, scientists have been able to create models of how changes caused by
heating should work their way through the entire system and appear in different areas, for
example, sea level, intemperate weather, the movement of fish species in the ocean.

Recent data shows a trend of increasing temperature and rising CO2 levels beginning in the early
19th century.

[4]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Impacts of Global Warming and Climate Change in Pakistan

Theeffectsof climate change andglobal warmingon Pakistan, the melting of

glaciersin theHimalayas, threatening thevolumetric flow rateof many of the most
important rivers of Pakistan. InPakistan, such effects are projected to impact millions of
lives. As a result of ongoingclimate change, theclimate of Pakistanhas become increasingly
volatile over the past several decades; this trend is expected to continue. [5]

Pakistan makes atiny contribution to total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, less than
1% (among the lowest in the world) but it is among the countries most vulnerable to climate
change, and it has very low technical and financial capacity to adapt to its adverse impacts.

In 2008 Pakistan’s total GHG emissions were 310 million tons of CO2 equivalent. The
energy sector is the single largest source of GHG emission in Pakistan; it accounts for nearly 51%
of these emissions and is followed by the agriculture sector (39%), industrial processes (6%), land
use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) (3%) emissions and waste (1%) (Source:
National GHG inventory 2008).

Therefore, greater attention must be paid to energy efficiency requirements in building codes
and long-term transport planning.

According to research led by Dr.Adil Najamat theLahore University of Management

Sciences, by 2040 the cost of climate change toagriculture in Pakistanis likely to be up to 7% of
productivity but that goodclimate adaptationpractices could result in a net productivity gain of
up to 40+%. [6]

[5]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Climate Change Impact

Because the global climate is a connected system climate change impacts are felt
everywhere. Among the most important climate change impacts are:

Rising Sea Levels :

Climate change impacts rising sea levels. Average sea level around the world rose about 8
inches (20 cm) in the past 100 years; climate scientists expect it to rise more and more rapidly
in the next 100 years as part of climate change impacts.

Coastal cities such as New York already seeing an increased number of flooding events and
by 2050 many such cities may require seawalls to survive. Estimates vary, but conservatively
sea levels are expected to rise 1 to 4 feet (30 to 100 cm), enough to flood many small Pacific
island states, famous beach resorts and coastal cities (Bangkok, Boston).
Melting Ice:

Projections suggest climate change impacts within the next 100 years, if not sooner, the
world’s glaciers will have disappeared, as will the Polar icecap, and the huge Antarctic ice shelf,
Greenland maybe green again, and snow will have become a rare phenomenon at what are now
the world’s most popular ski resorts.
Torrential downpours and more powerful storms:

While the specific conditions that produce rainfall will not change, climate change impacts the
amount of water in the atmosphere and will increase producing violent downpours instead
of steady showers when it does rain. [7]

Hurricanes and typhoons:

Due to climate change impact increase in power, and flooding will become more
common. Anyone in the United States who has tried to buy storm and flood insurance in the past
few years knows that the insurance industry is completely convinced that climate change is
raising sea levels and increasing the number of major storms and floods.
Heatwaves and droughts

Rising temperatures are hardly surprising, although they do not mean that some parts of
the world will not “enjoy” record cold temperatures and terrible winter storms. (Heating disturbs
the entire global weather system and can shift cold upper air currents as well ashot dry ones.)

Increasingly, however, hot, dry places will get hotter and drier, and places that were once
temperate and had regular rainfall will become much hotter and much drier.

[6]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Changing ecosystems:

As the world warms, entire ecosystems will move. Already rising temperatures at the
equator have pushed such staple crops as rice north into once cooler areas, many fish species have
migrated long distances to stay in waters that are the proper temperature for them.

In once colder waters, this may increase fishermen’s catches; in warmer waters, it may
eliminate fishing; in many places, such as on the East Coast of the US, it will require fishermen
togo further to reach fishing grounds.

Farmers intemperate zones are finding drier conditions difficult for crops such as corn and
wheat, and once prime growing zones are now threatened. Some areas may see complete
ecological change.

Reduced food security:

One of the most striking impacts of rising temperatures is felt inglobal agriculture. Different
crops grow best at quite specific temperatures and when those temperatures change, their
productivity changes significantly.

The productivity of rice, the staple food of more than one third of the world’s population,
declines 10% with every 1⁰ C increase in temperature.

Past climate induced problems have been offset by major advances in rice technology and ever
larger applications of fertilizer; expectations are that in Thailand, the world’s largest exporter
of rice, however, future increases in temperatures may reduce production 25% by 2050.

At the sametime, global population models suggest that developing world will add 3 billion
people by 2050 and that developing world food producers must double staple food crop
production by then simply to maintain current levels of food consumption. [8]

Pests and Disease:

Rising temperatures favor agricultural pests, diseases and disease vectors.

Pest populations are on the riseand illnesses once found only in limited, tropical areas are
now becoming endemic in much wider zones.

In Southeast Asia, for example, where malaria had been reduced to a wet season only disease
in most areas, it is again endemic almost everywhere year around. Likewise, dengue fever,
once largely confined to tropical areas, has become endemic to the entire region.

Increased temperatures also increase the reproduction rates of microbes and insects, speeding
up the rate at which they develop resistance to control measures and drugs (a problem
already observed with malaria in Southeast Asia).

[7]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Impact of Climate Change in Pakistan

Social, environmental and economic impacts caused by climate change are of great concern
in developing countries like Pakistan. Pakistan is frequently facing natural hazards like
floods, droughts, and cyclones. These hazards, when combined with susceptibilities like
poverty and wrong political decisions, make people more vulnerable to effects of these hazards.
[9]

Pakistan’s greenhouse gases emissions have doubled in last 2 decades. On a global scale,
Pakistan ranks 135thin per capita GHG emissions in the world. The agriculture sector is the
victim of abrupt climate change in a country. 65-70% of country’s population is directly or
indirectly related to agriculture.

The availability of freshwater is mostly affected by a change in climate. The water resources
of Pakistanare scarce which directly relates to food insecurity, especially in rural areas. The arid
and semi-arid zones are the most vulnerable to climate change as these regions are already facing
water shortage and high temperature.

The seasonal changes are changing sowing time for crops which consequently changes
irrigation requirements which modify the properties of soil and increase the risk of pest and
disease attack, negatively altering agricultural productivity. The recent studies indicate that
Pakistan’s 22.8% land and 49.6% population is at risk due to impacts of climate change.

The diseases which are transmitted by vectors for example malaria, dengue cholera etc that
are already cause of low mortality rate in Pakistan are climate sensitive. Climate change
scenarios have resulted in an increase in the epidemic potential for 12-27 percent for malaria
and 31-47 percent of dengue.

[8]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Temperature :
Basic reason of climatic change is temperature. Temperature increases because of
greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide etc. Actually, increasing
temperature is not only the problem of Pakistan but of the whole world. Average global
surface temperature has risen ~1.3°F since 1850.
According to report of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) decadal variations of the
changes in temperature ranging 3°C to 4°cover the northern areas including GB, Kashmir
and Northern part of KPK as compared to southern parts of the country.

Rainfall:
In Pakistan monsoon rainfall during June to September plays an important role in
providing food. The variability of the Summer Monsoon makes the region one of the most
susceptible areas around the world to the impacts of climate related natural disasters such as
droughts and floods. By comparing features of the summer monsoon, it is found that
enhanced greenhouse effect induced an overall suppression of summer precipitation with an
increase in dry spells.

The frequency of extreme precipitation events investigated for the period of 1965 to 2009
showed evident increase in dry spells in all the regions of Pakistan including Azad & Jammu
Kashmir, Sindh, Northern Areas and Baluchistan. Studies have shown that the southern half of
the country is experiencing more wet spells in the recent years under the influence of changing
the climate and global warming. [9]

Snowfall:
In Northern areas of Pakistan warming temperature associated with climate change have meant
ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate from season to season. This contributes
to sea levels rising. Together with expanding ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the
resulting rise in sea level has begun to damage coastline as a result of increased flooding and
erosion.

Threats:
The important climate change threats to Pakistan are:

Considerable increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events,

coupled with erratic monsoon rains causing frequent and intense floods and droughts.

Increased siltation of major dams caused by more frequent and intense floods;

Rising temperatures resulting in enhanced heat and water-stressed conditions,

particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, leading to reduced agricultural productivity;

Further decrease in the already scanty forest cover, from too rapid change in
climatic conditions to allow natural migration of adversely affected plant species;

[9]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Increased intrusion of saline water in the Indus delta, adversely affecting

coastal agriculture, mangroves and the breeding grounds of fish;

Threat to coastal areas due to projected sea level rise and increased cyclonic activity
due to higher sea surface temperatures;

Increased stress between upper riparian and lower riparian regions in relation to sharing
of water resources;
Increased health risks and climate change induced migration.

The above threats lead to major survival concerns for Pakistan, particularly in relation to
the country’s water security, food security and energy security.

What have we done to manage climate change?

To date, the effort to manage climate change has been a matter of high level
diplomatic negotiations involving states and international organizations with a loud, but
largely excluded fringe of NGOs, business groups, and minor political actors.

The logic for this is that global climate change affects us all, but individual countries can manage
only the activities that take place within their borders; to confront a global problem, we need a
global solution. As theUnited Nations historyof these negotiations begins:

“Climate change is a global challenge and requires a global solution. Greenhouse gas
emissions have the same impact on the atmosphere whether they originate in Washington,
London or Beijing. Consequently, action by one country to reduce emissions will do little to
slow global warming unless other countries act as well. Ultimately, an effective strategy will
require commitments and action by all the major emitting countries.”

The global effort to manage climate change has been organized through what is called the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC was
launched at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to achieve GHG concentrations [1]
“at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system ”.

It also set voluntary GHG emissions reductions that countries did not meet.

With the failure of the Rio initiatives, the then 191 signatories to the UNFCCC agreed to meet
in Kyoto in 1997 to establish amore stringent regime. The resulting Kyoto Protocol created a
global trading system for carbon credits and binding GHG reductions for ratifying countries. (The
US did not sign; China and India were exempt as developing countries.) So-called
Conferences of the Parties (COPs) were held almost annually thereafter in places such as The
Hague, Cancun and Doha without progress being made.

[10]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Possible Solutions to Climate Change

There are many solutions to climate change which involve community,
individuals, governments and other agencies of the world.
More and more trees should be planted.

Energy should be used efficiently.

Renewable power sources should be adopted.

The garbage should not be burned or burry in landfills. It may be made composts for

kitchen gardens.

The loss of water in any form should be checked.

Electric automobiles should be preferred.

Recycling is one of the most effective ways to check carbon emissions.

Media should spread awareness regarding the effects of climate change.

Use eco-friendly appliances.

The treatment of industrial waste should be made mandatory all over the world.

Governments should start taking this problem seriously.

They should implement Paris agreement in their countries.

They should start investing in projects which can try to minimize climate change.

Plastic should not be used. Environment-friendly shopper bags should be used.

Use of aerosol sprays should be minimized.

The misuse of fertilizers should be avoided.

Water should be used wisely.

The power generation should be done by environmental friendly means.

Conservation practices should be adopted regarding agriculture.

[11]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

Conclusion
It is clear that even if the international community manages to make further progress, it has a
long way to go before it has exhausted its current agenda of negotiated restrictions on
carbon emissions.

The only thing to do is to reduce the amount of atmospheric carbon. Improve agriculture.
Globally, agriculture accounts for approximately one third of total GHG and black carbon
emissions; the developing world, however, produces a disproportionate amount of this total -
Asia and Africa between them producing 59% of the total.

Countries in the developing world can make two major contributions to slowing
climate change:

They can pursue smart development, avoiding the worst mistakes of the developed
world; and
They can reduce - even reverse - their one major contribution to climate change:
unsustainable agriculture practices. [2]

Developing countries need to control the practice of the open field burning of
agricultural wastes (rice straw, corn stalks), which annually contributes millions of tons
of CO2 and black carbon to global warming.

Developing countries need to develop aggressive national programs to promote

the transformation of field wastes into bio char, which will sequester millions of tons of
CO2 annually and eliminate both particulate and GHG emissions, while adsorbing
NOx and other fertilizer derives emissions if added to soil.

Developing countries have the opportunity to build entirely new, distributed

generation power systems that require nogrids and use non-polluting technologies.

[12]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy
References

[1] "Land and Ocean Summary"," Berkeley Earth. , 3 September 2018. [Online]. [Accessed 18 Feb 2019].

D. Carrington, ""Why the Guardian is changing the language it uses about the environment"," The
[2]
Guardian.,17 May 2019.

T. Stocker, D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.
[3] Midgley, " "The Physical Science Basis – Summary for Policymakers"," 2013.

[4] S. Sahney, M. Benton and P. Ferry, " "Links between global taxonomic diversity, ecological diversity

and the expansion of vertebrates on land," . Biology Letternso.,. 10.1098/rsbl.2009.1024. PMC

2936204. PMID 20106856., p. 544–547..

[5]
2015.

""Pakistan National Policy on Climate Change"," 2016. [Online]. Available:

[6] http://tribune.com.pk/story/682012/impact-of-climate-change-in-pakistan/.

[7] " "Pakistan National Policy on Climate Change"," 10 May 2015. [Online]. Available:

http://www.pakweather.com/2015/02/global-warming-impacts-effects-on-the-climate-of-

pakistan/. [Accessed 5 3 2016].

[8] ""Pakistan crafts plan to cut carbon emissions 30% by 2025"," The Express Tribune.

"Lead Pakistan Inspiring leadership for a sustainable world," [Online]. Available:

[9] http://www.lead.org.pk/cc/basicguide_climate_change.html.

[13]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

[14]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

[15]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

[16]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

[17]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

[18]
Global Warming Impacts and Climate Change Policy

[19]