Priyadarshini College Of

Engineering

Department Of Computer
Technology

topic name: Climate Change

Subject: Environmental Science
Name : Divya . V. Katkurwar

2 nd year/4th semester

Section : A Roll no. 013

Teacher in charge: Ms. SudhuRamnath

Index

Introduction
History
Causes of temperature rise
Other causes
Impact Of Climate Change
Mitigation stratergy
Refrence
Introduction
Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing
challenges of the 21st century, with far-reaching
implications for ecosystems, economies, and societies
worldwide. Over the course of Earth's history, the planet
has experienced natural fluctuations in climate driven by
various factors such as volcanic eruptions, changes in
solar radiation, and shifts in the Earth's orbit. However,
the current phase of climate change is distinctive in both
its pace and magnitude, largely due to human activities.
In the past, climate change occurred over geological
timescales, allowing ecosystems and species to adapt
gradually. However, the rapid increase in greenhouse gas
emissions since the Industrial Revolution, primarily from
the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, has led to
unprecedented changes in the Earth's climate system.
This acceleration of climate change has outpaced the
ability of many species and ecosystems to adapt,
resulting in widespread ecological disruptions and
biodiversity loss.
In the present day, the effects of climate change are
becoming increasingly evident. Global temperatures are
rising, leading to shifts in weather patterns, melting ice
caps and glaciers, rising sea levels, and more frequent
and severe extreme weather events. These changes pose
significant risks to human health, food security, water
resources, and infrastructure, particularly for vulnerable
communities in low-lying coastal areas, arid regions, and
small island nations.Looking to the future, the trajectory
of climate change will depend on the actions we take
today
 Without immediate and decisive action to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience, the impacts
of climate change are projected to worsen, with potentially
catastrophic consequences for ecosystems, economies, and
societies worldwide. However, by embracing sustainable
practices, investing in climate solutions, and fostering
international cooperation, there is hope for a more resilient
and equitable future.
Key points worth mentioning include:

The role of human activities, particularly the burning of

fossil fuels and deforestation, in driving climate change.
The acceleration of climate change in the modern era and
its unprecedented impacts on ecosystems and societies.
The urgency of addressing climate change to mitigate its
worst effects and build resilience for the future.
The need for collective action at all levels, from
individual behavior changes to international cooperation,
to effectively tackle climate change.
The opportunities presented by transitioning to a low-
carbon economy, including job creation, public health
benefits, and sustainable development.
 History:
In the 19th century, scientists began to lay the groundwork for our
understanding of the greenhouse effect and its role in climate change.
Alexander von Humboldt and Joseph Fourier were among the
pioneers who foresaw the potential consequences
of human activities on the
Earth's climate.Fourier,
in the 1820s proposed
the concept of the greenhouse
effect to explain why
Earth's temperature
exceeded what could be
explained solely by the
Sun's energy.He noted that
while the Earth's atmosphere allows sunlight to penetrate to the
surface, it absorbs and re-radiates some of the heat energy emitted by
the Earth, resulting in a warming effect.

John Tyndall's experiments in the mid-

19th century further elucidated the
mechanisms of the greenhouse effect.
Using his ratio spectrophotometer,
Tyndall measured the ability of different
gases to absorb and emit infrared
radiation, which is associated with heat.
He found that gases such as water
vapor, methane, and CO2 are effective
at absorbing and re-emitting heat, while
nitrogen and oxygen, the main
components of dry air, are transparent
to infrared radiation.
Throughout history, various steps have been taken to address climate
change, although the scale and urgency of action have evolved over
time. Some notable milestones include:
1. Formation of International Agreements:
The international community has
recognized the need for collective
action to address climate change through
agreements such as the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. This treaty
laid the foundation for subsequent
climate negotiations and agreements,
including the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and the Paris Agreement in 2015
Kyoto Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol was the first international treaty
to set binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries. It
established mechanisms such as emissions trading and clean
development projects to promote emissions reductions and facilitate
cooperation among nations.
1. Montreal Protocol: While primarily focused on ozone depletion, the
Montreal Protocol, adopted in 1987, also contributed to climate
change mitigation by phasing out the production and use of ozone-
depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are also potent
greenhouse gases.
2. Renewable Energy Development: The promotion of renewable energy
sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower has played a significant
role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a low-
carbon economy. Investments in renewable energy technologies and
policies to incentivize their deployment have helped drive down
costs and increase their share of global energy production.
3. Scientific Research and Awareness: Scientific research has been
instrumental in increasing our understanding of climate change and
its impacts, as well as informing policy decisions and public
awareness efforts. The work of organizations such as the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has synthesized
and assessed scientific research on climate change, providing
policymakers and the public with valuable information to guide
climate action.
Causes of recent global temperature
rise :

The climate system undergoes

natural cycles lasting from years
to centuries, such as El Niño and
La Niña events, which cause
short-term temperature
fluctuations. These cycles,
along with external factors like
changes in greenhouse gas
concentrations, solar activity,
volcanic eruptions, and variations
in Earth's orbit, contribute to
climate variability. To assess
human influence on climate change,
scientists develop "fingerprints"
for potential causes and compare
them with observed patterns. For instance, the warming fingerprint
associated with solar forcing doesn't match observed warming patterns,
ruling it out as a significant factor. Atmospheric aerosols have a cooling
effect, but their impact is smaller. Other factors like changes in albedo play a
lesser role in climate change.

Greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases, transparent to sunlight, allow it to reach
the Earth's surface, which then radiates heat. These gases
absorb some of this heat, slowing its escape into space and
warming the planet. While water vapor and clouds are major
contributors to the greenhouse effect, their levels fluctuate
with temperature, acting more as feedback mechanisms.
Greenhouse gases like CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide are
independent of temperature and considered external
forcings. Before the Industrial Revolution, natural greenhouse
gases kept the Earth's surface approximately 33°C warmer
Human activities, notably burning
fossil fuels, have increased
greenhouse gas concentrations,
causing a radiative imbalance.
In 2019, CO2 and methane levels
rose by approximately 48% and
160% respectively since 1750.
Global anthropogenic greenhouse
gas emissions in 2019 were
dominated by CO2, methane,
and nitrous oxide. Emissions stem
primarily from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial
processes. While methane lasts about 12 years in the atmosphere, CO2
persists longer, with only a fraction being absorbed by land and ocean
sinks each year. The rest accumulates, contributing to long-term climate
change.

Land Surface Changes

According to Food and Agriculture Organization, around 30% of Earth's
land area is largely unusable for humans - glaciers, deserts, etc. - 26%
is forests, 10% is shrubland and 34% is agricultural land. Deforestation
is the main
land use change contributor
to global warming, as the
destroyed trees release CO2,
and are not replaced by
new trees, removing that
carbon sink. Between 2001
and 2018, 27% of
deforestation was from
permanent clearing to enable
agricultural expansion for crops and livestock. Another 24% has been
lost to temporary clearing under the shifting cultivation agricultural
systems. 26% was due to logging for wood and derived products, and
wildfires have accounted for the remaining 23%. Some forests have
not been fully cleared, but were already degraded by these impacts.
Restoring these forests also recovers their potential as a carbon sink.
Local vegetation cover
impacts how much of the
sunlight gets reflected back
into space - albedo - and how
much heat is lost by
evaporation. For instance,
the change from a dark forest
to grassland makes the
surface lighter, causing it to
reflect more sunlight. Deforestation can also modify the
release of chemical compounds that influence clouds, and by
changing wind patterns. In tropic and temperate areas the net
effect is to produce significant warming, and forest restoration
can make local
cooler. At latitudes closer
to
the poles, there is a cooling
effect as forest is replaced
by snow-covered (and
more reflective) plains.
Globally,
these increases in surface
albedo have been the
dominant direct influence
on temperature from land
use change. Thus, land use
changeto date is estimated
to have a
slight cooling effect
Other causes
Aerosols and clouds Air pollution, in the form of aerosols,
affects the climate on a large scale. Aerosols scatter and
absorb solar radiation. From 1961 to 1990, a gradual reduction
in the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface was
observed. This phenomenon is popularly known as global
dimming, and is primarily attributed to sulfate aerosols
produced by the combustion of fossil fuels with heavy sulfur
concentrations like coal and bunker fuel. Smaller
contributions come from black carbon, organic carbon from
combustion of fossil fuels and biofuels, and from
anthropogenic dust. Globally, aerosols have been declining
since 1990 due to pollution controls, meaning that they no
longer mask greenhouse gas warming as much.
Aerosols also have indirect effects on the Earth's energy
budget. Sulfate aerosols act as cloud condensation nuclei and
lead to clouds that have more and smaller cloud droplets.
These clouds reflect solar radiation more efficiently than
clouds with fewer and larger droplets. They also reduce the
growth of raindrops, which makes clouds more reflective to
incoming sunlight. Indirect effects of aerosols are the largest
uncertainty in radiative forcing.
While aerosols typically limit global warming by reflecting
sunlight, black carbon in soot that falls on snow or ice can
contribute to global warming. Not only does this increase the
absorption of sunlight, it also increases melting and sea-level
rise. Limiting new black carbon deposits in the Arctic could
reduce global warming by 0.2 °C by 2050. The effect of
decreasing sulfur content of fuel oil for ships since 2020 is
estimated to cause an additional 0.05 °C increase in global
mean temperature by 2050.
Changes in incoming sunlight directly affect the climate system as
the Sun is the Earth's primary energy source. Solar irradiance has
been measured directly by satellites and indirectly since the early
1600s. Despite this, since 1880, there has been no upward trend in
the amount of the Sun's energy reaching the Earth, contrary to the
warming of the lower atmosphere (troposphere). The upper
atmosphere (stratosphere) would also be warming if the Sun was
sending more energy to Earth, but instead, it has been cooling. This
aligns with greenhouse gases preventing heat from leaving the
Earth's atmosphere.

Explosive volcanic eruptions can release gases, dust, and ash that
partially block sunlight and reduce temperatures, or they can send
water vapor into the atmosphere, which adds to greenhouse gases
and increases temperatures. However, these impacts on
temperature only last for several years due to the low persistence
of water vapor and volcanic material in the atmosphere. Volcanic
CO2 emissions, while more persistent, are equivalent to less than
1% of current human-caused CO2 emissions. Despite representing
the single largest natural impact on temperature in the industrial
era, volcanic activity has had negligible impacts on global
temperature trends since the Industrial Revolution.
Impacts of Climate Change
The impacts of climate change are far-reaching and multifaceted,
affecting ecological systems, economic activities, and human
societies worldwide. Ecosystems face unprecedented threats,
including habitat loss, species extinction, altered migration patterns,
and disruptions to ecosystem services. Economies are vulnerable to
climate-related risks such as crop failures, decreased agricultural
productivity, increased healthcare costs, damage to infrastructure,
and loss of livelihoods. Social impacts include displacement of
populations due to sea-level rise, exacerbation of food and water
insecurity, and heightened risks of conflict and migration.

Ecological Impacts: Climate change threatens biodiversity,

ecosystems, and ecological processes, leading to habitat loss,
species extinction, and disruptions to ecosystem services.
Economic Impacts: Climate-related risks pose significant
economic challenges, including damage to infrastructure,
decreased agricultural productivity, increased healthcare costs,
and loss of livelihoods.
Social Impacts: Climate change exacerbates social inequalities,
disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and
exacerbating food and water insecurity, displacement, and
conflict.
Mitigation Stratergy
Mitigating climate change requires comprehensive and
coordinated action to reduce GHG emissions and transition to
a low-carbon economy. Key mitigation strategies include
transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind,
and hydroelectric power, improving energy efficiency in
buildings, transportation, and industry, implementing policies
and regulations to limit emissions, promoting sustainable
land-use practices, and investing in research and
development of clean energy technologies. Additionally,
carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies offer
potential solutions for reducing emissions from industrial
processes and fossil fuel combustion.
Subpoints:
Renewable Energy: Transitioning to renewable energy sources such
as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power reduces reliance on fossil
fuels and mitigates GHG emissions.
Energy Efficiency: Improving energy efficiency in buildings,
transportation, and industry reduces energy consumption and
associated emissions.
Policy and Regulation: Implementing policies and regulations such
as carbon pricing, emission standards, and renewable energy
incentives provides incentives for emissions reduction.
Sustainable Land Use: Promoting sustainable land-use practices
such as afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable agriculture
helps sequester carbon and mitigate emissions.
Clean Energy Technologies: Investing in research and development
of clean energy technologies, including CCS, bioenergy, and
hydrogen, accelerates the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Reference:

Google , Wikipedia
The Uninhabitable Earth
David Wallace-Wells (Author)