Climate Change Impacts Essay Example

greenhouse gas emission.

An increase in human activities has led to a corresponding rise in atmospheric greenhouse gasses. According to several scientific findings, when such activities continue without control, it leads to extensive and potentially severe and costly consequences on regional climate both locally and globally. However, the rate of climate change is beyond prediction, and the unfavorable effects of climate change are progressively genuine. As a result, Lismore City Council was forced to assess several ranges of impacts of climate change in the Lismore and perhaps the uncertainty on the magnitude and timing of the impacts and the implication.

Limitations

Climate change impacts greatly go hand in hand with sustainable development. Some of the information within this report was compiled relying on both secondary sources and responses received from various citizens. Hence there are difficulties when it comes to verification of such information.

Scope

Climate change involves an increase in global average atmospheric temperature. On this regard, Lismore City Council aims at influencing sustainable development where the ability of the future generation to meet their need is not compromised by the activities of the current generation. Furthermore, the organization champion for the possible response to various environmental impact. According to Swallow & Furniss, 2011, the global future greatly depends on sustainable development. This report typically analyzes some of the impacts of climate change, causes of climate change, and perhaps response mechanism towards the consequences imposed by the climate change without forgetting a recommendation and a solution for the various implications.

Climate Change

Climate change and human activities

According to Meehl et al., 2007, Climate change which is also known as global warming entails the rise in average atmospheric temperature mostly instigated primarily

by the use of fossil fuel which is sources of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses by the human(Bellard et al. 2012). The variation typically indicates in the statistical distribution of weather elements and pattern leading to some extreme weather events. Moreover, deforestation also enhances climate change. Forest act as a carbon sink where the trees and oxygen absorb excess carbon released. Hence indiscriminate cutting down of trees leads to a corresponding increase in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere hence global warming.
The scientist is working tirelessly to gain an understanding of the past and future climate through the application of observation and theoretical models. On the broad perspective, the rate at which the solar energy is received from the sun alongside the speed at which the energy is lost determines the equilibrium temperature and climate of the earth. Therefore this energy is evenly distributed around the globe by ocean currents, wind to affect the climates of different regions.

Causes of climate change

Global temperature is mostly influenced by the balance that exists between energy entering and the energy escaping to space. In a situation where the earth surface absorbs incoming solar energy, some energy is reflected back into the space to avoid warming. When absorbed energy is released back into the space causing a cooling effect. Several factors both human and natural have an influence on earth's energy imbalance; they include variations in reflectivity of the earth's atmosphere, changes in the greenhouse effect and change in the sun's energy reaching the earth surface. Furthermore, according to scientific records, a greater extent of climatic change has been registered since the industrial revolution. Besides, natural causes such as volcanic

eruption change in solar energy, and greenhouse gas GHG concentration.

Greenhouse effect has lead to retention of heat by the atmosphere. Sunlight reaching the earth surface are either absorbed by the earth or reflected back into space. Once absorbed, the surface emits some energy into the atmosphere as heat also known as infrared radiation. These greenhouse gasses like H2O, CO2, and methane CH4 absorb energy thereby preventing or slowing the rate at which the heat is a loss to space. On this way, the GHG are like a blanket, hence making the earth warmer than it would otherwise be, therefore, greenhouse effect.

The CO2 concentration has been increasing by 40% since pre-industrial times, from around 280 particles ppmv in the 18th century to 396 ppmv in 2013. Some volcanic eruptions are known to release an enormous amount of CO2 into the atmosphere, however, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) report, human activities tend to emanate more than 135 times as much CO2 as volcanoes year. Human activities contribute to over 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually (Stocker et al., 2014).

Global effects of climate change

For the past 150 years, people around the world have changed the balance of the planet by living beyond their means. Individuals are living as if they had 1.5 planets. A Huge amount of fossils fuels such as oil, gas, and coal, a vast amount of methane produced by livestock and indiscriminate cutting down of trees which would naturally act as a carbon sink (Rao, 2007). Climate change has a severe effect on our brilliant planet, i.e.

Climate change has resulted in species extinction. According to intergovernmental panel on climate

change, 1.5°C average rise in temperature may inflict risk on 20-30% of species (Preston & Jones 2006). This is a clear indication that when the global temperature rises by more than 3°C, most of the species in the ecosystem will struggle.

Climate change additionally has genuine and flighty effects on the global water system either through droughts or more flooding. It has a greater impact on rivers and lakes which are the sources of drinking water for both animals and people; furthermore, they are vital resources for industries and farming sectors. On this regard, these have an advance effects on evolved ways of life in our seas and oceans, which manage a vast extent of life on earth. Also, freshwater environments globally are under excessive pressure from dredging, extraction, pollution, drainage, silting and invasive species. Climate change impacts tend to be worse and also cause new threats. This is typically influenced by changing rainfall and evaporation patterns. Also, extreme whether a condition such as a flood and droughts leads to displacement of people and conflict. In mountainous and Polar Regions, melting glacier has a great impact on the freshwater ecosystem. Long-term water will follow widespread flooding from melting a glacier.

Arctic summer sea ice is melting at an alarming rate than predicted as shown by the current studies. As per the IPCC warning 2014, the impact on climate change experienced in the Polar Regions over the next 100 years will overcome consequence forecast for another region. Hence globally significant consequences. Furthermore, the impact of climate change is being experienced right now in that polar bears thriving in the north, and Adelie penguins found within Antarctic Peninsula in

the south are already becoming extinct as summer sea ice retreat has significantly increased. According to Wheeler & Von, 2013, Polar Bears have inadequate space to share, as food become harder to come by. As a result, they are forced to hunt in the sea hence affecting breeding patterns and numbers. The impacts will be more severe as the global temperature continues to rise.

The Antarctic ice sheet is ranked the largest mass of ice globally. It covers almost 14million km2 with 30 million km3 of ice which accounts for 90% of all freshwater on the earth's surface. Therefore, it plays a vital role in influencing and modifying the world's climate; they typically reflect back sun energy hence regulating global temperatures. Some parts of the West Antarctic Peninsula are the fastest warming places on earth. As the Antarctic ice sheet is likely to melt entirely thereby registering a significant effect on global sea level rise (Huybrechts 2002).

Response to climate change

Climate changes mitigation

The single current global threat is climate change. As a result, there have been numerous international, local, national and united responses towards the threats of global climate change. Several nations have joined treaties, for example, the Kyoto Protocol, with the aim of reducing the amount of GHG emission to the atmosphere (Fogel, 2005). Every individual also has the mandate to participate in the race to reduce climate change by conserving energy at home, using energy saving bulbs, switching off all the electrical appliances which are not being used, buying of organic food to reduce the use of fertilizers. Also, individuals should prefer walking, cycling or use public means of transport rather than personal modes of

transportation. When it comes to national response, the government has managed to introduce tougher MOT tests on vehicles exhausts jointly with higher road taxes and fines for vehicles with wider engines and higher emissions. Moreover, according to 16th Feb 2005 Kyoto Protocol on the international response to climate change, the 37 industrialized countries that have joined the treaty were to fight for the reduction in emission of carbon by an average of 5.2% by 2012 (Stem et al., 2006). On this regard, UK agreed to reduce emission by 12.5%.

Conclusion

When it comes to fighting against climate change, Australia tends to register a high comprehensive and modern projection. This forms rich grounds for risk management and adaptation activities in Australia. Indicators of climate change entail a thorough observation of atmosphere, land-ocean to determine the extent of change they have encountered. A focus and concentration on climate extremes and changes to the weather helps in triggering adaptation process to reduce the magnitude of the impacts in several sectors. Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, industrialization, overreliance on fossil fuel have contributed to the high concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. This has triggered various concerns globally on the mitigation strategies. Australia, in particular, has been forcing the use of renewable sources of energy. Lismore as an organization has introduced consultation process which also supports themes and projects development to tackle environmental projects for community prosperity. This finally contributes to the achievement of a sustainable community and a quality life for all individuals.

Recommendation

The following are some of the commendations that aim at mitigation of GHG emission into the atmosphere and perhaps measures necessary for the adoption to the warmer

world. First and foremost, product use with low emission culture should be introduced within a society. Cement is a major source of CO2 greenhouse gas. Therefore wood goods or others with less emission than cement should be used to replace cement. Also, agriculture that utilizes fossil energy could also be reduced as mitigation strategies. Agriculture also could be made efficient by using less tillage. This will intern save the energy cost thereby improving the quality of land resources as well as mitigating climate change.
Soil carbon sequestration also is a good climate change mitigation strategy. The rate of carbon sequestration changes through land management changes. Through minimal tillage, a reasonable amount of carbon is usually held in the soil. Also using of cover crop residue is known to have an upper hand when it comes to reduction in emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. It also turns out that carbon sequestration has multiples benefits. An increase of carbon content in the soil improves the quality of the ground. It enhances soil production, reduces erosion rate, and it improves soil water retention.

References

1. Bellard, C., Bertelsmeier, C., Leadley, P., Thuiller, W., & Courchamp, F. (2012). Impacts of climate change on the future of biodiversity. Ecology letters, 15(4), 365-377.
2. Benhelal, E., Zahedi, G., Shamsaei, E., & Bahadori, A. (2013). Global strategies and potentials to curb CO 2 emissions in cement industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 51, 142-161.
3. Fogel, C. (2005). Biotic carbon sequestration and the Kyoto Protocol: the construction of global knowledge by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 5(2), 191-210.
4. Huybrechts, P. (2002). Sea-level changes at the LGM from ice-dynamic
   

reconstructions of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets during the glacial cycles. Quaternary Science Reviews, 21(1), 203-231.