Climate change

Understanding Climate Change

• Climate change refers to significant changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns and other effects occurring over several decades or longer.
• Global average surface temperature has increased due to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• Main sources of greenhouse gases include burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes.
• The Greenhouse effect is a natural process where gases in the Earth’s atmosphere trap heat, keeping the planet warm enough to support life.

Impacts of Climate Change

• Changing climate patterns can lead to extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves.
• Rising global temperatures cause glaciers and polar ice to melt, leading to rising sea levels that can result in coastal flooding.
• Climate change can alter habitats and force species to migrate, potentially leading to a loss of biodiversity.
• It also poses threats to human health, with increased risks from heat stress, vector-borne diseases, and extreme weather events.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

• Mitigation measures aim to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases to curb climate change.
• This can include energy efficiency, increasing use of renewable energy, and promoting sustainable land use and agricultural practices.
• Adaptation is about anticipating and responding to the effects of climate change.
• Actions include building flood defences, creating green spaces to provide cooling and developing drought-tolerant crops.

Challenges and Controversies

• Climate change negotiations involve complex trade-offs, as measures that limit greenhouse gas emissions can affect economic growth and development.
• Some sectors and groups may resist change, due to vested interests and economies heavily dependent on the use of fossil fuels.
• Disagreements about the fair distribution of efforts to tackle climate change can risk undermining international efforts to address the problem.
• Climate change denial and misinformation can also impede efforts to act on climate change.

International and National Responses

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides a forum for international negotiations on climate change.
• The Paris Agreement, made under the UNFCCC, is an international treaty that aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
• National commitments under the Paris Agreement are called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Steps to meet these commitments can include implementing low-carbon policies, improving energy efficiency and adopting renewable energy technologies.