FCC International is a network of
over 125 Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in 56 countries
working to promote government and individual action to limit
human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.
eIEN South Asia scientists concerned of Global Climate Change issues
responded to the emerging challenge and threat of climate change by
establishing Forum for Climate Change Kashmir, in 2005 , to provide advice on recognizing
potential dangers and immediate threats of Global Climate Change to
the regional populace and strong advocacy for economically depressed
Himalayan communities who are minor contributors to global warming.
Climate
change: what is climate change?
Climate change affects all of us – and we can all be part of the
solution.
Climate change is the greatest
environmental challenge facing the world today. Rising global
temperatures will bring changes in weather patterns, rising sea
levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather
events. The effects will be felt here in the UK and internationally
there may be severe problems for people in regions that are
particularly vulnerable to change.
Climate refers to the average weather experienced over a long
period. This includes temperature, wind and rainfall patterns. The
climate of the Earth is not static, and has changed many times in
response to a variety of natural causes.
The main human influence on global climate is likely to be emissions
of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. At
present, about 6.5 billion tonnes of CO2 is emitted globally each
year, mostly through burning coal, oil and gas for energy.
Climate change is already happening. Globally, the ten hottest years
on record have all occurred since the beginning of the 1990s.
Current climate models predict that global temperatures could warm
from between 1.4 to 5.8oC over the next 100 years, depending on the
amounts of greenhouse gases emitted and the sensitivity of the
climate system.
About climate change: Greenhouse effect
Some of the energy from the sun
is trapped inside our atmosphere as it is reflected back from the
earth towards space. This natural process is called the greenhouse
effect, as the atmosphere acts like the glass walls of a greenhouse,
which allows the sun’s rays to enter but keeps the heat in.
The gases which make this happen (“greenhouse gases”) are mainly
water vapour and carbon dioxide. As humans emit more carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere the greenhouse effect
becomes stronger. This causes the earth’s climate to change
unnaturally.
About climate change:
Greenhouse gases
The most important greenhouse
gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons,
perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. These are the gases that
are covered by the Kyoto Protocol.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are
also powerful greenhouse gases but they are being progressively
phased out under the Montreal Protocol as they also damage the
stratospheric ozone layer. They are part of a longer list of
greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol.
Measuring the Global Warming Potential
Each greenhouse gas has a different capacity to cause global
warming, depending on its radiative properties, its molecular weight
and its lifetime in the atmosphere. Its so-called global warming
potential (GWP) encapsulates these. The GWP is defined as the
warming influence over a set time period of a gas relative to that
of carbon dioxide. A 100-year time horizon is used in the Kyoto
Protocol. When the warming effect of current greenhouse gas
emissions over the next 100 years is calculated, the graph shows
that carbon dioxide will be responsible for about two thirds of the
expected future warming.
How the relative climate effects of greenhouse gases are compared
To compare the relative climate
effects of greenhouse gases, it is necessary to assess their
contribution to changes in the net downward infra-red radiation flux
at the tropopause (the top of the lower atmosphere) over a period of
time. Ultimately the best way to do this is by comparing different
emission scenarios in climate models, but a simple working method
has been derived for use by Parties to the UNFCCC. This provides the
relative contribution of a unit emission of each gas, relative to
the effect of a unit emission of carbon dioxide integrated over a
fixed time period. A 100-year time horizon has been chosen by the
Convention in view of the relatively long time scale for addressing
climate change.
The factor is known as a global
warming potential (GWP). It means for example, that 1 tonne of
HFC-134 emitted to the atmosphere has 1,000 times the warming
potential over 100 years of 1 tonne of carbon dioxide.
To compute the carbon dioxide
equivalent of the emission of any gas, we multiply its emission by
the GWP. This is often expressed as the carbon equivalent so we then
multiply by 12/44, the ratio of the atomic weights of carbon and
carbon dioxide. Thus, for example, an emission of 1 tonne of HFC-134
is equivalent to 1 x 1000 x 12/44 = 273 tonnes of carbon.
About climate change: Global
effects
Climate change is one of the most
serious environmental threats facing the world today. Its impacts
will be felt across the world, as sea level rise threatens the
existence of some small island states and puts millions of people at
risk. Temperature increases, drought and flooding will affect
people's health and way of life, and cause the irreversible loss of
many species of plants and animals.
Key impacts : However effective policies are to reduce emissions of
greenhouse gases, the world will now experience a significant degree
of climate change. This is likely to have far-reaching effects on
all aspects of the world's environment, economy and society
including:
Rising sea levels : Sea level is expected to rise by over 40
centimetres by the 2080s because of thermal expansion of the oceans
as temperatures rise and because of melting of land ice. This will
threaten the existence of some small island states and put millions
of people at risk.
Flooding in poor countries : The poorest countries are likely to be
the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. 60% of the
additional 80 million people projected to be at risk of flooding are
expected to be in Southern Asia (Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh and Myanmar) and 20% in South East Asia (from Thailand to
Vietnam, including Indonesia and the Philippines).
Food shortage and disease: Africa is expected to experience
significant reductions in cereal yields, as are the Middle East and
India. And an additional 290 million people could be exposed to
malaria by the 2080s, with China and Central Asia likely to see the
largest increase in risk.
Severe water shortages : In some areas, water resources for drinking
and irrigation will be affected by reduced rainfall or as ground
water in coastal zones suffers from salination as sea levels rise.
People's lives may be put at risk from an increased frequency of
droughts and flooding. An additional three billion people could
suffer increased water stress by 2080. Northern Africa, the Middle
East and the Indian subcontinent will be the worst affected.
Loss of tropical forests : By the 2070s, large parts of northern
Brazil and central southern Africa could lose their tropical forests
because of reduced rainfall and increased temperatures. If this
happens, global vegetation which currently absorbs carbon dioxide at
the rate of some 2-3 gigatonnes of carbon (GtC) per year will become
a carbon source generating about 2 GtC per year by the 2070s and
further adding to carbon dioxide build up in the atmosphere.
(Current global man-made emissions are about 6-7 GtC per year). This
will make climate change even more severe.
eIEN South Asia
Western Himalaya Kashmir
FCC KASHMIR
A cause supported by 125 non-governmental organizations in 56 countries.
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FCC
eIEN South Asia
Western Himalaya Kashmir
FCC International is a network of over 125 Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in 56 countries working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels. eIEN South Asia scientists concerned of Global Climate Change issues responded to the emerging challenge and threat of climate change by establishing Forum for Climate Change Kashmir, in 2005 , to provide advice on recognizing potential dangers and immediate threats of Global Climate Change to the regional populace and strong advocacy for economically depressed Himalayan communities who are minor contributors to global warming.
Climate change: what is climate change?
Climate change affects all of us – and we can all be part of the solution.
Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today. Rising global temperatures will bring changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The effects will be felt here in the UK and internationally there may be severe problems for people in regions that are particularly vulnerable to change.
Climate refers to the average weather experienced over a long period. This includes temperature, wind and rainfall patterns. The climate of the Earth is not static, and has changed many times in response to a variety of natural causes.
The main human influence on global climate is likely to be emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. At present, about 6.5 billion tonnes of CO2 is emitted globally each year, mostly through burning coal, oil and gas for energy.
Climate change is already happening. Globally, the ten hottest years on record have all occurred since the beginning of the 1990s. Current climate models predict that global temperatures could warm from between 1.4 to 5.8oC over the next 100 years, depending on the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted and the sensitivity of the climate system.
About climate change: Greenhouse effect
Some of the energy from the sun is trapped inside our atmosphere as it is reflected back from the earth towards space. This natural process is called the greenhouse effect, as the atmosphere acts like the glass walls of a greenhouse, which allows the sun’s rays to enter but keeps the heat in.
The gases which make this happen (“greenhouse gases”) are mainly water vapour and carbon dioxide. As humans emit more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere the greenhouse effect becomes stronger. This causes the earth’s climate to change unnaturally.
About climate change: Greenhouse gases
The most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. These are the gases that are covered by the Kyoto Protocol.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are also powerful greenhouse gases but they are being progressively phased out under the Montreal Protocol as they also damage the stratospheric ozone layer. They are part of a longer list of greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol.
Measuring the Global Warming Potential
Each greenhouse gas has a different capacity to cause global warming, depending on its radiative properties, its molecular weight and its lifetime in the atmosphere. Its so-called global warming potential (GWP) encapsulates these. The GWP is defined as the warming influence over a set time period of a gas relative to that of carbon dioxide. A 100-year time horizon is used in the Kyoto Protocol. When the warming effect of current greenhouse gas emissions over the next 100 years is calculated, the graph shows that carbon dioxide will be responsible for about two thirds of the expected future warming.
How the relative climate effects of greenhouse gases are compared
To compare the relative climate effects of greenhouse gases, it is necessary to assess their contribution to changes in the net downward infra-red radiation flux at the tropopause (the top of the lower atmosphere) over a period of time. Ultimately the best way to do this is by comparing different emission scenarios in climate models, but a simple working method has been derived for use by Parties to the UNFCCC. This provides the relative contribution of a unit emission of each gas, relative to the effect of a unit emission of carbon dioxide integrated over a fixed time period. A 100-year time horizon has been chosen by the Convention in view of the relatively long time scale for addressing climate change.
The factor is known as a global warming potential (GWP). It means for example, that 1 tonne of HFC-134 emitted to the atmosphere has 1,000 times the warming potential over 100 years of 1 tonne of carbon dioxide.
To compute the carbon dioxide equivalent of the emission of any gas, we multiply its emission by the GWP. This is often expressed as the carbon equivalent so we then multiply by 12/44, the ratio of the atomic weights of carbon and carbon dioxide. Thus, for example, an emission of 1 tonne of HFC-134 is equivalent to 1 x 1000 x 12/44 = 273 tonnes of carbon.
About climate change: Global effects
Climate change is one of the most serious environmental threats facing the world today. Its impacts will be felt across the world, as sea level rise threatens the existence of some small island states and puts millions of people at risk. Temperature increases, drought and flooding will affect people's health and way of life, and cause the irreversible loss of many species of plants and animals.
Key impacts : However effective policies are to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, the world will now experience a significant degree of climate change. This is likely to have far-reaching effects on all aspects of the world's environment, economy and society including:
Rising sea levels : Sea level is expected to rise by over 40 centimetres by the 2080s because of thermal expansion of the oceans as temperatures rise and because of melting of land ice. This will threaten the existence of some small island states and put millions of people at risk.
Flooding in poor countries : The poorest countries are likely to be the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. 60% of the additional 80 million people projected to be at risk of flooding are expected to be in Southern Asia (Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar) and 20% in South East Asia (from Thailand to Vietnam, including Indonesia and the Philippines).
Food shortage and disease: Africa is expected to experience significant reductions in cereal yields, as are the Middle East and India. And an additional 290 million people could be exposed to malaria by the 2080s, with China and Central Asia likely to see the largest increase in risk.
Severe water shortages : In some areas, water resources for drinking and irrigation will be affected by reduced rainfall or as ground water in coastal zones suffers from salination as sea levels rise. People's lives may be put at risk from an increased frequency of droughts and flooding. An additional three billion people could suffer increased water stress by 2080. Northern Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent will be the worst affected.
Loss of tropical forests : By the 2070s, large parts of northern Brazil and central southern Africa could lose their tropical forests because of reduced rainfall and increased temperatures. If this happens, global vegetation which currently absorbs carbon dioxide at the rate of some 2-3 gigatonnes of carbon (GtC) per year will become a carbon source generating about 2 GtC per year by the 2070s and further adding to carbon dioxide build up in the atmosphere. (Current global man-made emissions are about 6-7 GtC per year). This will make climate change even more severe.