ae 5 Climate change * TR ee ek ole Cee Oistonsc ty cree ctamae earesa te bo on Define cima pen] reece ee ea 2 eas ioe ee este Oi cae oe ree ate chenge on the Earth, Me Ce tee eer ae SRE nea en rere etc cas re Cees etree rev) ign desea ne Se ee nen + Explain the main causes of climate change in the world and es some partcular areas, Enhanced use of vocabulary to describe physical ce katy orien iment sc need + Invostigate how human acthityis causing climate change. eres Climatology is the study of the Earth’s climate and its concitions, while meteorology examines short-term weather patterns. To understand the distinction, weather explains the current atmospheric conditions of an area, whereas climate covers a particular place’s long-term, aggregate weather and seasonal conditions. Weather is changes all the time, while climate changes over 35 years. What is climate change? Climate change means a change in the Earth’s typical weather patterns for different climates. It is usual for climates to change little by little over the years, The Earth has had cooler and warmer times. However, it is now getting warmer. This phenomenon is also known as global warming. Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous one. The warmest seven years have all been since 2015, with 2016, 2019, and 2020, making the top three. (Source: World Meteorolegieal Organisation) Scientists collect weather data from weather stations, balloons, and satellites. They record thousands of land and ocean temperature measurements each day around the world. These have shown that the average temperature of the Earth's land and oceans increased by 0.65°C to 1.08°C between 1880 and 2012. The average air temperature in the lower part of the troposphere has increased by 0.13°C to 0.22°C per decade since 1979. WHAT CHANGES THE EARTH'S TEMPERATURE? There are different causes for these changes, such as: + Changes in the amount of heat that oceans transfer from one place to another. * An increase in the number of volcanic eruptions that can send out dust, thus blocking out the ‘Sun's radiation over large areas. * Changes in the amounts of different gases in the atmosphere. Heat waves have become common due to climate change oxFoRDUNIT 5 CLIMATE CHANGE Greenhouse effect Do you know what a greenhouse is? This picture of a greenhouse will help you to understand the greennouse effect. A greenhouse is made from glass of clear plastic. It is very useful for growing plants in the winter in cooler climates. ‘The air in a greenhouse warms up because the Sun shines through the glass and warms the air and the ground in the greenhouse. The air becomes warmer, but it cannot escape from the greenhouse. The ground takes a while to heat up, but it retains the warmth for longer than the air. It keeps the air trapped in the greenhouse warm, even during the winter. This is called the greenhouse effect. Our atmosphere has greenhouse gases, e.g. water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and, ozone. These act like the glass walls of a greenhouse by trapping the heat in our atmosphere. They absorb heat from the Sun’s rays and radiate it in all directions, which warms the Earth. Warm air cannot escape from the atmosphere because the heat Is radiated back to the surface of the Earth. The Earth's natural greenhouse effect is essential to keep the Earth warm enough to support If the doors and windows are closed, the alt is trapped inside. I's like the inside of a car on a hot day. Which gases are called greenhouse gases? ‘Mainly weter vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ‘methane, and azone. Ozone is fine in the stratosphere, tut too much in the lower part Of the troposphere is harmful. life. But the Earth could become too hot if greenhouse gasesincrease too much. IT's A FACTI SSS Increased greernouse gases since the early 1900s are causing the climate to warn auicky. The increase comes ‘rom vehicle exhaust, pollutants released from smokestacks, at factories and power plants, ‘emissions from agriculture, and other sources. OXFORD Global surface temperatures recorded by 1970-2022 by NASAunits climare cufy BU ag Solar radiation passes through the amosahere atmosphere r , ‘Some of the infrared rediation Radiation is converted to he SERIE CRN o4 Is absorbed and re-emitted by — = no ues. back to the atmosphere . the greenhouse gas molecules. A diagram to show how the greenhouse effect works in the Earth's atmosphere. WHERE ARE THE EXTRA GREENHOUSE GASES COMING FROM? Most scientists think that human activities such as urbanisation, burning fossil fuels, using cars and other Vehicles, and clearing forests have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Most of the methane comes from raising livestock such as cows, goats, and sheep, decaying landfill, and peat bogs. GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND CLIMATE CHANGE NASA and other olimate observatories have noted an inctease in greenhouse gases and think it Is directly responsible for accelerating the rate of climate change. Too much greenhouse gas can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere and cause global warming. Many scientists think that in general, the dry regions of the Earth will become even drier, and most wet regions will become even wetter. So, dry places are more likely to have droughts, and damp areas are more likely to heve floods. There could be more tropical cyclones. Extremely high sea levels could become more common. Fires (such as bushfires) are more likely when the climate becomes warmer and drier. BUILDING SKILLS Collaborate with someone from a different climatic zones of Pakistan. List the challenges you both face for climate ‘change and what indivicual and community actions can be taken to address it. ‘The amount of freshwater flowing into the oceans has increased. This is partly because global warming is metting the ice around the Poles. In wet regions, there has been an increase in rainfall because water from the oceans evaporate more quickly in higher temperatures. For example, the mean yearly rainfall in A Singapore increased by more than ‘wrought eerken neon: 400 mm between 1980 and 2015. oxFoRDUNIT 5 CLIMATE CHANGE IT'S A FACTI SSS + The permafrost is the soil below the surface that normally stays frazen, even in the summer. + Peat bogs are ‘carbon sirks’. These are areas that store carbon and help to keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. + Atrend is a gredual change towards something, for example: higher or lower ainfal, higher or lower temperatures, mors Cr fewer storms, or higher or lower sea levels. Higher temperatures have begun to melt the permafrost in Arctic regions, such as parts of Canada, Alaska, and Russia. The permafrost stores carbon, but if it melts, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If it continues to meit, it will also give out methane from peat bogs that are usually frozen. What is the ozone layer? You might have heard of the ozone layer, but do you know what it means? Ozone is a gas in the Earth’s, atmosphere. It Is created by a reaction between ultraviolet light and oxygen. Ozone has a pale blue colour but we do not notice this because there is so, little ozone in the air around us. Some people can ‘smell ozone, even when very small amounts are in the air. It smells similar to chlorine, which you probably know, as it is in bleach and is sometimes used to disinfect swimming pools. Scientists have given ozone the symbol O,. The symbol for oxygen is O,. There is a very tiny amount of ozone in the atmosphere-about 0.3 parts per million. Most of it is in the ozone layer (in the lower part of the stratosphere) WHY IS THE OZONE LAYER IMPORTANT? The Sun's radiation keeps the Earth warm enough for plants and other living things to live. Part of the Sun's radiation is called ultraviolet radiation. Some of this is necessary for life, but higher amounts of this radiation are harmful. The ozone layer keeps out most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation, Acdiagram that shows how the ezone layer blocks foul some of the Sun’ radiation. It shows how this radiation can pass through a hole in the ozone layer. Which human activities can damage Scientists have been measuring the ozone layer for more than half a = me 1e ozone layer century. It has become thinner, and holes have appeared in it through which ultraviolet radiation can pass. Scientists have found that gases from human activities damage the ozone layer and cause global warming. Some of these gases can survive in the atmosphere for 50 to 100 years. WHY IS LOW-LEVEL OZONE HARMFUL? Ozone is a very active gas. When it is lower down in the atmosphere, it is closer to living things and can harm them. It can damage the leaves of plants and affect how they use sunlight to produce food. In humans, it can cause headaches, eye irritation, coughs, and chest discomfort. It is one of the active gases in ‘smog’ (polluted fog mainly found in cities). ‘The same activities thet cause the greenhouse effect. Gases {rom many industies contain ‘chemicals that can reach the ‘ozone layer. Ultraviolet light helps these gases ‘to break down the ‘zone layer. OXFORDunits climare cufy INTERNATIONAL ACTION ‘Scientists found that chemicals called chlorofluorocarhons (CFCs) damage the ozone layer. CFCs have been used for many years in aerosols, insulation foam, fridges, and air concitioners. The good news is that 197 countries signed the Montreal Protocol in 1987 to reduce the use of CFCs. Disappearing ice Scientists have found that higher temperatures are causing most glaciers to retreat. in some glaciated valleys, lakes are being formed by the melted ice. However, not all glaciers are retreating, and a few are even advancing. All the glaciers around Mount Everest are retreating. The chart shows how much these glaciers retreated between 1976 and 2007. A satellite photo of lakes formed in the Himalayas in Bhutan. where glaciers have retreated Glacier or glacier region around Mount Average distance retreated per year Goo ay Rongbuk 20 Make a poster and video ‘Koumbu 18 ‘about the cause of global san BO ‘warming and climate change. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ICE FROM A RETREATING GLACIER? The glaciers in the Greater Himalayan region that have been measured are retreating by an average of 18 m and 20 m per year. However, the glaciers in the highest parts of the Karakoram Range are advancing. In some places, melting ice from glaciers can cause floods. This happened in Chitral in 2015, when meting ice and heaw rainfall caused a glacial lake overflowing the Khanpur Dam on the Haro River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In 2010, a landslide near Attabad created a dam across the Hunza River. A lake formed behind the dam and flooded towns, fields, and roads, including part of the Karakoram Highway. Following this incident, a channel was dug to remove any water overflowing the dam. This will help to prevent floods farther downstream if the glaciers melt. A satellite image of the ice cap over A satellite image of the ice cap over the Arcitc Ocean in 1983 the Arctic Oceen in 2012 oxFoRDUNIT 5 CLIMATE CHANGE The frozen water around the North SST and South Poles is called sea ice. Some of this ice melts in the ‘summer, but some ice remains Permanently. This permanent ice is the minimum size of the ice cap. In 2012, the permanent ice in the Arc- tic shrank to its smallest ever area. Does the melting of the sea ice matter? Well...when sea ice mets, it does not change sea levels because the ice is already floating in the ocean. However, sea ice is essential in slowing global warming because Its large white - area reflects sunlight. You can test ‘Melting tee in Greenland this by leaving a piece of white fabric and a piece of black fabric in the sunshine for about 15 minutes. You can feel the difference in the warmth of each piece of fabric. However, scientists have found that the sea ice in Antarctica is not shrinking. They think this is because Antarctica is so cold that global warming has not yet melted the ice. They have even found that the ice has become thicker in some places. LAND ICE Land ice is found on Earth in the form of glaciers. Did you know that about 75% of all the Earth's freshwater is contained in glaciers? If all this land ice melted, sea levels worldwide would rise by approximately 70 meties! BUILDING SKILLS Using GIS or Google Maps, make an illustrated PowerPoint reesertation to show the rise inglobal temperatures in the Greenland, near the North Pole, is not as cold as Antarctica, so the fer nace: ice there is more likely to meit. Each spring and summer (April to October), some of the ice in Greenland melts. In autumn and winter, rain and snowfall freeze and replace the melted ice. From 1978-2008, the total amount of ice that permanently melted grew from around 14 million km¥ to nearly 22 million km?. In July 2012, there was a record-breaking IT'S A FACT! SSS ‘melting of ice sheet surface in Greenland, when 97% of it melted. Some scientists think that the pattern of ice sheet melting in Greentand goes + Average sea level eround on for a while and then begins to return to normal. Others think itis a the worlé has been rising trend that might cause s2a levels to rise and make the seas less salty. since the middle of the 19th century. During the 20th century, sea levels Causes of climate change oe cane on on ach yeer. This is bout The global climate is constantly changing. However, since around, 415-20 om rise in sea global temperatures have dramatically incteased. This increase is levels during the century. known os global warming. The primary greenhouse gases whose + 808 love rose fator concentrations are rising are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, at the end of the 20th hydrochiorofiuorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and ozone century than over the early in the lewer atmosphere. Scientists and geologists have been calculating at ofthe century. the potential of human activities to increase the temperature of the Earth. OXFORDunits climare cufy energy use ~ agriculture and land use e—> industry and transport =» displaced people pollution eee ‘growing demands for food and water =» natural disasters Global warming: causes and effects ENERGY FROM FOSSIL FUELS Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels (coal, crude oil, and natural gas) causes most of the Earth's GHG emissions. These potent gases bianket the Earth, trap the sun's heat, and cause global warming. Today, only a quarter of electricity comes from wind, solar and other renewable sources, emitting little to no GHG or pollutants into the air. INDUSTRY AND TRANSPORT Mining, manufacturing, and industry processes are responsible for global warming. They burn fossil fuels to produce energy and extract other raw materials for making things like cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics, clothes, and other goods. Most cars, trucks, ships, and airplanes run on fossil fuels. OVERUSE OF LAND Large-scale deforestation to create farms, pastures, settlements, making roads and railways, mining, and industry adds to GHG emissions. This is because trees, once they are cut down, release the carbon they have stored. Approximately 12 million hectares of forest are destroyed yearly. Agriculture also emitscarbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases in various ways. POPULATION AND OVERCONSUMPTION Meeting the basic needs of an overgrowing population is one of the most critical contributors of GHG gases. Most of the population adopts deforestation, mining, and conventional industrial processes to provide food, urbanise land, and boost economic growth. Overconsumption from trends such as fast fashion discourages people from using the 3Rs and managing their waste in an environment friendly manner. Impact of climate change on animals and plants Climate changes have led to unfavourable conditions for animals and plants. Their survival, growth, and reproduction have been affected to a great extent due to climate change. Many animals have begun to migrate towards the higher latitudes of to higher ground to find a habitat with a climate that sutts them. This also happens because the piants or animals they feed on have begun to migrate. Some animals could become endangered because their food supply is dying out. oxFoRDUNIT 5 CLIMATE CHANGE WHALES Some whales feed on tiny living organisms called plankton. Warmer water contains less plankton, so many whales are dying from starvation. They travel farther in search of food, and they are being found washed up on beaches where whales have never been seen hefore, such as on the east coast of England. SEA TURTLES Sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches in Brazil. The rising sea levels could endanger their eggs or very young hatchlings. Typically, higher temperatures favour female hatchlings but cooler temperatures. are favourable to males. The number of male sea turtles is dropping due to global warming. This could threaten turtle populations everywhere. POLAR BEARS Polar bears live around the North Pole and feed mainly on seals. They live on the sea ice and hunt for seals in the sea around the ice. As the sea ice melts, they must swim farther to find stable ice. This makes them very tited, especially females with cubs to look after. Many adult polar bears and cubs are also dying from starvation. CORAL AND SHELLFISH Oceans are absorbing more carbon dioxide, which makes the water more acidic. Corals and shelifish cannot absorb the calcium carbonate they need for healthy skeletons or shells in highly acidic water. When the sea stays warm longer than usual, corals become white and do not regain their pink colour. This affects their ability to fignt off diseases. FISH Rising global temperature reduces marine ecosystem's age, size, the biodiversity. Changes in rainfall and water management also threaten inland fisheries. Temperature affects the metabolism, behaviour, locomotion, and desire to obtain food. in some places, floods in the spring have washed away salmon eges laid in stream beds. This could wipe out entire salmon populations. A 5°C rise in average global temperature could wipe out 60% of all fish species. OXFORD Climate change is diminishing amount of prey species for whales and dolphins ‘Some polar bears in Greenland have adapted to hunt trom blocks of ice from glaciers during summers SAL) ‘Dead fish in & polluted farm.units climare cufy BIRDS Some birds that usually migrate to cooler climates during the summer are beginning to migrate earlier. Due to this early migration, they could starve if the insects they typically feed on have not yet hatched when they reach their destination. PLANTS Global warming has increased droughts, wildfires, and invasive pest outbreaks. This has led to the loss of some plant species and has also lowered productivity, made conditions for more prolonged droughts, and frequent heat waves. Drought damaged comlield ‘Some plants are producing flower buds earlier because of warmer temperatures. But overnight frosts can Kill these buds and affect plant populations. Alpine plants grow on high ground. if their habitat becomes too warm to survive, there is nowhere higher for them to grow. Impact of climate change on people Climate change is affecting freshwater supplies. Pakistan is BUILDING SKILLS one of many countries that already needs more water. Higher temperatures and other changing weather patterns are changing the amount of water in lakes, rivers, and streams. Some regions are even facing droughts. Where there are floods, the flood water becomes polluted with sewage or other contaminants. The amount of water that seeps into the ground to fill underground reservoirs is also changing. Give evidence that suggests how climate chenge has impacted your county’ economy, its agriculture, plants, and biodiversity in the last ten years, In some places, temperatures could become too high for the crops commonly grown there to survive. Changing weather patterns also affect the amount of water that can be used for irrigation. Stronger storms and floods can damage crops. As well as producing greenhouse gases, the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas produces air pollutants such as ozone, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide. These can cause mary health problems. Sunlight and low-level ozone can increase the effects of pollutants. For example, Tokyo, New Delhi, Riyadh, Onitsha (Nigeria), New York, and London already have high levels of pollution that are harmful for human health, especially the very young, very old, or people who have breathing problems. Heatwaves are becoming more common. These are especially dangerous to infants, older people, and people with poor health. In 2008, a heatwave in Europe caused about ‘Air pollution has increased over the yeas, 50,000 deaths. oxFoRDUNIT 5 CLIMATE CHANGE ‘The Cijara reservoir in Extremadura (Spain) is now &% empty after severe diought in 2022. In June 2045, the heat wave in southern Pakistan brought temperatures as high as 49°C. It caused the deaths of more than 1300 people, mainly from dehydration and heatstroke. As winters become warmer, ticks and mosquitoes that carry diseases can survive longer throughout the year. In the summer of 2022, parts of Europe experienced drought conditions, worsened by heat waves. The European High Commission researchers say it is Europe's worst year in 500 years. Settlements along some coasts and small islands, especially on lowlands, will be thteatened by floods if sea levels rise. Hundreds of millions of people around the world could lose their homes or businesses and face danger. As temperatures rise, more people need to use air conditioning during the summer, which uses a lot of electricity. However, in the winter, many people will use less energy for heating because of global warming. Improving our environment The Earth belongs to all of us, and if countries work together, they can do a lot to protect the Earth. Now that some of the sources of greenhouse gases are known, many countries have agreed to find ways of reducing them. Even better news is that the ozone layer is recovering. Here are some ways to reduce greenhouse gases: POWER STATIONS Many countries have agreed to reduce the use of fossil fuels by developing power from wind, solar radiation, and water (hydro and tidal). Another way to reduce this is by finding ways to use less energy. For example, many manufacturers are making energy-efficient electrical goods such as fridges that use less power. Hydel power station has low greenhouse gas emissions. OXFORDunits climare cufy INDUSTRY Many industries are finding ways to use less energy in manufacturing. They are looking for alternative energy from nonfossil sources to produce heat and light in factories. Recycled materials are also being used in mary industries, such as steel and aluminium manufacturing. It is also important to reduce waste and leakage of chemicals. There are many ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial seotor. This can be achieved through switching to alternative fuels, efficient use, and recycling of materials. Some industrial processes carbon below the Earth’s surface. Australia, Canada, with this technology at the moment. Refineries and other a chemical-using manufacturers are regulated by law in some. to reduce our carbon footprint. Imagine how FUELS FOR TRANSPORT an | Alternate fuels such as biofuels are being developed to replace fossil fuels, e.g. petrol and diesel. Biofuels are made trom living things or their products, such as plant sugar and oils. The plants grown for producing biofuels also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Electric and solar-powered vehicles do not have greenhouse gases and could be a viable alternative to cars powered by fossil fuels, Electronic cars have helped accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy by avoiding 5.0 million mettle tons of CO, emissions in 2020. oxroroUNIT 5 CLIMATE CHANGE BUILDINGS Insulating buildings can reduce energy consumption to a great extent. Many countries have regulations for new buildings to improve their What else can we do to insulation and reduce the use of heating and air-conditioning. People seduce greenhouse in their workplaces are encouraged to switch off electrical equipment banal and lights when not used. We can all do this at home and school. Environmentfriendly infrastructure practices include rain gerdens, 4 { permeable pavements, green roots, infiltration planters, trees, and a rainwater harvesting systems. AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, AND OTHER LAND USE The greenhouse gases can be reduced by better drainage management, fertilisers, manure, and other waste products. Waste products can also be used to produce energy. Many countries are acting to prevent deforestation; however, 2.3 million km? of forests around the world were cut down between 2000 and 2012. Only 6.2 million km? are left of the 16 million km? of forest that once covered the Earth. Cae) Using primary and secondary ‘sources to gather, organise, and interpret date that suggests the importance of afforestation to contro! the impact of global warning. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach to managing croplands, livestock, forests and fisheries to address the challenges of food security and increasing climate change. It focuses on methods to produce more food resistant to pests, droughts, and other vulnerabilities. It also aims to improve nutrition security, boost incomes, and make people less prone to erratic weather patterns, and climate-related risks. Its research Is also focused on reducing greenhouse emissions, avoiding deforestation, and identifying ways to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Alforestation can slow the impact of climate change es forests are carbon sinks PP oxrorp