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Climate Change

Climate change is a long-term alteration in Earth's climate, primarily driven by human activities leading to global warming and significant environmental, social, and economic impacts. Key causes include burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agricultural practices, while evidence includes rising temperatures and extreme weather events. Mitigation and adaptation strategies, along with international agreements like the Paris Agreement, are essential for addressing this global issue.

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8 views4 pages

Climate Change

Climate change is a long-term alteration in Earth's climate, primarily driven by human activities leading to global warming and significant environmental, social, and economic impacts. Key causes include burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agricultural practices, while evidence includes rising temperatures and extreme weather events. Mitigation and adaptation strategies, along with international agreements like the Paris Agreement, are essential for addressing this global issue.

Uploaded by

kadieee010607
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CLIMATE CHANGE – COMPLETE NOTES

1. What is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to long-term changes in Earth’s temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and
other aspects of the climate system.

 It occurs over decades to millions of years


 Includes both natural processes and human activities
 Today, it mainly refers to recent global warming caused by humans

2. Weather vs Climate

Aspect Weather Climate


Time scale Short-term (hours–days) Long-term (30+ years)
Example Rain today Average rainfall in a region
Variability Changes quickly Changes slowly

3. What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to rising greenhouse
gases.

 A major part of modern climate change


 Driven mainly by human activities since the Industrial Revolution

4. The Greenhouse Effect

A natural process that keeps Earth warm enough for life.

How it works:

1. Sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere


2. Earth absorbs energy and warms up
3. Earth emits heat (infrared radiation)
4. Greenhouse gases trap some of this heat

Main Greenhouse Gases:

 Carbon dioxide (CO₂)


 Methane (CH₄)
 Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
 Water vapor
 Ozone (O₃)

Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would be too cold to support life.

5. Causes of Climate Change

A. Natural Causes

 Volcanic eruptions
 Solar radiation changes
 Earth’s orbital changes (Milankovitch cycles)
 Ocean circulation changes
B. Human Causes (Main Cause Today)

1. Burning fossil fuels


o Coal, oil, natural gas
2. Deforestation
o Reduces CO₂ absorption
3. Agriculture
o Methane from livestock
4. Industrial processes
5. Waste production

6. Evidence of Climate Change

Scientists use multiple lines of evidence:

 Rising global temperatures


 Melting glaciers and ice caps
 Rising sea levels
 Ocean warming and acidification
 Increased frequency of extreme weather events
 Changes in ecosystems and wildlife

7. Impacts of Climate Change

A. Environmental Impacts

 Sea level rise → flooding of coastal areas


 Stronger typhoons and storms
 Droughts and heat waves
 Coral bleaching
 Loss of biodiversity

B. Social Impacts

 Food insecurity
 Water shortages
 Health problems (heatstroke, diseases)
 Displacement of communities (climate refugees)

C. Economic Impacts

 Damage to infrastructure
 Loss of agricultural productivity
 Increased disaster recovery costs

8. Climate Change in the Philippines 🇵🇭

The Philippines is highly vulnerable because it is:

 An archipelago
 Located in the typhoon belt

Effects:

 Stronger typhoons (e.g., Super Typhoon Yolanda)


 Flooding and landslides
 Rising sea levels affecting coastal communities
 Damage to agriculture and fisheries
9. Mitigation vs Adaptation

A. Mitigation (Reducing Causes)

 Use renewable energy (solar, wind)


 Reduce carbon emissions
 Reforestation
 Energy efficiency

B. Adaptation (Adjusting to Effects)

 Building flood defenses


 Developing drought-resistant crops
 Disaster preparedness
 Early warning systems

10. International Efforts

Key Agreements:

 Paris Agreement (2015)


o Limit global warming to below 2°C
 Kyoto Protocol
 United Nations Climate Conferences (COP meetings)

11. Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activities.

Ways to Reduce It:

 Use public transportation


 Conserve electricity
 Reduce, reuse, recycle
 Eat less meat
 Plant trees

12. Climate Justice

 Climate change affects vulnerable populations the most


 Poor countries contribute less but suffer more
 Emphasizes fairness in climate policies

13. Feedback Mechanisms

Positive Feedback (Amplifies Change)

 Ice melting → less reflection → more heat absorbed

Negative Feedback (Reduces Change)

 Increased plant growth → more CO₂ absorption

14. Tipping Points

Critical thresholds where small changes can lead to drastic effects:

 Ice sheet collapse


 Amazon rainforest dieback
 Permafrost thaw releasing methane
15. Solutions and Actions

Individual Actions

 Save energy
 Reduce waste
 Support sustainable products

Community Actions

 Tree planting
 Climate education
 Local policies

Government Actions

 Environmental laws
 Renewable energy investments
 Climate adaptation planning

16. Key Terms to Remember

 Climate change
 Global warming
 Greenhouse effect
 Carbon footprint
 Mitigation
 Adaptation
 Sustainability

17. Simple Summary

Climate change is a global problem caused mainly by human activities that increases Earth’s
temperature and leads to serious environmental, social, and economic impacts. Solving it requires
collective action from individuals, communities, and governments.

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