Climate Change

What is Climate Change?

• The Shift in Weather Patterns over an Extensive Time Period
along with the associated changes in the climate system

• The ‘climate system’ refers to the oceans, land surfaces, ice

sheets & the atmosphere

• Measurements made using the statistical properties of the

climate system including averages, variability and extremes.
• The Freeze in Chicago
How is climate change measured over time?
• Thermometers, rain gauges and other simple instruments have been
used to measure climate variables, starting in the mid-19th century.
• Since the 1970s, sophisticated sensors on earth-orbiting satellites
have provided near global coverage of many climate variables
• Earth-orbiting satellites, remote meteorological stations, and ocean
buoys are used to monitor present-day weather and climate
• but it’s paleoclimatology data from natural sources like ice cores, tree
rings, corals, and ocean and lake sediments can detect long-term
changes in the earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and
cryosphere (frozen water systems)
 What are the Factors involved?
Biggest Factor HUMAN ACTIVITY

• Increased Atmospheric CO2, methane and nitrous oxide

• Increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere
• Changes to Land Cover (Thick Forests into Croplands & Pastures)
• Increase in Aerosols (Tiny Particles in the Atmosphere)
 What are the Factors involved?
Natural Factors:
| Solar Fluctuations | Meteorite impacts | Volcanic Eruptions |
|Ocean currents and carbon dioxide content |
|Changes in the Earth’s orbit, axial tilt and precession |

Human Factors:
| Ozone Depletion | Deforestation | Plate tectonics |
| Mass Erosion | Fossil Fuel Combustion | Altered Land Cover |
| Greenhouse Effect |
Climate Change vs. Global Warming
• Global Warming is a subset of Climate Change

• It only refers to the Earth’s Rising Temperatures

• Climate Change is a broad term which encompasses Global Warming

as well as the other effects & factors affecting Climate Patterns
including Rising Sea Levels & Flooding among other effects
Effects of Climate change
What are the effects of climate change?

● Rising sea level & Flooding

● Droughts
● Ice Caps
● Forest Fires
● Air pollution
● Health risks
● Water scarcity
● Loss of biodiversity
Melting Ice Caps

North and south poles play a crucial role

in maintaining earth’s climate. Global
warming can easily affect the ice caps and
cause major consequences.

How ice controls global climate?

The ice helps reflecting the sun’s light

and heat back into space

Losing sea ice means more sunlight

and heat absorbed resulting in
extreme climate conditions.
Rising sea level
Sea level rises mainly due to
“Global sea level has risen by about 8 inches since reliable record - Ice sheets melting from
keeping began in 1880. It is projected to rise another 1 to 8 feet by
2100. “ north & south extremities
- Thermal expansion of the
water due to the rising
temperature
- Coastal lands submerging
(man-made)
Due to climate change the
temperature is exceeding
annually. Hence ice sheet melting
and thermal expansion will keep
accelerating, while land
submerging can be stabilised.
Flooding

● Flooding is one of the major

consequences of rising sea level.
● Other factors such as storm surges
and high tides could combine with
sea level rise and land sinking to
further increase flooding in many
regions.
● Flooding mainly causes the
freshwater to be contaminated that
increases health risk and destroys
habitat.
● It also threaten coastal ecosystems
and low-lying areas. (island nations)
Loss of biodiversity
How does forest and ocean prevent climate change?

Forests and Oceans are vital ‘carbon sinks’ that soak up

carbon dioxide, which is the main greenhouse gas
responsible for global warming. Dying trees emit their
stored carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
The forests and oceans are habitats to countless plants & animals.

Climate changes affect their environment that can easily lead them to extinction.

Oceans already experiencing large-scale changes at a warming of 1°C, with

critical thresholds expected to reached 1.5°C and above, which will largely affect
coral reefs.

Increasing pressure on wildlife to adapt to changing habitats.

Water scarcity

● Increasingly variable rainfall patterns are likely to

affect the supply of fresh water.

● Raising frequency of temperature rise and drought

● Rapidly melting ice caps that traditionally are the

source of freshwater.

● Flooding is vastly related to water scarcity as due to

contamination

● Also due to water scarcity the agriculture is affected

that results in malnutrition and hunger
Droughts
A drought is a prolonged period with less-than-average
amounts of rain or snow in a particular region.
Drought can also affect people’s health and safety.
Examples of drought impacts on society include –
• anxiety or depression about economic losses,
• conflicts when there is not enough water,
• reduced incomes,
• fewer recreational activities,
• higher incidents of heat stroke and even loss of human life.
• Droughts affect livestock and crops, including cornerstone commodities
like corn, soybeans, and wheat.

Drought conditions can also provide a substantial increase in wildfire risk. As

plants and trees wither and die from a lack of precipitation, increased insect
infestations, and diseases—all of which are associated with drought—they
become fuel for wildfires.

The increase in drought is caused by many factors all of which have Long periods of
drought can
been driven at least in part by climate change :
equate to more
wildfires and more
• shortfalls in precipitation; intense wildfires,
• earlier snow melt; which affect the
• a shift away from light and moderate rains towards short, heavy economy, the
precipitation events; environment, and
society in many
• increased evaporation from soil and vegetation due to higher ways such as by
atmospheric temperatures destroying
neighborhoods,
Increased heating leads to greater evaporation of moisture from land, crops, and
thereby increasing the intensity and duration of drought. habitats.
Forest Fires
Wildfire risk depends on a number of factors:
• Temperature, soil moisture and forest fuel
• Climate change causes forest fuels (the organic matter that burns
and spreads wildfire) to be more dry.
Forest fires have been increasing dramatically, as
global warming is leading to longer, harsher
droughts and more extreme weather events.
The smoke and carbon released into the
atmosphere from these fires also acts to accelerate
further warming and temperature rise.
The growing number of people in wild lands is
increasing the risk to life, property and public health.
Smoke reduces air quality and can cause eye and
respiratory illness, especially among children and the
elderly.
Wildfires can also hasten ecosystem changes and
release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere—contributing to further climate change.
The likelihood of more dangerous fires has increased
due to:
Increasing heat, changing rain and snow patterns,
shifts in plant communities, and other climate-
related changes
Air Pollution
• Air pollution and climate change are inextricably linked,
with one exacerbating the other.
• When the earth’s temperatures rise, not only does our air
gets dirtier—with smog and soot levels going up—but
there are also more allergenic air pollutants such as
circulating mold) and pollen (due to longer, stronger pollen
seasons).
• Air pollutants include more than just greenhouse gases—
principally carbon dioxide but also methane, nitrous oxide
and others—but there’s a big overlap: the two often interact
with each other.
• For instance, air pollution in the form of particulate matter
from diesel engines is circulated around the globe, ending
up in the most remote places, including the polar regions.
When it lands on ice and snow it darkens them slightly,
leading to less sunlight being reflected back into space, and
contributing to global warming.
• The slightly warmer temperatures encourage plants in the
sub-Artic region to grow a tiny bit bigger, and as they grow
through the snow they cast a shadow, which, when
multiplied over millions of small plants, also has the effect
of darkening the Earth’s surface, leading to further warming.
Immediate changes to air pollution levels also have immediate
effects. Quick action on reducing highly potent, short-lived
climate pollutants - methane, tropospheric ozone,
hydrofluorocarbons and black carbon—can significantly
decrease the chances of triggering dangerous climate tipping
points, like the irreversible release of carbon dioxide and
methane from thawing Arctic permafrost.
Health risks- Indirect consequences
The impacts of climate threaten our
health by affecting the food we eat,
the water we drink, the air we
breathe, and the weather we
experience.
The adverse health effects:

• Vector-borne diseases

• Foodborne and waterborne illnesses

• Malnutrition

• Respiratory and allergic disorders

• Heat-related disorders

• Collective violence

• Mental health problems

What are some notable effects
caused by Climate Change?
Forest Fire in Australia
Five most deadly blazes were :
Bushfires have killed approximately 800 people in • Black Saturday 2009 in Victoria (173
Australia since 1851 and billions of animals. people killed, 2000 homes lost)
• Ash Wednesday 1983 in Victoria and
Bushfires in Australia are a widespread and South Australia (75 dead, nearly 1900
regular occurrence homes)
• Black Friday 1939 in Victoria (71 dead,
Eastern Australia is one of the most fire-prone 650 houses destroyed)
regions of the world, and its predominant • Black Tuesday 1967 in Tasmania (62
eucalyptus forests have evolved to thrive on the people and almost 1300 homes)
phenomenon of bushfire. • the Gippsland fires and Black Sunday of
1926 in Victoria (60 people killed over a
two-month period).

• It is estimated that the 2019–2020 bushfires led to the deaths of at least

33 people and over 3 billion animals.

• Global warming boosted the risk of the hot, dry weather that's likely to
cause bushfires by at least 30%. But a study suggests the figure is likely to
be much greater.
• It says that if global temperatures rise by 2C, as seems likely, such
conditions would occur at least four times more often.
Flash Flood in the Middle East
● Jeddah in Saudi Arabia has suffered almost
annual floods caused by sudden violent storms.

● In November 2018, a deadly storm swept across

the Arabian Peninsula, killing 30 people.

● Researchers added that the situation was worse

because the city’s rapid expansion in recent
years have covered the routes through which
water would pass by.

● Such unpredicted meteorological phenomena

happen due to climate change.
Indian Droughts

There have been 26 major droughts in India from

1870-2018, there were 18 meteorological
droughts & 16 hydrological droughts.

All droughts involved water temperature changes

in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
due to climate change.

The impacts of the droughts impacted food

production, the economy and the livelihoods of
millions of farmers in India.

The 2015–2018 drought had a significant impact

on reservoir and groundwater storage
What are the effects of Climate Change in regards to Bangladesh?
 Excessive Rainfall
 Flooding
 Cyclones
 Flash Floods
 Mudslides
 Droughts
 Loss of Migratory Birds
 Loss of Vegetation
 Reduced Nutrition
Cyclones
The climatic conditions of Bangladesh are influenced by a
number of global and regional scale factors.

In recent years, Bangladesh was hit by two consecutive

cyclones Sidr in 2007 and Aila in 2009.

Heavy rain accompanying cyclones and tidal waves due to

wind effects caused extensive physical destruction.

In 2016 there were four cyclones – Roanu, Kyant, Nada and

Vardah – in the Bay of Bengal
Flash floods

Flash flood in 2017 was the most devastated in the recent past.

The flash flood which is recurrent during April and May is the
number one ranked hazard that affects agriculture in Sunamganj
severely.

Different researchers predicted that the rainfall during April/May will

increase here due to the impact of climate change in future.

Each year in Bangladesh about 26,000 square kilometres (around

18% of the country) is flooded, killing over 5,000 people and
destroying more than seven million homes along with agriculture.
Loss of Migratory Birds

Rising temperature and climatic

changes are not suitable for
most migratory birds anymore.

Destroying the habitats also

does not provide habitat for
such birds.

Fast squeezing of water bodies

like 'haors' and 'beels' is also
attributed to the birds'
diminishing preference for this
country as a whole.
Loss of Biodiversity and Vegetation

Climate is one of the major factors controlling biological

diversity.
Deforestation already destroyed the country’s carbon
sink. Hence steps are being taken to increase forest
production.
Global climate change causes extreme weather
conditions like rainfall, drought and natural disasters like
cyclone, etc.
Hence its tough to maintain biodiversity and vegetation
after it has been altered naturally or man-made
processes.
Excessive Rainfall
Flooding
Bangladesh is exceptionally vulnerable to climate
change. Its low elevation, high population density
and inadequate infrastructure all put the nation in
harm’s way, along with an economy that is heavily
reliant on farming.

• Bangladesh is prone to flooding due to being situated on the

Brahmaputra River Delta and the many distributaries
flowing into the Bay of Bengal.

• Due to being part of such a basin and being less than 5 metres
above mean sea level, Bangladesh faces the cumulative effects
of floods due to water flashing from nearby hills, the
accumulation of the inflow of water from upstream
catchments, and locally heavy rainfall enhanced by drainage Flooding normally occurs during the monsoon season from June to
congestion. September. The convectional rainfall of the monsoon is added to by
relief rainfall caused by the Himalayas. Meltwater from the Himalayas is
• Bangladesh faces this problem almost every year. Coastal also a significant input.
flooding, combined with the bursting of river banks is
common, and severely affects the landscape and society of
Bangladesh.

• 80% of Bangladesh is [floodplain], and it has an extensive sea

coastline rendering the nation very much at risk of periodic
widespread damage.
• Droughts
• Drought is one of the main problems for many nations, and
the severity of such issue goes big when it comes as obstacle
to ensure an optimum agricultural production for a country
like Bangladesh.

• Drought is being considered as the main cause which

hampers the estimated agricultural production, here in
Bangladesh over the last few decades.

• North western regions of Bangladesh are particularly

exposed to droughts.

• Every five years, Bangladesh is affected by the major country-wide

droughts.

• However, local droughts occur regularly and affect crop production.

The agricultural drought, linked to soil moisture scarcity, occurs at
different stages of crop growth, development and reproduction.

• Monsoon failure often brings famine to the affected regions and as

a result crop production reduces drastically.
• Apart from the agricultural loss, droughts have important effect on
livestock population, land degradation, health and employment.
Between 1960 and 1991, drought events occurred 19 times in Bangladesh.
Very strong droughts hit the country in 1961, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1989,
1994, and 2000.
Past droughts have naturally affected about 53% of the population and 47% of
the country.
 Landslides On 12 June 2017, heavy
monsoon rain triggered a
• Landslides are caused by a combination of natural factors series of landslides and
(heavy rainfall, cyclones, flooding), and man-made factors floods in Rangamati,
Chittagong and Bandarban -
three hilly districts of
• In Bangladesh, landslides are mostly triggered by heavy Bangladesh - and killed at
rainfall, usually during June. least 152 people.
The weather also caused
power cuts and
• However, the underlying causes of landslide include telecommunications
deforestation, hill cutting, and unregulated development disruptions, making it
work. Moreover, poverty and landlessness force poor difficult for rescuers to
reach affected
people to live in risky hill-slopes. communities.

• Landslides are a regular geologic hazard in southeastern

Bangladesh, notably in Chittagong Division (Bandarban, Chittagong,
Cox’s Bazar, Khagrachhari, and Rangamati Districts), the part of the
country with the highest average slope gradients.

• Particularly, the influx of Rohingya taking refuge within camps in

Cox’s Bazar is contributing to deforestation and hill-cutting at an
alarming rate. Though, Cox’s Bazar previously had relatively low
impact of landslides, the risk is becoming increasingly higher since
2010.
• Reduced Nutrition
Climate change threatens to exacerbate existing threats to food security
and livelihoods due to a combination of factors that include the
increasing frequency and intensity of climate hazards, diminishing
agricultural yields and reduced production in vulnerable regions, rising
health and sanitation risks, increasing water scarcity.
• Nutrition is also likely to be affected by climate change through
related impacts on food security, dietary diversity, care practices
and health.
• It has been reported that drought will increase in some
areas of Bangladesh due to change in rainfall pattern as
results of climate change.
• The effects of drought on health include deaths, malnutrition
(under nutrition, protein-energy malnutrition and/or
micronutrient deficiencies), infectious diseases and respiratory
diseases.
• Drought diminishes dietary diversity and reduces overall food
consumption, and may therefore lead to under nutrition.
• A study in Bangladesh found that drought and lack of
food were associated with an increased risk of mortality
from diarrhoeal illness.
• Recently the government of Bangladesh and interested
organisations have started to encourage non-cereal food
production and consumption along with food self-sufficiency.
• Reduced Nutrition

• Significant progress has been made in cereal production in

Bangladesh over the past decades. However, the rapid population
growth and resulting high and growing food requirements pose a
difficult challenge given the limited availability of cultivable land
in Bangladesh. Re-occurring disasters further complicate the
stability of food production.

• Greater attention is being given to supportive policies for

agriculture input, research on non-cereal crops, and commercial
and homestead promotion of poultry and fruits/vegetables are
receiving greater attention.

• There is a clear need to diversify food sources both in terms of

land/environmental sustainability, development of the rural
economy and increased consumption to achieve improvements in
the nutritional status of the people of Bangladesh.
How can we slow down Climate Change?
Adaptation in climate change –
• Anticipating the adverse effects
• Taking appropriate action to prevent or minimize the damage they can cause
• Adaptation measures include:
• using scarce water resources more efficiently;
• adapting building codes to future climate conditions and extreme weather events;
• building flood defenses and raising the levels of dykes;
• developing drought-tolerant crops;
• choosing tree species and forestry practices less vulnerable to storms and fires;
• setting aside land corridors to help species migrate.
Can Climate Change be stopped completely?
• Never
• It’s a Cyclic process which has been going on for thousands of years
• We simply accelerated the process
As an individual, what can we do about
Climate Change
• 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
• Creating Awareness
• Lobbying for Environmentally Friendly Policies
• Tree Planting
• Consuming Resources Conservatively
To Summarize:
• Main Cause Behind Climate Change is Human Activity
• The Effects have been far-reaching from Physical Devastation to
Health Deterioration
• We Can Mitigate The Effects by taking action NOW
Thank You