Global Climate Change

Cause of climate change by human activities

Greenhouse effect and global warming

The heat content at the surface of the Earth is mainly derived from the Sun. When solar
radiation (visible light) reaches the Earth, part of it is reflected back to space by bright
surfaces (e.g. sea ice and clouds), and part of it heats up the Earth. The Earth's surface
emits infra-red radiation to space and the Earth cools. If the heating and cooling of the
Earth are comparable, the long-term mean temperature of the Earth will remain more or
less unchanged.
If the Earth has no atmosphere, laws of physics suggest that the average
surface temperature of the Earth would be around -18C.


The situation with no atmosphere
But the Earth does have an atmosphere. Gases in the air (e.g. carbon dioxide) hinder
the radiation of heat from the Earth to space, absorb part of the infra-red radiation emitted
from the Earth and then re-emit energy in all directions, also in the form of infra-red
radiation. Part of the infra-red radiation will escape to space but part of it will go back to the
Earth, heating up the surface. This is known as the greenhouse effect, and the gases known
as greenhouse gases. In the current situation, the average surface temperature of the Earth
is around 15C.


Schematic diagram illustrating the greenhouse effect
Increase in greenhouse gases concentration causes a reduction in the outgoing infrared
radiation, allowing heat energy to accumulate on Earth and leading to warming of the
climate system. Warming at the Earth's surface is one of the indicators of a warming
climate. A rise in the Earth's surface temperature will induce many other changes. Some of
these changes may even act to enhance the warming (positive feedbacks). For instance,
climate warming leads to reduction of sea ice and snow cover, exposing more ocean and
land surfaces. Since sea water and land have lower reflectivity than sea ice and snow, the
Earth's capability of absorbing solar energy will increase. The ocean and land absorb more
heat and warm, promoting further reduction of sea ice and snow cover in a vicious cycle.
According to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, the average surface temperature of the
Earth will increase by 2.6-4.8C under the high emission scenario. Global warming will bring
changes not just to the climate patterns and natural systems, but will also have implications
for human activities, societies and civilization as we know it.

Greenhouse gases produced by human activities

The major greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide (CO
2
), methane, (CH
4
),
nitrous oxide (N
2
O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ozone (O
3
). Although atmospheric
water vapour (H
2
O) is also a greenhouse gas, it only plays a supporting role. Carbon dioxide
is the principal control knob of Earth's temperature. For more details, please refer to the
blog article "Who's in charge of global warming?"
(www.weather.gov.hk/blog/en/archives/00000143.htm).
According to the Summary for Policymakers of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (Climate
Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis), it is extremely likely (95% probability) that
human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th
century. Owing to human activity, the concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and
nitrous oxide have all increased rapidly since 1750. The present-day concentrations are
unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years. The increase in carbon dioxide
concentration is primarily due to burning of fossil fuel and deforestation, while increases in
methane and nitrous oxide concentration are due to agriculture.




Appendix 1Human Activities and their Potential
Impact on the Environment
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In general, human activities have an impact on the environment through
releases to the environment (polluting emissions, discharges, waste production, etc.);
changes to (degradation of) land/habitat; and/or
use and depletion of resources.
The following is a list of major components of the environment and activities that affect
the environment (and their potential effects). Within the context of your audittopic,
please examine the information presented and think about how your entity's policies,
programs, projects, and operational activities may affect the environment either directly
(through its own operations) or indirectly, by the control or influence that the entity
exerts on the activities of others.
Also consider ways that entities could avoid or minimize their impact on the
environment. Some of these are described at the end of this appendix.
Air
Examples of activities:
transportation (all modes);
energy production, refining, and distribution;
generation of electricity (e.g., burning of coal, natural gas);
use of refrigerants and coolants (ozone-depleting substances);
metal smelting and other industrial activities (e.g., pulp and paper, chemical
manufacturing, and other heavy industries);
mining of aggregates;
application of pesticides for agriculture;
waste incineration; and
use of various volatile chemicals.
Potential impact of these activities:
releases of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (contributing to global warming);
depletion of the ozone layer;
impairment of air quality;
smog (including particulates, ground-level ozone);
effects on human and wildlife health (e.g., upper respiratory problems and higher rates
of hospitalization);
acidification of lakes and rivers (acid rain); and
deposition of air pollutants on land and surface water bodies.
Water
Surface water (freshwater lakes and rivers, etc.)
Examples of activities:
removal of shoreline vegetation;
logging/forestry and mining;
collection, storage and disposal of agricultural wastes;
application of pesticides;
sewage discharges;
industrial and other discharges (e.g., pulp and paper, mining, chemical, food
processing);
spills and accidental releases of pollutants;
boating/shipping (e.g., discharges of fuel, ballast water);
waste disposal landfilling (leaching);
refuelling activity;
draining and removal of wetlands; and
development of infrastructure (e.g., dams and bridges).
Potential impact of these activities:
reduction in quality of habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms;
increased runoff and erosion;
depletion of fish populations;
impairment of water quality (pollutants, pathogens, bacteria, nutrients);
need for increased water treatment;
increased algal growth/blooms;
decreased biodiversity; and
encroachment of exotic, invasive species (e.g., zebra mussels).
Groundwater
Examples of activities:
provision of water for drinking and household uses;
water removal / water taking for industrial activities;
irrigation;
manure management (e.g., collection, storage, disposal/spreading);
fuel storage (tanks), distribution, refuelling activities;
waste disposal (hazardous and non-hazardous); and
urban development (removal of vegetation, increase in hard surfaces).
Potential impact of these activities:
reduced groundwater quality (e.g., pollutants/toxins, hydrocarbons, pathogens, bacteria);
impairment of drinking water quality;
need for increased water treatment;
reduced groundwater quantity;
surface water effects (quality and quantity);
explosions (from petroleum products, fuels).
Coastal areas / marine
Examples of activities:
discharges of sewage/wastewater;
commercial fisheries, dredging;
ocean dumping;
energy production (exploration, drilling, distribution);
boating/shipping (e.g., releases, refuelling, ballast water exchange);
aquaculture;
urban development (removal of coastal vegetation, including wetlands);
spills and accidental releases.
Potential impact of these activities:
alteration/degradation of quality of fish and other marine habitat;
depletion of fish populations;
increased disease and pathogens affecting fish;
impairment of water qualitye.g., pollutants, (including petroleum products), pathogens,
bacteria, nutrients;
exotic, invasive species;
socio-economic effects;
reduction of tourism activity.
Land
Examples of activities:
creation of transportation infrastructure (roads, highways, bridges);
urban development (tree and vegetation removal);
forestry/logging (including access roads, herbicide spraying);
mining activities;
agriculture (e.g., soil tilling, livestock grazing, application of fertilizers and pesticides,
intensive farming practices);
spreading of manure and sewage sludge;
tourism and recreational development (e.g., ski resorts, golf courses);
oil and gas production and distribution, and oil sands development;
storage of fuels and other hazardous materials (e.g., storage tanks);
landfillingdisposal of waste (hazardous and non-hazardous);
spills and accidental releases (during transportation or from stationary sources); and
military training (use of training areas).
Potential impact of these activities:
depletion of renewable and non-renewable resources;
soil and groundwater contamination;
erosion/desertification;
reduction/removal of wildlife habitat;
removal/reduction of wetlands;
reduction in biodiversity (soil organisms, plants, wildlife);
increased surface water runoff / stormwater runoff;
mining waste (tailings); and
opening of remote areas.
Opportunities to Avoid or Minimize Negative Environmental
Effects
consideration of environmental factors/concerns in the early stages of decision making
(e.g., for projects, product development);
reducing energy consumption and increasing use of renewable energy sources through
o increased efficiency (e.g., enhanced fuel efficiency for vehicles, reduced
electricity consumption by household appliances); and
o building design (new buildings) or retrofitting;
advancing, developing, and employing green technologies;
reducing consumption of resources;
increased reuse and recycling, thus decreasing resource consumption, and waste
production and disposal;
eco-efficiency;
green procurementpurchasing more environmentally friendly goods and services;
pollution prevention by
o avoiding the use of hazardous/toxic materials;
o using cleaner fuels;
o using clean emissions technologies for engines; and
o using cleaner energy sources (e.g., solar, windpower); and
improved emergency response and preparation.

Activities that have an impact on the environment
Energydevelopment, distribution, processing, management, and/or consumption/use
(oil, gas, nuclear, other)
Natural resourcesdevelopment, management, and/or harvesting, use (e.g., fisheries,
aquaculture, forestry, hunting/trapping, mining)
Agriculture/food productionland cultivation, animal husbandry, food processing
(waste handling, treatment, and disposal)
Physical infrastructurecreation or use of infrastructure, such as roads, housing,
bridges, ports, storage facilities, railways, sewage, or waterworks
Transportationroad, marine, rail or air transportation, and all related activities and
infrastructure
Toxic/hazardous substances and materialsgeneration/manufacture, use,
management, regulation, transportation, or disposal (e.g., toxics and pesticides)
New substances and organismsdevelopment, deployment, and regulation (e.g., new
chemicals, genetically modified organisms)
New products and technologiesdevelopment and deployment
Industrial activitye.g., resource processing and manufacturing
Urban development
Military activitiestraining, equipment, materials, natural disasters and other
emergencies (e.g., preparation and response)
Waste generation or management (including hazardous waste)
Movement of goods and services (local, regional, national, international)
International trade (export and import)
Occupational/workplace hazards
Cleanup/rehabilitation of contaminated sites
Procurement and consumption of goods

A blanket around the Earth

342
Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human
expansion of the "greenhouse effect"
1
-- warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat
radiating from Earth toward space.
Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain semi-
permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to changes in
temperature are described as "forcing" climate change. Gases, such as water vapor, which
respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as "feedbacks."
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:
Water vapor. The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to
the climate. Water vapor increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so does the
possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback
mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide (CO
2
). A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon
dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and
through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels.
Humans have increased atmospheric CO
2
concentration by a third since the Industrial
Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived "forcing" of climate change.
Methane. A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities,
including the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation,
as well as ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestock.
On a molecule-for-molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon
dioxide, but also one which is much less abundant in the atmosphere.
Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially
the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production,
and biomass burning.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Synthetic compounds of entirely of industrial origin used in a
number of applications, but now largely regulated in production and release to the
atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to contribute to destruction of the
ozone layer. They are also greenhouse gases.
On Earth, human activities are changing the natural greenhouse. Over the last century the
burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon
dioxide (CO
2
). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with
oxygen in the air to make CO
2
. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for agriculture, industry,
and other human activities have increased concentrations of greenhouse gases.
The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric greenhouse are difficult to predict, but
certain effects seem likely:
On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures,
but others may not.

Not enough greenhouse effect: The planet Mars has a very thin
atmosphere, nearly all carbon dioxide. Because of the low atmospheric pressure, and with little to no methane or
water vapor to reinforce the weak greenhouse effect, Mars has a largely frozen surface that shows no evidence
of life.
Too much greenhouse effect: The atmosphere of Venus, like
Mars, is nearly all carbon dioxide. But Venus has about 300 times as much carbon dioxide in its atmosphere as
Earth and Mars do, producing a runaway greenhouse effect and a surface temperature hot enough to melt lead.
Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but
individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.
A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers and other ice,
increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea
level rise.
Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric
CO
2
, growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently. At the same time, higher
temperatures and shifting climate patterns may change the areas where crops grow best and
affect the makeup of natural plant communities.
The role of human activity
In its recently released Fourth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, a group of 1,300 independent scientific experts from countries all over the world under
the auspices of the United Nations, concluded there's a more than 90 percent probability that
human activities over the past 250 years have warmed our planet.
The industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric
carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 379 parts per million in the last 150 years.
The panel also concluded there's a better than 90 percent probability that human-produced
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the
observed increase in Earth's temperatures over the past 50 years.
They said the rate of increase in global warming due to these gases is very likely to be
unprecedented within the past 10,000 years or more. The panel's full Summary for
Policymakers report is online at http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-
report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf.
Solar irradiance
It's reasonable to assume that changes in the sun's energy output would cause the climate to
change, since the sun is the fundamental source of energy that drives our climate system.
Indeed, studies show that solar variability has played a role in past climate changes. For
example, a decrease in solar activity is thought to have triggered the Little Ice Age between
approximately 1650 and 1850, when Greenland was largely cut off by ice from 1410 to the
1720s and glaciers advanced in the Alps.
But several lines of evidence show that current global warming cannot be explained by changes
in energy from the sun:
Since 1750, the average amount of energy coming from the Sun either remained constant or
increased slightly.
If the warming were caused by a more active sun, then scientists would expect to see
warmer temperatures in all layers of the atmosphere. Instead, they have observed a cooling
in the upper atmosphere, and a warming at the surface and in the lower parts of the
atmosphere. That's because greenhouse gasses are trapping heat in the lower atmosphere.
Climate models that include solar irradiance changes cant reproduce the observed
temperature trend over the past century or more without including a rise in greenhouse
gases.
the impact of human activity on the natural vegetation is building of
dams and irrigation canals for the purpose of providing water and
for agriculture. Human used to plant seeds and grow them by their
own. But nowadays everything is easy as farmers have
tractors,bullocks(in some places) and many other modern devices
for the development of the environment. you may have seen people
cutting trees for making furnitures,matchsticks,sports goods and
many other things. Do you think it is good? Well there is an
advantage as well as a disadvantage. The advantage is that you may
be comfortable with all the furnitures and sports goods for your
daily needs. But the disadvantage is that if you cut trees the amount
of oxygen in the air will reduce and carbondioxide will increase
resulting Global Warming. For example in China they produce
some million tonnes of carbon dioxide which really harmful the
nature. The roots of plants firmly bind the soil and that is why the
soil is stable enough. but if we cut the trees then the soil becomes
loose resulting in soil erosion. So just keep this policy that if it is so
necessary to cut 1 tree, plant 3 trees and make the world a better
place for you and for all the creatures in the world before they get
extinct. Thankyou!!