HS606 – Environmental Planning and Development

Seminar on

Climate Change

Group 17Ajesh Kumar S (07305065)

B. Election Reddy (07305054)Hardik Patel (07317016)

MD. Naseeruddin (07305912)

Outline

● Understanding the Climate System

● Consequences of Climate Change

● The Climate Change Convention

● Limiting greenhouse gas emissions

● Facts and Figures

Understanding the Climate System

•The Green House Effect➢ Infra Red radiation blocked by green house gases➢ Enhanced Green House Effect➢ Major concern is that climate will continue to change for hundreds of years even if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and atmospheric levels stop rising

● Green House Gases and Aerosols

➢ Sulphur emissions produce microscopic particles that can reflect sunlight back out into space but they remain in the atmosphere for a relatively short time compared to long lived green house gases. They also cause acid rain and poor air quality.

● Contributors of Green House Effect

➢ The effect of warmer air on water vapour, which contributes to green house effect.

➢ Carbon dioxide is currently responsible for over 72% of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

➢ Methane contributes to 18% of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

➢ Nitrous oxide, a number of industrial gases, and ozone contribute the remaining 9% of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

● Has Climate Change Already Begun?

➢ Measurement records indicate an increase of 0.6±0.2°C in global average temperature since the late 19th century

➢ Mean sea level has risen by 10 to 20 cm

➢ Snow cover has declined by some 10% since the late 1960s in the mid- and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere

➢ Precipitation patterns have changed resulting in more floods and droughts in many places.

Since 1979, the size of the summer polar ice cap has shrunk more than 10 percent.(Illustration from NASA)

● Climate change Predictions

➢ Current climate models predict a global warming of about 1.4 - 5.8°C between 1990 and 2100 assuming no climate change policies for reducing emissions

➢ The average sea level is predicted to rise by 9 to 88 cm by 2100 caused mainly by the thermal expansion of the upper layers of the oceans as they warm, with some contribution from melting glaciers

➢ Inland regions are projected to warm faster than oceans and coastal zones with greatest warming at high latitudes

➢ More but uneven (floods) distribution of rain and snow, but summers will be warmer leading to droughts in many places

Consequences of Climate Change

● Agriculture and food security

● Sea levels, oceans, and coastal areas

● Biological diversity and ecosystems

● Water resources

● Human health

Agriculture and food security

● Effects of enhanced CO2 on crop growth

● 50% increase in CO2 => 15% growth in C3 Plants

● Higher temperatures will influence production patterns

● Soil moisture will be affected by changing precipitation patterns

● Soil fertility and erosion

Sea levels, oceans, and coastal areas

● The global average sea level has risen by 10 to 20 cm over the past 100 years. Predicted sea level rise is 9 to 88 cm by the year 2100

● Coastal zones and small islands are extreamly vulnerable

● Sea-level rise could damage key economic sectors

● Ocean ecosystems ➢ Reduction of sea-ice cover ➢ Changes in ocean circulation patterns, the vertical mixing of

waters, and wave patterns

Melting Sea-ice cover

Biological diversity and ecosystems

● Climate change is a threat to the biological- diversity

● Forests adapt slowly to changing conditions.

● The cryosphere will continue to shrink.➢ 80% of fresh water is in the form of snow, ice, and

permafrost ➢ Arctic sea ice has thinned by 40% in the past three decades

Water resources

● Changing precipitation patterns➢ Heavy rain and snow at mid- and high latitudes of Northern

Hemisphere➢ Less rains in the tropics and subtropics of both hemispheres

● Reservoirs and wells

● Rising seas could invade coastal freshwater supplies

Human Health

● Heat waves Cardiovascular, respiratory diseases

● Scarcity of water, Sanitation Problems

● Food security will be undermined in vulnerable regions

● Higher temperatures will alter the geographical distribution of species that transmit disease

The International Response for Climate Change

● Declaration issued at the conference in 1979 “To forsee and prevent potential man-made changes in climate that might be adverse to the well-being of humanity”.

● IPCC – 1988 by UNEP and WMO.● INC met for 5 sessions between 1991-92.● In 1992 UNFCCC was signed by 189 countries at Rio de

Janeiro. Came into force on 21st March 1994.● The UNFCCC was one of three conventions adopted at the

1992 "Rio Earth Summit."● The others -- the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and

the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD) -- involve matters strongly affected by climate change.

● Attempts are being made to coordinate the work of the three agreements

● Conference of Parties(COP):

● Objective:”To promote and review the implementation of the convention ”

● Once the state raties it, the convention enters into force for a state of 90 days.

● COP assess the information about policies and emissions that the parties share with each other through their “national communications.”

● Focuses on the need of the developing countries like financial help, adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change etc.

● COP has 2 subsidiary bodies: (a) Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)

(b) Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice(SBSTA).

● The secretariat arranges for sessions of the COP and its subsidiary bodies, drafts official documents, compiles and transmits reports etc.

● Details regarding the conferences are as below:

COP-1 28TH MARCH-7TH APRIL, 1995, Berlin

“BERLIN MANDATE” was accepted.AD hoc Group – to draft the protocol

COP-2 8-19TH JULY, 1996, Geneva, Switzerland

To review the process of national communication

COP-3 1ST -11TH DEC, 1997,Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto Protocol – “Berlin Mandate” process ended.

COP-4 2nd -13th NOV,1998, Buenous Aires

COP-6 was kept as deadline for deciding the proper functioning and implementation of protocol

COP-5 Bonn, Germany, 1999 To set an aggressive time-table for completing work on the protocol

COP-6 6TH -25TH NOV, 2000, Hague, Netherlands

16th -27th JULY, 2001,Bonn, Germany

Political issues like CDM, the rules of counting emissions reductions from carbon sinks etc were discussed. “BONN AGREEMENTS” was adopted.

COP-7 29TH OCT-9TH NOV, 2001 To finalize an agreement on the operational details of CDM, JI, ETR for commitments of parties on reducing the emission of GHG gases under 1997 Kyoto Protocol

COP-8 2002, New Delhi

COP-9 1st-12th Dec, 2003, Milan, Italy

To adopt the reports of SBSTA and SBI.Decision related to forestation & reforestation under CDM, special climate change fund, Least developed countries fund were discussed.

C0P-10 6TH -18TH Dec, 2004, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Workshops on adaptation, mitigation were held .Decisions related to technology transfer, , practical guidance on Land-use , Land-use change and forestry were discussed.

COP-11 28TH Nov-10th Dec, 2005, Montreal, Canada

Decisions regarding the guidelines of Kyoto Protocols, Global environment facility were discussed.Issues like capacity building, adverse effect of climate change, several financial and budget related issues were discussed.

COP-12 6TH -17TH Nov 2006, Nairobi, Kenya

Focus was on developing framework for action once KP’s first commitment period ended in 2012.1st Amendment to the Protocol was adapted: Belarus under Annex B

COP-13 3th – 14th Dec, 2007, Bali, Indonesia

Negotiations to finalize post 2012 reigme by dec 2009 – “Bali -road” was underway.

How human activities produce greenhouse gases

● Burning of fossil fuels

● Deforestation

● Domesticated animals emit methane

● Rice cultivation also releases methane

● Disposal of garbage and human wastes

● Fertilizer use emits nitrous oxide

● Creating long-lived greenhouse gases

New energy technologies and policies

● Production and use of energy - leading source of

greenhouse gases

● Minimizing leaks and spills

● Encouraging new technologies

● Raising efficiency of power plants

● Switching to renewable sources

New transportation technologies and policies

● Transport sector – rapidly growing source

● Switching to less carbon-intensive fuels

● Renewable energy technologies

● Encourage low-emissions transport

● Maintenance and operating practices

Financing action under the Convention

● Aim of Climate Change Convention

● Global Environment Facility

● GEF agreed full incremental costs

● Funds are voluntary contributions

● GEF covers four focal areas

● COP created several new funds

Thank You!