Climate and Other

Changes:Emerging

Challenges

SESSION 1

Ruth Sarra Guzman

Professor, Rizal Technological University

and Board Chair, PATLEPAM

Manila, Philippines

Outline

� Introduction

� Global warming and Climate Change

� Science of Climate Change

� Impacts of Climate Change

� Coping with Climate Change

� Climate Change Links to Sustainable Development

� Vulnerable Sectors

Which is the face of Climate Change?

Coral bleaching

Lower yields due to drought

More destructive

typhoons andflood

Melting snowcaps

Science of

Climate Change

Climate and Weather:What is the Difference?

Weather refers to the mix of

events that happen each day in our atmosphere including temperature, rainfall and humidity.

Climate is described in terms of

the mean and variability of temperature, precipitation and wind over a period of time, ranging from months to millions of years.

Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Factors that influencethe Earth’s Climate

“ The earth’s climate is driven by a continuous flow of energy”

A variation in the Sun’s outputmay externally vary the amount of solar radiation received by the Earth’s atmosphere and surface

Changes in the concentrations of atmospheric gases, mountain building, volcanic activity, and changes in surface albedo may cause and internal variation in the Earth’s climate

“ A statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or change in precipitation,

temperature and wind, persisting typically decades or longer”

- Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

What is Climate Change?

What is Climate Change?

“Change in the climate

attributed directly or

indirectly to human

activities , in addition to

natural climate variability

observed, over a comparable

time periods ” - United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Factors responsible for Climate Change

“ The earth’s climate is driven by a continuous flow of energy”

Variations in the Earth's orbital characteristics.

Volcanic eruptions

Variations in solar output

Variations in Atmospheric composition

Greenhouse gases (GHGs )

Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Ozone, Halocarbons, Water vapor and other industrial gases

Exists in the Earth’s atmosphere

Natural temperature control system

Allows solar radiation (sunlight) to pass through and traps infrared radiation (heat) thus warming the atmosphere

The Greenhouse Effect

Atmospheric levels of

GHGs have nearly

doubled in nearly

150 years, from 280

ppm CO 2e to 430 ppm

- Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2007

Carbon dioxide: Burning of

fossil fuels and deforestation

Methane and nitrous

oxide: Agricultural activities,

land use and wetland changes,

pipeline losses, and covered vented

landfill emission

Ozone: Automobile exhaust

fumes

Long-lived industrial

gases: CFCs, HFCs and PFCs

Rise in GHGs related toHuman Activities

Global Projections

Global Predictions

G

Global surface

warming of

1 - 4oC

is expected in

100 years

Sea level

rise (m)

to rise by

9 to 88 cm

by 2110

during the 21st century relative to 1980 to 1999 un der SRES scenarios A1B, A2 and B1.

Global Predictions

Global Predictions

Frequency and intensity of extreme weathers

are likely to change

Global precipitation is expected to increase

Evidences of

Climate Change

since the late 19th

century, global average temperature increased by 0.6 + 0.2

Mean sea level has risen by 10 – 20 cm and increase of ocean water temperature.

Snow cover declined by 10% since the late 1960s

Evidences of Climate Change

Source: Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2007

G

Evidences of Climate Change

Increased frequency of extreme weather events

Evidences of Climate Change