Online Tutoring on Influence of Climate Change
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
Climate change is one of the major environmental issues faced by the world today. Average temperature of Earth has been increasing since the emergence of Industrial Revolution. It is widely viewed by the scientists that the global warming is a result of increase in atmospheric gases such as Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrous Oxide (NO2) and Methane (CH4). Major contributors to higher levels of green house gases are burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas), agricultural activities and clearing of forests (Nogaard, 2006). Higher levels of green house gases trap the levels of energy arriving on earth surface. Increasing concentration of green house gases raise the temperature of earth by trapping the heat from the sun and not allowing it from reverting back to the surface. It is estimated that Earth holds 820 terawatts of heat each year and 40 times more the absolute energy consumption.
According to Mahlman (1998)around 95% of scientists believe that effects of climate change is human-made issue. It is agreed by international agreements that about 200 nations are responsible for global climate change and among those nations are Japan, Russia, Italy, Germany, Canada, the USA and the UK. However, some academics believe that causes of climate change is not only of human activity. Other factors such as the solar cycle or the increase in volcanic eruptions in recent times are behind increasing global temperature.
Scientists estimate that atmosphere is changing rapidly due to heating effects of green house gases. The concentration of carbon dioxide is increasing by 7% since 2007. It is stated by IPCC that if no efforts are made in dealing with or mitigating the effects of climate change, the concentration of CO2 will increase to 1300 ppm by 22nd century (Leiserowitz, 2006). The adverse impacts of global warming are unfolding faster. It was expected by IPCC in 2007 that the global average sea level will increase by 0.6 meters in 22nd century, however the expectation was revised to 0.98 meters in 2013 and to 2 meters in 2016. Likewise, IPCC also estimated the pace of melting of Arctic ice to become ice-free Arctic in 22nd century, however the prediction was revised for it to 30 years (McCright, 2007).
Climate change and global warming is rapidly damaging the environment and posing severe impact on the living beings. Sea level is rising as high temperatures have caused the ice to melt that flows into the oceans. The sea level has risen by 0.98 meters and is expected to rise by 2 meters by year 2200. Almost two third of the largest cities are in coastal areas thus the population of 700 million living on the area are endangered and have to relocate.
Not only the rising seal level but also the changes in weather patterns and extreme weather are consequence of global warming. The higher temperature means that the atmosphere is able to hold excess vapors, allowing the greater rates of rainfall and runoff. Due to the increase in temperature, the pattern of rainfall is shifting around the world more frequently and intensively. Extreme drought is witnessed in the world since 2010, resulting in less production of food and famines in extreme weather conditions.
AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
The research is aimed at providing policy makers and managers with information for understanding the impacts of climate change on coral reef ecosystem. The knowledge will help guide policy makers to the management of ecosystem resilience. Climate change is one of the global issues that are posing threat to sustainability of the world. All the marine life has become vulnerable to the deleterious impacts of climate change. Human activities are most likely the reason for increase in green house gases that result in increase of temperature on the Earth. Thus the increase in temperature and high levels of CO2 in the environment are one of the major and the greatest threat to the long-term future of coral reef in the ocean. Global warming and climate change have disturbed the coral reef ecosystem by pushing them out of their comfort zone where they have lived for hundreds and thousands of years. In addition to other human induced and natural pressures, warming sea and ocean acidification has also resulted in coral diseases, coral bleaching, tropical cyclones and crown-of-thorns starfish.
The aim of research is to understand the methods of mitigating the surface temperature of sea resulting in heat stress events and massive coral bleaching. Climate change resulted in increase of tropical cyclone thus not only endangering the marine life and reef structure but also the life of people living at coastal areas. Australia’s marine ecosystem is already under threat from the consequences of climate change. It is revealed that the temperature of tropical sea surface has risen by 0.5 centigrade since the nineteenth century. From the 18th century till now, the oceans have taken up about 40% of the carbon dioxide generated the human activities into the atmosphere. The increase levels of carbon dioxide in the ocean water have changed the chemistry of water, resulting in acidification of ocean and pH of water decreasing from 8.15 to 8. The research aims to find out the method by which it will mitigate the levels of carbon dioxide getting absorbed in the ocean.
Marine life adapts to the ocean circulation cycle and water patterns. Increase in storms and rainfalls will disturb the cycle of oceans and marine life adaptation. It therefore endangers the living pattern of marine life. The research will try to investigate the patterns, and devise/suggest strategies on dealing with the marine life threats. Indeed, global warming is threat to social and political of the global economy. It is a threat that needs to be handled in letter and spirit.
METHODOLOGY
For the coastal region, we will first inspect the vulnerabilities to existing climate and weather variability, including storm surge scenarios and sea level rise. These comprise low- lying coastal zones affected by erosion, inundation, and saline intrusions. In order to scientifically look for a way to solve the research problem a suitable research methodology should be carried out. Research methodology is the method that will be used to define, explain and forecast this phenomenon and also increasing more knowledge. The natural water resources capacity used in hydroelectric power generation can be evaluated against projected climate change and variability. This needed the definition of the hydroelectric facilities and the water source. After this, water resource model will be utilized to replicate hydrological systems.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
Serious gaps in knowledge for decision support to mitigate climate change include the issues that upset the ability of agencies, individuals, and communities to approach and utilize the best available technical information. The scientific knowledge in support of decision-making, including the necessity to evaluate the ability of existing institutions and regulatory structures will be used to answer to highly dependent climate impacts. There are cases where policy barriers, conflicting regulations and laws, or institutional structure or capacity can develop barriers to effective decisions. It is to be noted that there is no framework for addressing village relocation in times of storms. Even the water management and reporting institutions are inadequate in handling and dealing with the rapidly changing climate. These instances point out the need to research to assess whether the current legal and regulatory structures, mainly developed for addressing specific challenges in isolation, can sufficiently respond to the highly interconnected issues related with climate change. Integrated assessment and decision support also demand research into the behavioral and other dynamics that influence individual decisions.
Policy makers and managers can benefit from research activities that identify the needs of decision makers within the sectors and regions, and aid the development of research tools, methods and information systems and techniques for curbing and managing carbon emission from the human activities. The model for handling green house gas emission will help devise early warning systems, providing drought and climate information, and analyzing the regulatory, legal and policy approaches that support in mitigation and adaptation efforts in the backdrop of climate change. Tools developed for risk based assessment procedures will help in decision-making, including identification of risk management information needs. Furthermore, the tools are great instrument for creating awareness, identifying consumption pattern, managing resources effectively and tackling environmental consequences.
Research is significant in improving and filling gaps through efforts to assess effectiveness, benefits and costs of adaptation and mitigation actions, including but not limited to non-economic and economic metrics, which assess the costs of inactions, actions and remaining acts. Emphasis is also required on the development of approaches and baseline information supporting assessment of completed and ongoing mitigation, adaptation, and assessment efforts, which will promote adaptive learning. Not only the aforesaid pros but also research is significant for as it helps develop and test models that connect decisions about emission with results under different pathways and methods to classify uncertainties.
References
Norgaard KM (2006) “We don’t really want to know”: environmental justice and socially organized denial of global warming in Norway. Organ Environ 19:347–370
Mahlman JD (1998) Science and nonscience concerning human-caused climate warming. Annu Rev Energy Environ 23:83–106
McCright AM (2007) Dealing with climate change contrarians. In: Moser SC, Dilling L (eds) Creating a climate for change: communicating climate change and facilitating social change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 200–212
Leiserowitz A (2006) Climate change risk perception and policy preferences: the role of affect, imagery, and values. Clim Change 77:45–72
