{"id":15923,"date":"2024-05-21T14:13:09","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T13:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besafenet.net\/vulnerabilitaet\/climate-crisis\/"},"modified":"2024-05-21T14:13:11","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T13:13:11","slug":"climate-crisis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/besafenet.net\/de\/vulnerabilitaet\/climate-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Vunlerability<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Climate Crisis<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Prepared by Prof. Anthony Micallef & the Editorial Board<\/span><\/h6>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Climate Crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n

The phenomenon of Climate Change may be defined as \u2018a significant variation of average weather conditions over several decades or more<\/em>. However, such changes in climate may be seen to have two components namely, human-induced and natural climate change (Figure 1). In this context, Climate Change has also been defined as a \u201cchange observed in the climate of a global, regional or sub-regional scale caused by natural processes and\/or human activity\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

Natural Climate Change<\/u> refers to changes in the climate caused by the amount of incoming and outgoing energy of the Earth; changes that are caused by natural elements such as the sun\u2019s intensity, the earth\u2019s orbit, volcanic activity and naturally occurring greenhouse gas concentrations. However, it is important to note that such influences are too minor or occurring too slowly to account for the rapid global warming recorded since the industrial revolution.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 1: Human and natural influences on global warming (Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency. Climate Change Science - Causes of Climate Change. https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/climatechange-science\/causes-climate-change) <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When referring to human-induced Climate Change<\/u>, the use of the term Climate Change<\/em> has been criticized by many as portraying an insufficient urgency to its dire consequences, related to what is in essence, a disruption of the natural climate.<\/p>\n

To this end, it is more appropriate to use the term Climate Crisis<\/em><\/strong> when referring to the increasingly alarming weather perturbations that have been noted since the onset of the industrial revolution which resulted in accelerated combustion of fossil fuels, increased release of aerosols and greenhouse gases, changing land-use and deforestation. The continued emission of greenhouse gases resulted in a global warming; a rise in the global average temperature near the earth\u2019s surface. The Climate Crisis refers to a host of weather-related perturbations arising from global warming, such as sea-level rise, hurricanes and storm surges of increasing intensity, changes in precipitation patterns and floods.<\/strong> Unlike other hazards that become manifest sporadically, the Climate Crisis has been active constantly for a significant number of decades and now threatens the stability of the earth system as a whole.<\/p>\n

According to World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reports, the emission of greenhouse gases from human activities in 2021 reached an all-time high, and there seems to be no indication of a decline. Based on a decade-long overview of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emission Gap reports, it appears that we are likely to continue on the same frightening path of business-as-usual.<\/p>\n

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change, established in 2015, aimed to limit eventual warming to below 2 degrees Celsius and encouraged efforts to restrict the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, the four years prior to 2019 have been recorded as the hottest on record. In a report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in September 2019, it was noted that we had already surpassed preindustrial levels by at least one (1) degree Celsius, which is dangerously close to what scientists consider to be an unacceptable risk. Failure to reduce global emissions may result in temperatures increasing by over three (3) degrees Celsius by the year 2100, leading to further irreversible harm to our ecosystems.<\/p>\n

The adverse impacts of increasing temperatures on the natural world, biodiversity, and human well-being are becoming more apparent. 2016 and 2020 were some of the warmest on record since annual surface temperature data started being collected in 1880. In 2022, the planet was plagued by heatwaves that shattered previous records. Data from the National Center for Environmental Information of the United States of America shows that the global temperature on the earth\u2019s surface was above the 20th-century average by 0.82\u00b0C (1.48\u00b0F) during the decade leading up to 2020. It is evident that urgent action is needed to address this global crisis.<\/p>\n

Human-induced climate change has been referred to as the most significant problem of our era, and we find ourselves at a critical juncture. The consequences of human-induced climate change, such as changing weather patterns that jeopardize food production, and escalating sea levels that heighten the danger of disastrous floods, are widespread and unparalleled in magnitude. If immediate and drastic measures are not taken, it will be increasingly challenging and costly to adapt to these repercussions in the future.<\/p>\n

In response to a growing realization of this global threat, there have been a considerable number of initiatives to address it. However, we are unfortunately far from achieving this goal. To quote the words of the United Nations\u2019 Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres at the 2019 Climate Action Summit, \u201cthe climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win\u201d.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Note of clarification<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout the following section on The Climate Crisis, reference has been made to past studies that have misleadingly used the term Climate Change when specifically referring to human-induced Climate Change and\/or Global Warming.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Therefore, to avoid misconception throughout this article, it should be clarified that all subsequent reference to the term Climate Change (as used in past studies) should be understood to refer to the human-induced component of climate change, which has in essence, resulted in (human-induced) Global Warming.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Climate Crisis results from various increasingly hazardous phenomena arising from Global Warming that has resulted in weather perturbations of growing severity.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Recent events of the Climate Crisis<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Climate Crisis warnings<\/strong><\/p>\n

The upcoming five years are projected to be the warmest period ever recorded in human history.<\/p>\n

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2016 was the hottest year ever recorded due to both a strong El Ni\u00f1o phenomenon and human activities contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. \u00a0However, it has been postulated that even a relatively weak event in 2023 could lead to new records for the warmest year in 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n

The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that while the eight hottest years on record occurred between 2015 and 2022, the period from 2023 to 2027 is highly likely to be even warmer. This alarming prediction is attributed a warming El Nino, that will, in conjunction with human-induced climate change, raise temperatures beyond the targets outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This international agreement aimed to limit global warming to „well below“ two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (measured between 1850 and 1900), and preferably to 1.5\u00b0C. The consequences of such temperature increases will have wide-ranging impacts on health, food security, water management, and the environment.<\/p>\n

Flooding <\/strong><\/p>\n

Over a period of six days (1 – 17 May, 2023), the region of Emilia-Romagna in Italy experienced two consecutive events of heavy rainfall totaling 80 hours of continuous rain. In the aftermath of these events, there were a total of 379 landslides across 57 different municipalities, resulting in the closure of 672 roads. Among these, 414 roads were completely blocked, which isolated parts of the rural areas. As a consequence of the severe conditions, approximately 23,000 people had to be evacuated from various areas, including Ravenna, Forl\u00ec, Bologna, and Rimini. The impact was particularly devastating in the community of Conselice, experiencing three separate impacts from these events. Additionally, in Faenza, the situation was dire \u00a0with water levels rising to the second floor of some houses, requiring urgent and substantial intervention.<\/p>\n

Heatwaves <\/strong><\/p>\n

Scientists have determined that the April 2023 heatwave in the western Mediterranean (across Spain,\u00a0Portugal, Morocco and Algeria), which set new temperature records, would have been nearly impossible without the presence of the climate crisis. The researchers estimated that global heating increased the likelihood of this extreme event by at least 100 times. Early-year heatwaves were identified as particularly detrimental as people were less prepared compared to the summer season. Furthermore, the heatwave worsened the plight of farmers who were already grappling with a prolonged drought, and it occurred at a critical stage in the crop-growing season, especially for wheat.<\/p>\n

The accelerated rise in extreme temperatures in the area, are particularly concerning as they surpassed predictions made by climate models. Regrettably, the Mediterranean stands as one of Europe’s most susceptible regions to the effects of human-induced climate change. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are halted, the future holds a bleak prospect of increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves.<\/p>\n

According to the July 2022 Climate Bulletin released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, it was stated that July was among the top three hottest months on a global scale and ranked as the sixth warmest in Europe (Figure 2). In Greenland, temperatures were observed to be 8o<\/sup>C higher than the average.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 2: Successive heatwave events in Europe since 2000.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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T<\/em><\/strong>he <\/em><\/strong>World Meteorological Organisation (<\/em><\/strong>WMO<\/em><\/strong>)<\/em><\/strong> State of the Global Climate<\/em><\/strong> report<\/em><\/strong> for <\/em><\/strong>2022, <\/em><\/strong>identified some additional and very worrying trends<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\r\n

Greenhouse gas emissions<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

During 2021, carbon dioxide levels reached 149% of pre-industrial levels (1850-1900), methane levels were at 262% (making it 25 times more effective than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere), and nitrous oxide levels were at 124%. Notably, the increase in methane from 2020 to 2021 was the largest on record (Figure 3). Such greenhouse gas emissions continued rise during 2022.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 3: Importance of methane emissions to the Climate Crisis. This image is based on International Monetary Fund staff calculations and excludes emissions from land-use and changes to land-use. Source: International Monetary Fund, https:\/\/www.imf.org\/en\/Blogs\/Articles\/2022\/11\/02\/methane-emissions-must-fall-for-world-to-hit-temperature-targets<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Increasing temperatures<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

In 2022, the Earth was approximately 1.15 \u00b1 0.13 \u00b0C hotter than the pre-industrial average, marking the last 8 years as the warmest on record. Despite the presence of cooling La Ni\u00f1a conditions, 2022 ranked as the 5th or 6th warmest year.<\/p>\r\n

During 2022, significant regions experiencing above normal precipitation included large portions of Asia, the south-west Pacific, parts of northern South America and the Caribbean, the eastern Sahel region, sections of southern Africa, Sudan, and eastern Europe. Conversely, areas with rainfall deficits encompassed western and central Europe, northwest Africa, parts of the Middle East, Central Asia and the Himalayas, Eastern Africa and Madagascar, central and southern South America, as well as central and western North America.<\/p>\r\n

O<\/strong>cean warm<\/strong>ing<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Ocean warming is particularly concerning as changes happening now are likely to be irreversible on centennial to millennial time scales. Records show that further ocean warming occurred during 2022, and that this trend is expected to continue well into the future.<\/p>\r\n

Sea level rise<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Over the course of satellite (altimeter) monitoring spanning 30 years, the ocean has experienced an average annual increase in sea level of around 3.4 \u00b1 0.3 mm. Furthermore, in the year 2022, there was a continuation of the global rise in mean sea level.<\/p>\r\n

Arctic <\/strong>and <\/strong>Antarctic Sea Ice<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Throughout the majority of 2022, the extent of Arctic sea ice remained below the average observed over an extended period.<\/p>\r\n

In September, specifically, the extent was 0.71 million km\u00b2 lower than the long-term average, which marked the 11th lowest monthly minimum ice extent recorded by satellites. On February 25, 2022, the extent of Antarctic sea ice reached a historic low of 1.92 million km\u00b2, nearly 1 million km\u00b2 less than the average observed between 1991 and 2020.<\/p>\r\n

Greenland Ice Sheet<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

For 26 consecutive years, the Greenland Ice Sheet has experienced a continuous decline in its total mass balance. On a global scale, glaciers have been steadily losing mass since the commencement of recorded data.<\/p>\r\n

Extreme Events<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

2022 witnessed an extraordinary year of weather phenomena. Climate-related incidents were characterized by unprecedented dry spells, scorching heatwaves, massive forest fires, deluges, and an unprecedentedly low level of Antarctic sea ice. The initial days of 2023, including the warmest January 1 ever recorded, serve as evidence that the pattern of severe climate and weather events persists. Last year, the availability of excess or inadequate rainfall played a significant role in numerous extreme weather or climate occurrences, posing severe threats to entire communities and impacting lives through the creation of food and water insecurity in various regions. Prolonged droughts, combined with record-breaking temperatures, contributed to an escalated risk of wildfires, reaching their peak during the summer season in Europe, the Mediterranean area, and the northwestern United States.<\/p>\r\n

Drought<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The drought that occurred in Europe in 2022 may be the most severe in five centuries. It can be attributed to a significant deficiency of rainfall, coupled with a series of recurrent heat waves that affected Europe from May to October. Based on the Combined Drought Indicator published by the European Drought Observatory (EDO), over 25% of the EU territory was marked with an alert symbol at the start of September. For instance, in France, the water levels in rivers and reservoirs reached exceptionally low levels, prompting the country’s authorities to implement measures to restrict the water supply. As a result, in July 2022, 90 out of 96 administrative departments were impacted.<\/p>\r\n

Sea ice extent<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the Antarctic sea ice experienced an alarming lowest monthly extent in June and July, as observed in 44 years of satellite data records. It was 9% below average in June and 7% below average in July. The concerning pattern persisted throughout the year, as the levels of sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic remained below average, even in the last months of 2022. In September 2022, the average monthly extent of Arctic sea ice reached 5.4 million square kilometers, which was 0.7 million square kilometers (11%) lower than the average recorded between 1991 and 2020. In the case of the Antarctic, the average extent of sea ice was 18.5 million square kilometers, indicating a 0.6 million square kilometer (3%) decrease compared to the average from 1991 to 2020.<\/p>\r\n

Wildfires<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The European Forest Fire Information Service (EFFIS) reported that as of December 17 2022, over 786,000 hectares of land were burned in the European Union, with a total of more than 2,700 forest fires recorded. The amount of land burned in 2022 is nearly 2.5 times greater than the average from 2006 to 2021. Spain experienced the most severe impact, with over 300,000 hectares devastated by fire. An image captured by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on June 25 depicted a disastrous fire that engulfed the province of Zamora in the Castilla y Le\u00f3n region. Another notable event last year was the marine heatwave that occurred in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer. Anomalies in sea surface temperatures reached peaks of five degrees above the average in certain areas along the northwestern coast of Italy and the southeastern coast of France.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The phrase \u201cclimate crisis\u201d refers to the phenomenon of global warming and its negative effects on the environment. It encompasses the concepts of climate change and the repercussions of such a changing climate. This expression, along with \u201cclimate emergency,\u201d is employed to portray the peril posed by global warming to both humanity and the Earth, as well as to emphasize the urgent need for proactive measures to address climate change.<\/p>

The Climate Crisis refers to the impact of human-induced changes in climate (long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns) as a consequence of increasing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming that result in a number of hazardous repercussions (global warming generates environmental degradation, natural disasters, extremes in weather (e.g. intense and prolonged rainfall leading to flooding \u2013 Figure 4), insecure food and water resources, economic disruption, conflict and terrorism, and loss of life). The melting of ice sheets, glaciers and warming oceans result in rising sea levels, coral reef destruction and oceans acidification; such weather perturbations also result in more frequent and intense forest fires and extreme weather events such as precipitation patterns and hurricanes and storm-surges.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 4: Intense and prolonged rainfall leading to flooding, economic disruption and potential loss of life.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The terms Climate Crisis \/ Climate Emergency refer to what many scientists believe is a much needed increase in the level of global effort aimed at preventing immeasurable human tragedy and preserving our biosphere from the threats generated by continued greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1.1. The Climate Crisis<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Although used as early as 1980 by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, the term Climate Crisis emerged as a significant reference to the Climate Change issue after a spate of dire scientific warnings on the matter. In the latter part of 2018, the House of Representatives in the United States formed the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, replacing the original \u2018Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming\u2019.<\/p>

The language referring to Climate Change seemed to undergo a significant transformation in 2019, correlating with the more emphatic reference to the Climate Crisis in 2018 by U.N. Secretary General’s address at the Climate Action Summit.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2. What types of climate changes (giving rise to the Climate Crisis) occur?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

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Long-term changes to the earth\u2019s climate have been generated either by natural causes or by human actions.<\/p>

Natural<\/u> long-term changes to the earth\u2019s climate have been responsible for very cold glacial and warmer inter-glacial periods on earth. At present, we are experiencing an unusually extended inter-glacial period, and it is believed that human-caused climate change has caused a delay in the onset of the next glacial period. Experts estimate that this delay could result in the Holocene inter-glacial period lasting for an additional 150,000 years.<\/p>

Much more rapid long-term human-induced changes<\/strong> to the earth\u2019s climate initiated since the industrial revolution in the 1700\u2019s as a consequence of carbon dioxide and methane gas emissions that mainly result in global warming and very significant variations of average weather condition influencing among other, extremes in weather-related phenomena such as precipitation, drought, hurricanes and storm-surges (Figure 5).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 5: Rapid long-term human induced climate changes. Source: Amrita Karmakar, 2021.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2.1. Generators of natural climate changes include:<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Changes in the Earth\u2019s Orbit and Rotation<\/em><\/p>

The earth’s climate has been significantly influenced by alterations in its orbit and axis of rotation in the past. The Northern Hemisphere’s summer sunshine, which is impacted by changes in the planet’s orbit, is believed to be the primary cause of previous ice age cycles. These cycles include prolonged cold temperature periods (ice ages) as well as shorter warmer temperature periods (inter-glacial periods) between ice ages. During the coldest part of the last ice age, the planet’s average global temperature was approximately 11\u00b0F ( – 11,67 \u00b0 C) colder than it is currently. However, during the highest point of the last interglacial period, the average global temperature was only up to 2\u00b0F ( – 16,67 \u00b0 C) warmer than it is presently.<\/p>

Variations in Solar Activity<\/em><\/p>

Alterations in the amount of energy emitted by the sun can impact the strength of the sunlight that reaches the surface of the earth. Although such alterations can have an impact on the planet’s climate, they have had a negligible impact on the observed changes in climate over the past few decades. Beginning in 1978, satellites have been utilized to measure the quantity of solar energy that reaches the earth, and these measurements indicate that there has been no overall increase in the amount of energy emitted by the sun, despite the fact that global surface temperatures have risen.<\/p>

Changes in the Earth\u2019s Reflectivity<\/em><\/p>

The absorption or reflection of sunlight on the planet is influenced by its surface and atmosphere. The sun’s energy is absorbed more by dark surfaces like the ocean, forests, and soil, while light-colored surfaces like snow, ice and clouds tend to reflect it. The earth absorbs about 70 percent of the sunlight it receives. Historical evidence suggests that natural alterations to the earth’s surface, such as the melting of sea and continental ice, have previously affected climate change, often interacting with other processes. These changes can serve as feedback mechanisms.<\/p>

Volcanic Activity<\/em><\/p>

Volcanoes have had a significant impact on the climate, with past volcanic eruptions releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide. Some explosive eruptions can release particles such as SO2 into the upper atmosphere, which can reflect enough sunlight back into space to cool the planet’s surface for a few years. These particles are referred to as cooling aerosols. However, these aerosols do not cause long-term climate change as they stay in the atmosphere for a shorter time than greenhouse gases. Moreover, human activities emit over 100 times more carbon dioxide annually than volcanoes do.<\/p>

Changes in Naturally Occurring Carbon Dioxide Concentrations<\/em><\/p>

Throughout the past few hundred thousand years, the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have fluctuated in correlation with the cycles of glaciers. In warmer inter-glacial periods, carbon dioxide levels were elevated, while in cooler glacial periods, carbon dioxide levels were reduced. The earth’s surface and oceans‘ temperature can impact the natural sources and sinks of these gases, leading to alterations in the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This fluctuation in concentrations has acted as a climate feedback mechanism, increasing the magnitude of temperature changes resulting from long-term shifts in the earth’s orbit.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3. Why is the Climate Crisis occurring?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

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The Climate Crisis is occurring primarily (but not solely) due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas that generates greenhouse gas emissions which function like a covering enveloping the Earth, capturing the heat from the sun and causing a rise in temperatures.<\/em> The main greenhouse gases that are causing human-induced climate change include carbon dioxide and methane.<\/p>

Greenhouse gas emissions are generated by various activities including using gasoline for transportation or coal for heating purposes (Figure 6). Clearing land and cutting down forests can also release carbon dioxide. Agriculture (primarily livestock farming and the use of fertilizers), oil and gas operations and appliances containing fluorinated gases are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 6. Greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sources.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The magnitude of the Climate Crisis may also be influenced by a number of natural climate phenomena such as the Ni\u00f1o and La Ni\u00f1a. El Ni\u00f1o acts as a multiplier effect to human-caused climate change and drives global average surface temperatures higher.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3.1. The El Ni\u00f1o phenomenon<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

El Ni\u00f1o is typically associated with warmer surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. In regions such as southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa and central Asia, there is generally more rainfall, while Australia, Indonesia and parts of southern Asia can experience extreme droughts. Additionally, El Ni\u00f1o\u2019s warm water can potentially fuel hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean during the summer months in the northern hemisphere, but may hinder hurricane formations in the Atlantic Basin, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. The El Ni\u00f1o typically occurs every two to seven years, lasting for around nine to 12 months on average.<\/p>

Generators of greenhouse gases<\/strong><\/p>

Burning<\/u> of fossil fuels (<\/u>coal, oil and gas<\/u>)<\/u> to generate energy for the production of electricity, and to power transportation (e.g. cars and planes) and industrial processes. \u00a0This produces two main greenhouses gases in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (NO).<\/p>

D<\/u>eforestation<\/u>.<\/u> Deforestation disrupts the valuable role of trees in maintaining climate stability through their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. As a result, the carbon that was once stored within these trees is released, contributing to the intensification of the greenhouse effect.<\/p>

Large-scale l<\/u>ivestock farming<\/u>.<\/strong>\u00a0During food digestion, cows and sheep produce large amounts of methane gas (CH4<\/sub>) which is released to the atmosphere.<\/p>

Fertilisers containing nitrogen<\/u>\u00a0produce nitrous oxide emissions.<\/p>

Use of fluorinated gases.<\/u> The production and use of home and industrial appliances (such as fridges, air-conditioners, foams and aerosol cans) containing fluorinated gases\u00a0results in emissions by\u00a0gas leakage during the manufacturing process as well as throughout the product’s life. Fluorinated greenhouse gases have been estimated to have a global warming effect up to 25 000 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2<\/sub>).<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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The Climate Crisis is a global issue (Figure 7). It affects every corner of the planet, leaving no area untouched by its destructive consequences. The warming temperatures are causing harm to natural environments and amplifying the frequency and severity of various natural disasters and extreme weather conditions like droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and storm surges. Moreover, the escalating global temperatures contribute to food and water insecurity, disrupt economies, and are directly associated with an increased potential for conflict and terrorism. The rising temperatures of the oceans and the melting glaciers lead to a rise in sea levels, particularly affecting low-lying coastlines, and result in acidification of the oceans, which severely impacts marine life. Coral reefs suffer destruction as a result of both ocean warming and intensified ocean storms.<\/p>

The climate crisis is a global issue, interconnected with the Earth System as a whole. As an illustration, certain meteorological phenomena linked to tropical and subtropical regions are responsible for the occurrence of extreme precipitation events in the Arctic.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Figure 7: The global nature of the Climate Crisis<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4.1\tVariability in effect of the Climate Crisis<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

While the Climate Crisis is a global phenomenon affecting all countries, one must recognize that the impacts will vary due to different country vulnerabilities which affects how well they can respond and recover from such impacts. During COP27 (Climate Change conference, 2022) an assessment was made to attempt to identify those countries most likely to be affected in the event of a climate disaster, with no chance of recovery. Of the ten most impacted countries identified, the top five were:<\/p>

Chad<\/em> – highest vulnerability as a consequence of nationwide flooding, increased military confrontation and famine.<\/p>

Somalia<\/em> – drought and political problems in the country.<\/p>

Syria<\/em> – following a decade of war, drought and the 2023 earthquake.<\/p>

Democratic Republic Of<\/em> Congo<\/em>– over 100 armed groups,\u00a0multiple disesases such as malaria and Ebola, famine.<\/p>

Afghanistan<\/em> – Loss of international aid due to Taliban regime, 3 consecutive years of drought\u00a0 and flooding.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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On a global scale, the IPCC has acknowledged various issues significant to the stability of the earth system, encompassing:<\/p>