Category: Climate Change

Climate change

According to Morgan (2003), climate change is the change of weather distribution patterns for a long period. Currently the world is experiencing extreme changes in the weather patterns that have really affected most of the nations economy. Climate change is a global problem that has attracted most of the researchers worldwide with an aim of coming up with a concrete solution to this life threatening monster. Several factors cause climate change. Some of these factors are natural while others are as result of anthropogenic activities. Human activities have greatly contributed to climate change. Due to population growth and other human interest like need for quick money, forests have been encroached. Friis (2012) points out that the forests are very crucial in weather regulation. The forests also act as carbon sinks. Industrialization has found its way in many countries. According to Morgan (2003), industries have been discovered to contribute to the global warming phenomenon that leads to climate change. These industries emit various greenhouse gases that have significant impacts to the environment.

Countries like China and the United States are leading in emission of greenhouse gases. Irrespective of where atmospheric pollution takes place, the impacts of global warming are felt globally. Friis (2012) argues that climate change impacts are so evident amongst many nations. These impacts include extreme temperature changes, change in rainfall patterns, rise, and fall of oceans, melting of the ice caps, frequent tornadoes and volcanic eruptions, flooding, droughts and many others. These changes are seriously affecting the economy of many nations. Many researches done show that climate change is the contributor of most of sufferings experienced by many countries today.

Strategy for garnering effective action on climate change mitigation

To come up with a sustainable action for climate change, a number of factors that should be put into consideration. As explained by Morgan (2003), climate change mitigation is not a one-man or nations effort. This scholar argues that for any effort to reduce or avoid climate change to yield any fruits a collaborative approach should be applied. Nations should come together and combine efforts in the mitigation. The approach should be participatory in that every member of the community is aware of ways that leads to climate change in order to take the necessary precaution measures.

The Kyoto protocol sets a very important strategy for curbing climate change impacts. It is an international environmental friendly treaty that has set obligations, binding nations to reduce industrial emissions of greenhouse gases and avoid any anthropogenic activities that destabilize the climate system. The treaty also aims at enhancing public awareness on climate change. The Kyoto protocol has very strong principles geared towards avoiding climate change (Moeller, 2005). The objective of this treaty is to make the member countries adopt ways that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases into the environment. To abide in the principles for this treaty, nations are encouraged to come up with low carbon-technologies, adopt renewable energy technologies, promote energy efficiency technologies in industries, promote carbon-trading activities, conserve carbon sinks reservoirs, and encourage land use activities that are friendly to the environment for sustainability. Kyoto protocol also provides a compliance mechanism that is used to check the adherence of member nations to the agreements in the treaty. This treaty sets a very effective target to prevent climate change and its impacts. If strictly adhered to, the Kyoto protocol can provide a very effective strategy for garnering effective action on climate change mitigation.

According to Morgan (2003), the Kyoto protocol efforts have yield fruits in many of the member countries. Friis (2012) points out that there is a reported decrease of industrial emissions in many countries. Many nations have also adopted low carbon technologies in industries and in the transport sector. Carbon trading has also found its way in many countries today. Although emission of greenhouse gases has reduced, much has to be done to mitigate climate change. Many member nations have failed to adhere to principles of the treaty that is very crucial to curb climate change. For climate change mitigation to be achieved, member nations should strictly implement the principles provided by this treaty. All members of the society ranging from students to environmental managers should form role models in campaigning for a zero-carbon emission nation and take the leading positions in creating public awareness on climate change. There is a need to improve in creating awareness to the public on climate change and provide public information access on the same.by so doing the Kyoto protocol treaty would be a very effective strategy to curb climate change.

References

Friis, R. (2012). Essentials of environmental health. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.

Morgan, M. (2003). Environmental health. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Introduction

Climate change, environmental impact, and sustainable development are critical areas that have received attention from various researchers and agencies. Humans live in an era where science has provided knowledge on most phenomena. However, they do not understand some things and have questions that may impact their quality of life in the future. Individuals have written numerous articles to explain the current happenings in the world. Therefore, people need to identify the materials that provide the needed information or appeal to their emotions. In this essay, a critical evaluation of the similarities and differences between three different articles on sustainable development, the environment, and climate change is discussed. Although the articles in question might seem to address completely different topics, they are bound by the same theme of pursuing sustainability on personal, statewide, and global levels.

Analysis: Similarities and Differences

Im a young environmentalist battling climate change through tiny actions by Elliot Freeman is an article that gives a little life history of Kevin Patel and describes how he began advocating for the protection of the environment. The second article, Why is California still drilling for oil despite its ambitious climate goals? written by Alejandra Borunda, provides details of the spills in California and their effects on the state. Lastly, Deland Chans Sustainable Communities for Whom: Cultural Tactics in the Pursuit of Ecological Sustainability explains the significance of developing sustainable plans while considering the communities. The three articles have varying writing styles that make them appropriate for their audiences, contexts, and purposes.

One similarity between the articles is that the authors provide data and statistics shared by international organizations to prove their credibility. On the contrary, they have used different writing formats due to the difference in their purposes and readers. Freemans writing style is persuasive as he presents his biases and opinions to the audience. The aim of Elliots article is to persuade individuals to take part in combating climate change. In addition, he includes arguments and justifications to convince his readers to accept the idea of participating in combating climate change and environmental problems. The author explains how Patel saw the environmental inaction and started protesting, petitioning political officials, and demanding climate justice from everyone to initiate change (Freeman 3). Giving his story and the accomplishments of Kevins effort makes him a role model for others to emulate. In a broader sense, both articles address the concept of sustainability and the means of reinforcing its significance in the context of modern global society to prevent further deterioration of the environment from happening.

Freeman, in his commentary, talks about the organization Patel has set up to encourage marginalized youths to improve their surroundings. The author explains that Patel was diagnosed with arrhythmia, which made him start to research the conditions cause. According to Elliot, Patels neighborhood was classified as sacrifice zones as they were near oil wells and factories that caused the prevalence of the disease. Freeman justifies Patels actions by saying, Thats where environmental inaction and damage have resulted in arrhythmia-stoking levels of smog, which warranted an action (2). Kevin asserts that change can happen if the communities in crisis are at the frontline of fighting against environmental degradation. Thus, Kevins article shares the same sentiment of introducing sustainable measures of mitigating the current outcomes of industries on the environment, thus, improving the ecosystem and minimizing hazards to peoples health and the existence of multiple species.

Why is California still drilling for oil despite its ambitious climate goals? is an expository article, meaning that it focuses on describing the issue and examining its nature. The article provides factual information on oil drills in California and explains why Californias actions contradict its climate goals. Alejandra focuses on a specific topic and gives relevant facts and descriptions. He has highlighted figures and research in the article and cited accurate sources to enhance his validity. According to Borunda, the Ocean ad Coastal Policy Center director, Charles Lester, believes that stopping oil extraction will not protect human health and coastal life because oil extraction, refining, and production will continue to endanger them (3). By giving accurate figures, he ensures efficient presentation for better understanding. Borunda mentions the recent underwater pipeline leak in Southern California that has covered the coastal areas to introduce the audience to his ideas (3). She has arranged his information logically and sequentially to show his flow of thoughts.

Furthermore, Borunda asserts her knowledge to the readers by providing a long history of spills in California and their effects on the environment. He goes back to 1969 when over four million oil gallons spilled near Santa Barbara and spread over thirty-five miles along the coastline, killing numerous birds (Borunda 13). She also mentions the 1990 tanker accident that dumped about four hundred thousand gallons of oil along thirty-five miles of coastline of three beaches, causing three thousand four hundred birds deaths (Borunda 15). Another spill happened in the north of Santa Barbara in 2015. One hundred and forty-three thousand oil gallons poured into the ocean, washing up on Refugio Beach and killing over one hundred six marine mammals and two hundred birds (Borunda 16). Highlighting these events creates a historical context in his writing that deepens the readers understanding of the text. The author has provided the period of the specific oil spills to set the stage for the tone of his writing and create an understanding of the severe impacts of Californias oil activities.

In contrast to the previous two papers, which can be described as mostly expository in nature, the author of Sustainable Communities for Whom: Cultural Tactics in the Pursuit of Ecological Sustainability uses an argumentative writing style to suggest alternative ways of increasing sustainable development in the community. Deland says that authorities need to have a holistic approach toward sustainability if they want it to be effective. When drafting the strategies, they should consider the communitys cultural values, practices, and norms that govern their sustainability tactics. He analyzes two cases of the Los Angeles Little Tokyo Cultural Ecodistrict Plan and the San Francisco Sustainable Chinatown Plan to convince his audience to side with him (Chan 4). Deland argues that the current measures to promote sustainability, such as PlaNYC are inadequate. According to Chan, PlaNYC measures are highly technical and do not resonate with peoples daily lives, presenting the likelihood of tensions (3). Further, these policies offer a general approach to sustainability that aggravates inequality as governments use environmental strategies to benefit privileged societal members.

Chan believes that the case studies developed neighborhood sustainability plans by confronting gentrification. They formulated policies that uphold culturally-relevant definitions and consider cultural heritage, which positively impacted their sustainability goals. The author reviews past literature, explaining that policies to reduce carbon emissions and improve the planets ecology fail to materialize if they are not socially or culturally acceptable. He highlights a few examples, including Mexico City, where strategies to promote a healthy environment backfired. Chan gives factual evidence by highlighting how Little Tokyo Cultural Ecodistrict and Sustainable Chinatown have achieved tremendous success in their sustainability goals by recognizing the communities heritage and cultural values (13). Deland aims to persuade policymakers to reconcile community-led and citywide sustainability initiatives to promote sustainable development. He states that citywide plans are essential as they provide funding and collaboration between different city agencies. These plans should complement community-led tactics that prioritize peoples needs to tackle ecological sustainability.

Conclusion

Though the aforementioned articles have utilized different writing techniques to communicate to their audiences, they still render a similar idea regarding the promotion of sustainability and the focus on collaboration on multiple levels in order to address the key concerns. Elliot Freeman uses a persuasive format that highlights efforts of Patel to protect the environment. He persuasively invokes a sense of responsibility in the readers to take action. On the other hand, Alejandras commentary is an expository article that provides insights into the adverse effects of oil extraction, production, and refinement on Californias coastline. The author highlights the three major oil spill accidents that resulted in the death of birds and marine life to influence individuals understanding of his text. Finally, Deland Chan shows the significance of involving communities in formulating sustainability plans by using an argumentative tone. He argues that policymakers should consult communities and elevate their cultural considerations when designing ecological sustainability strategies to ensure positive outcomes. All the authors incorporated specific writing styles to bridge the gap between them and their audience and improve individuals comprehension of the text, preventing miscommunication.

Works Cited

Borunda, Alxexandra. Why is California still drilling for oil despite its ambitious climate goals? National Geographic, Web.

Chan, Deland. Sustainable Communities for Whom: Cultural Tactics in the Pursuit of Ecological. AAPR, Web.

Freeman, Elliot. Im a Young Environmentalist Battling Climate Change through Tiny Actions. Web.

Introduction

The impacts of climate change are among the greatest threats that humanity has experienced ever. It has been so much rampant that the concept of global warming has become a prime issue of interest in government and policy formulating bodies around the world and that is why its study and conceptualization is among the tenets that describe the future of modern world (Morrison, Slywotzky, Moser, Mundt and Quella 1999). Climate change can be defined as a long term statistical change of prevailing weather patterns in an area over a long time in some times ranging from as less as decades to as long as millions of years (Morrison, Slywotzky, Moser, Mundt and Quella 1999). These climatic changes and prevalence may be restricted to a regional area or in some instances may be felt globally. This paper chooses a local planning problem that has three integrated issues which are environmental, social and economic challenges and is taken from a real place situation which is the protection of Natural Coastal Environments. This paper will clearly explain these issues regarding the planning challenges, planning opportunities and proposed solutions and how the community around can be engaged in the development and implementation of the suggested solutions of the problem.

The three problem issues for the paper

Social Challenges of Climatic Change

The three areas of interest that this report discusses are the impacts of climate change on social, economic and environmental fronts which are the key areas that have created a lot of debate and discussion in the recent times. The issue is challenging when it comes to environmental protection arises when regarding the equity and inequality of the strategies and policies that are formulated and implemented by policy makers and governments. As the policies makers come with up with policies to mitigate the impact of climate change, it has been observed that the persons less responsible of climate degradation are the ones that suffer most. This was clearly seen by the reluctance of developed countries that are responsible for over 75% of the global toxic emissions to sign on the Kyoto Protocol leading the Copenhagen Agreement that in some way attempted to obligate them to do so (Wack 1985).

Economic Challenge of Climatic Change

The second challenging issue is the economic challenges that are associated with climate change. According to Wack (1985) it is possible to measure climatic change and its impact in economic sense and can be seen in market impacts where these impacts are linked directly to the market trends and transactions done that directly or indirectly affect a countrys GDP (Wack 1985). It is however generally acceptable that measures of non-market impact like climatic change impact on human health and challenges in the ecosystem are generally harder to evaluate and compute. In the same way, the following list indicates other areas that are difficult to evaluate with regard to climatic change especially in Australia:

• Knowledge Gaps  to obtain this, it is required to have details about demographics and geographical empirical data which usually results in errors and uncertainties in the available climatic models.
• Adaptation Under or overestimation of this adaptive capacity is the undoing of the society which creates greater difficulty in assessment of the impact of climate change in an economic sense.

It has been surmised by Karl et al. (2009) that climate change is likely to increase inequalities in income within countries as well as among different countries. In addition, the author further observes that a small increase in the global mean temperature of as little as between 2 and 3 degrees centigrade is likely to cause negative impacts in the market sector and especially for the developing countries whose results may trickle to similar impacts to developed countries (Karl et al. 2009).

Environmental Challenge of Climatic Change

The third issue of interest is the impact of climate change in an environmental sense. Up to now, it is acceptable that the environment is the sole casualty of climatic change causing deleterious effects on the environment. The many causes of climatic change directly affect the environment by depleting it and causing destruction of some of the most important assets in the environment like the atmosphere, the ozone layer, the glaciers, the lakes among others. The effects of greenhouse gases directly released from the industries into the atmosphere have over time caused a lot of damage to the environment with catastrophic results. The figure below shows illustratively the effects of greenhouse emissions captured pictorially.

There are a host of sources that releases these gases into the atmosphere main of which is from the industries. When these gases are released without proper sanitation and cleaning done to detoxicate them, they carry with them their complex chemical structures into the atmosphere which are not biodegradable and which cause destruction to the environment. Figure 2 shows some of the sources of greenhouse emissions.

Protection of Natural Coastal Environment

Having discussed the areas of the paper that contains the issues to be addressed in the analysis, the local planning problem that has been taken for this paper can now be factored in. Australia is a country that enjoys relatively moderate climatic conditions throughout the year and the corollary of this has been the beautiful coastal regions and outlines that have emerged over time. It is a country that attributes most of its tourism boom to its coastal strip that is warm, rich of life and well designed and maintained. The recent developments of climate change through global warming and greenhouse emission has caused ripples along the coastal strip of Australia and that is why it is imperative to strategize and formulate viable policies that suggest ways of protecting the coastal environment. In preparing for this endeavour, there are things that are important to be noted and studied regarding the coastal environment and these are discussed below.

Coastal Processes

Figure 3 below shows the coastal process in the formation of waves and beaches. This process is important since the waves are the ones that provide the coastal strip with the beautiful smooth sand that is pushed to the strip from deep within the sea. When these waves continually blow on the shores, the carry with them many things from the ocean and depending on their severity, may cause destruction to the beach or lead to positive build up of coastal materials (Karl et al. 2009).

Soil Erosion at the Coast

The next process of interest when preparing for the protection of the coastal environment is the erosion that occurs there. This erosion is caused by the continued lashing of the waves against the coastal strip which carries with it soil along the beach (Tichy 1983). Usually sea cliffs are formed due to soil erosion at the coast where wave water erodes away the entire base of the face of the cliff which owing to the pressure dent caused by the removed soil slums down and also due to there not being support enough to sustain its height. Figure 4 shows the formation of the sea cliff.

With the above assorted examples of the challenges of erosion on the coastal strip, there are a number of remedial approaches that can be taken in the bid to protect the strip against destruction through soil erosion which is hugely affected by climatic changes. These approaches are discussed below

Long shore Currents and Human Erosion Control

This is an approach that attempts to limit the destructive effects of erosion on the beaches where there are barriers that are erected along the beaches such that when the long shore currents carry with them sand along the beach, the sand is entrapped on these barriers and prevented from being moved farther away from the beach. Figure 5 shows such a setting of these barriers.

Figure 6 shows the process that are involved in the erosion process at the beach line and approaches that can be used to curb them.

Having discussed the issues regarding protection of the coastal environment, it is now appropriate to discuss important aspects of the planning strategy of what is needed to sustainably maintain these remedial approaches as a specific response to climatic change. It is taken that these approaches are suggested by an organization that is concerned with protection of the environment which creates a conducive environment for proper discussion regarding planning and strategizing. Strategic planning is central to any operation as it clearly defines the objectives and assesses with great detail both the internal and the external situations of a company which is important for the companys formulation of the strategy, implementation of the strategy as well as evaluation of the progress and adjustments made where necessary (Morrison, Slywotzky, Moser, Mundt and Quella 1999). The exact process of strategic planning includes explanation and re-assessing the missions and objectives of the company, strategy formulation, Environmental scanning, evaluation, strategy implementation, and control (Morrison, Slywotzky, Moser, Mundt and Quella 1999).

Analysis

Where preparing for an elaborate planning expedition like of this caliber, it is important to have models that direct through the process. Planning to create approaches that respond to climatic changes and challenges associated with them especially when protecting the Coastal environment is in no doubt imperative enough to require such models as SWOT analysis and PEST analysis. SWOT analysis is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. These are internal and external environmental (Mintzberg 1987). Factors are imperative elements of the process of strategic planning. The internal factors for an organization planning for such a venture are strengths as well as weaknesses whereas external factors are opportunities and threats that are associated with the organization (Pascale 1990). This analysis model helps an organization to match its capacity and resources to the external competitive environment that it is working within (Christensen 1997).

Strengths

The strengths are its capabilities and available resources that can be used to complete with the resources that can be used to complete with the external environment. This in turn creates a competition with the external environment (Pascale 1990). This in turn creates a competitive advantage. For instance competitive advantage exists when an organization is able to deliver benefits that supersede those competitors thus creating differential advantage. Other strengths include (Christensen 1997):

• Response to the situation
• Resources
• Internal capacity
• Cost advantage
• Measure to the task
• Expertise in Environmental issues
• Operational efficiency
• Relevance to the problem

Questions asked at this stage are-:

• What are your strong assets?
• What are your unique resources?
• How do you maintain your unique resource?
• What structure do you have that are superior to your competitors?
• Is your competitive advantage sustainable?

Weaknesses

This are values from within the organization that destroy or lower the quality of delivery. Some of the weaknesses could be (Houghton, Ding, Griggs, et al. 2001):

Poor location

• Lack of Resources
• Unpreparedness
• Lack of skills similar products with stronger competitors

Here the questions to be asked are-:

• What areas do you need to improve on and why?
• What resources are you lacking?
• What edge do your competitors have over you?
• Do you have any new resources?
• Are you overly in debt?

Opportunities

These are external factors available to facilitate the improvement of quality and working of the organization. They include-:

• A new market niche
• An extended market niche for example by using the internet
• Entrance of a new investor
• Lack of competition

The questions asked here are -:

• What new friends might improve your organization?
• Are you in position to acquire new talents?
• Is competition failing to fulfill their clients?
• What change will present great opportunities?

Threats

These are external factors hindering the growth progress of the organization. They include:

• Bigger competitor in the domain
• Price wars
• Better products or service from competitors

For a successful SWOT analysis:

• Be realistic about the goals to be achieved
• Be very specific on what is expected
• Always apply SWOT in relation to your competitors
• Avoid over analyzing and keep it simple
• Be subjective

Questions asked here are-:

• Is staff moral boosted to avoid being poached by competitors?
• What if your customers are bankrupt?
• What if you cant deliver products in time due to unavoidable reasons?

During SWOT analysis the following questions should be asked.

• What external forces will affect the strategies for instance similar products and new entrants?
• How could these external forces affect the changes in term of opportunity and threats?
• How does the organization address the threats?
• How does the organization seize the available opportunities?
• How can strengths within the organization be used on the available opportunities?

These summarized concepts of the model are particularly important for consideration when considering Australia. Australia is a developed country with efficiency being the back bone of all its industrial processes. This means that an organization that may want to engage in any activity has to show capacity and professionalism in what is able to do for it to win the confidence of the government. For this paper, it is suggested that a company or organization that may want to lead the operation of protecting the coastal environment has to show capacity and the above outlined insights of the model gives a hint of the general things that have to be considered in such a scenario. The initial stage of using a SWOT model by managers should be to select the right people for the tasks. Use the right people for tasks, use a successful process, be focused and detailed, and be in line with the business strategy (Slywotzky 1996).

Selection of the right people

The manager needs to select only key player who are in a position to participate fully and bring in rich knowledge and expertise into the team. This will in effect bring out a rich pool of ideas and in application get desired results (Slywotzky 1996).

A successful process

For the process to work communication is vital and is best workable when all the players are available and working face to face. All tasks must be carefully planned from the raw materials to achieving the results and follow a pre-determined time schedule (Slywotzky 1996).

The process should be accommodated to change in that if any addition needs to be made it is done so so that that greater improvement is achieved while at the same time it be focused and detailed (Schartz 1991). This brings in brainstorming session of the SWOT ideas expected to deliver rich ideas and this ideas need to be brainstormed on one more time and the productive ones absorbed and the rest rejected. The productive ideas brought out here should be clear and specific, easy to work on and tangible (Schartz 1991).

Conclusion

Having successfully discussed the issues pertinent to this paper and the planning challenges anticipated for the realization of the objectives as well as the planning opportunities and proposed solutions including the entire planning process, it is now appropriate to summarize the findings with a discussion of how the community can be engaged in the development and implementation of the suggested solutions. It has been established throughout this paper that environmental conservation is not a reserve of the few but rather a global concern that requires the full involvement of everyone. This is particularly important since climatic degradation effects are not localized to one specific region but rather permeate the entire world causing harm to both the culpable and the innocent (Tichy 1983). The specific area of interest of this paper has been the protection of the coastal environment that has been impacted negatively by climatic changes and the region of interest has been Australia. There is a huge importance and relevance of the coastal strip both to its adjacent environment as well as the offshore areas since is acts as a local ecosystem where the mixture of the salty water with the fresh water especially in the Australian estuaries provides good grounds and nutrients for marine life which is a source of income both directly through harvesting of fish and ocean animals and indirectly through tourism. Plant, animals and insect life is also protected by the salt marshes and beaches which in turn sustains the food chain for continued coexistence (Tichy 1983).

It has also been discussed herein that greenhouse gas emission forms the largest part of challenges facing conservation efforts of protecting the environment from destruction. It is now well acknowledged that environmental degradation in almost every sense can be attributed to global warming with is a result of greenhouse emissions. This does not spare the coastal environment as it is part and parcel of the environment. Of these greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide is the most prevalent one and one that readily causes most harm to the environment. The following figures show how centrally carbon dioxide is responsible of climate change and compares its release into the atmosphere from different quotas and their intensity (Tichy 1983).

As the following figure shows, the coastal environment has become increasingly inhabited and developed by people over time to an extent that the coastal strip is slowly being occupied by people.

With these levels of rising development of the coastal environment through human habitation, it is important that residents of these areas are trained and taught about conservation of the environment around them. Pollution through residential toxins and poor disposal systems are some of the ways that can be used to protect the coastal environment. Regarding the erosion caused along the shores, residents and the society at large ought to be sensitized on the different ways that can be used to minimize it and ensure sustenance of the coastal region. These are some of the ways that can be used to ensure proper planning is in place and strategies formulated to sustain such development. As discussed earlier, it is suggested that such elaborate planning and strategizing can best be done by an organization that specializes in such activities rather than individual effort. In that regard therefore, world governments have to be compelled to support such organizations that are keen in protecting the environment more so the coastal environment. Australia is among the most response countries that are concerned with environmental conservation. Is among the few developed counties that readily supported the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Declaration regarding conservation of the environment by cutting down on its fuel emissions (Tichy 1983).

References

Christensen, C., 1997. The Innovators Dilemma. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Houghton, P.J., Ding, Y., Griggs, D.J. et al., 2001. Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis: Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Karl, T.R., et al., 2009. Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mintzberg, H. 1987. Crafting Strategy. Harvard Business Review, 3(2), pp. 101  121.

Morrison, D., Slywotzky, A., Moser, T., Mundt, K. and Quella, J., 1999. Profit Patterns from PEST and SWOT Analysis. New York: Time Business (Random House).

Parry, M.L., et al., 2007. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pascale, R., 1990. Managing on the Edge. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Schartz, P., 1991. The Art of the Long View of SWOT analysis. New York: Doubleday.

Slywotzky, A., 1996. Value Migration. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Tichy, N., 1983. Managing Strategic Change: Technical, Political, and Cultural Dynamics. New York: John Wiley.

Wack, P., 1985. Scenarios: Uncharted Waters Ahead. Harvard Business Review, 5(1), pp. 4373.

According to projections of geographical surveys, polar bear species are under threat of extinction; actually, by 2050, two thirds of the species will have disappeared due to adverse effects of global warming. As climatic changes occur, polar bear swimming conditions become dangerous and these welcoming creatures face the inevitability of food scarcity. Global warming has caused disappearance of sea ice, forcing polar bears to live on land during summer seasons. On land, bears get nothing to eat and they stay for long times without hunting which has caused decline in their average weight by around fifteen percent. The unfavorable conditions have cut short bears hunting seasons coupled with their reproduction rates, which have seen the whole population decline, by more than twenty percent.

Dangerous swimming conditions, caused by retreat of ice causing the remaining ice to be further from shore, underscore bears normal lives. The gap between shore and ice causes rougher wave conditions, which poses danger for bears while swimming to sea ice from the shore. Continued threat of polar bear survival has been caused by loss of sea ice due to climatic change mostly caused by gas emissions (Constible, Sandro, & Lee, 2008, p.105). Gas and oil development and exploration together with industrial activities have threatened the very survival of polar bears.

Polar bear specialist groups held two meetings, the first in 2005, while the second one took place in 2009. Nineteen subpopulations of polar bear were reported in the meeting. In 2005, five subpopulations were declining out of the total nineteen populations. Five of nineteen subpopulations were stable and two were increasing; however, seven populations were not recorded due insufficient data. The data from the 2005 meeting showed that there was hope for polar bears because only five out of nineteen populations were declining. The fact that five of them were stable meant that surviving conditions were habitable for polar bears.

Regrettably, another meeting held later in 2009 dashed the hopes that had begun resurrecting in the 2005 meeting; the data presented showed worrying trends. The statistics showed that eight subpopulations were declining; a higher number compared to five in 2005. Increase in number of declining population is an evidence of declining population trends for polar bears. Three populations were stable in 2009 according to the data presented by scientists in the 2009 meeting. In comparison to 2005 where five of the populations were stable, it shows that there was a decline in stability of polar bear population. The number of increasing subpopulations had reduced from two in 2005, to one in 2009. Seven of the populations in 2009 were not determined due to insufficient data.

Histogram showing the decline of polar bear

Polar Bear Decline data sheet

Polar bear population decline lies on the continued loss of sea ice habitat because polar bears rely on the sea ice for food. The summer melt-off in 2009 was very high in the Arctic compared to other years and other places. Present global warming trends should be reduced to avoid greater losses in future, which are estimated to be high. It has been estimated that by 2080, all polar bear species will be lost if proper measures are not implemented. Therefore, reduction of carbon emissions among other global warming mitigation measures could save polar bears from further decline.

Reference

Constible, J., Sandro, L, H., Richard, E, L. (2008). Climate change from Pole to Pole: Biology Investigations. United States: National Science Teachers association.

Climate change and global warming are considered the biggest issues of the 21^st century. Today, there are a lot of scientists from the fields of ecology and meteorology who are monitoring the changes of climate in various regions of the world. The data they collect year after year are disturbing since global warming is a real problem even though it is still ignored by the majority of individuals.

Some countries are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than others, yet this issue should not be viewed as a problem only of a certain group of areas and states. On the contrary, climate change is a global issue, and it has to do with humanity in general. This paper will discuss future climate change impacts on Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is recognized as one of the states that are likely to suffer serious negative consequences due to the developing global warming and climate change.

The factors that make this state particularly vulnerable, are multiple. Among them, there are the economic situation, population density, overall illiteracy, specific features of the landscape, and lack of appropriate infrastructure and institutional setup (Denissen par. 1). This way, the social, cultural, environmental, political, and economic aspects of Bangladesh make a contribution to the countrys vulnerability to the future climate change.

Geographically, Bangladesh is locked between the Bay of Bengal in the south and the Himalayas chain to the north. Such a position exposes the country to a great number of natural disasters such as floods, heavy rains, storms, extreme temperatures, and droughts. Two-thirds of the population of Bangladesh dwells in the rural regions and works in the sphere of farming.

This is an agricultural country; the vast majority of its industries are engaged in fishing or farming. Every time nature strikes. This results in multiple victims among the population due to high density and a serious economic loss since the financial situation in the state is rather difficult. Besides, most of the countrys territory is covered with floodplains, which means that flooding during the rainy seasons is a frequent happening in Bangladesh.

Among the predicted climate change impacts for this country, there are rising sea-level, increasing humidity, heavy rains during monsoon season, shrinking winter, unpredictable cyclones (Denissen par. 1). All of these changes will severely reduce the economic development in Bangladesh, probably, causing a crisis.

Besides, the general population growth in the country is 2 percent a year in rural areas and 4.6 percent in urban regions, which means that during the course of this century, the number of people inhabiting Bangladesh will increase very fast and create more economic issues.

Since the main sources of the countrys budget incomes are fishing and agriculture, future climate change may lead to serious financial losses for Bangladesh. Floods caused by heavy rainfalls during the monsoon season or droughts caused by extreme temperatures and cyclones will harm the farming potential of the country and destroy the harvest. As a result, this might lead to the need to purchase crops from abroad, which would not be good for the countrys budget.

Moreover, agricultural areas and farms located close to the coastline risk to be completely destroyed by the rising sea level. Only a small part of the country is situated in the highlands. The rest is in the low lying regions.

Besides, storms, salinity intrusion, and sea-level changes seriously impact the ecosystems around the coastline with would inevitably lead to migration of fish and other sea life. As a result, fishery might suffer significant losses. All of these negative impacts on the leading industries of Bangladesh are likely to aggravate poverty, which is likely to grow even without climatic influences due to population growth rates.

One more outcome that is likely to occur under the impact of climate change and global warming is the reduced biodiversity since the new climate and environment might not be suitable for a lot of species living in Bangladesh today (Afrin par. 7). This is likely to shift the natural balance and lead to an increase in the number of parasites. As a result, the poor and illiterate population of Bangladesh is likely to start suffering from diseases vectored by insects such as mosquitoes.

Global warming and climate change are the evident happenings that have been confirmed by the data collected by meteorologist professionals over the last several decades. Bangladesh is a troubling example of that kind of future that might come to a great variety of other regions and countries. The most vulnerable places are islands located in tropical climate zones and close to the sea level. Just like Bangladesh, they are likely to be flooded and inhabited by parasites.

The worlds community is aware of the problem, and today, the leaders of over 20 nations are working together to protect the most vulnerable regions from the inevitable climate change and protect their people. In Bangladesh, there are millions of citizens who live in poverty and are predicted to be severely affected within this century.

Works Cited

Afrin, Tamanna. Bangladesh and Climate Change. 2012. Web.

Denissen, Anne-Katrien. Climate Change & its Impacts on Bangladesh. 2012. Web.

Introduction

Climate change has direct impacts on oceans as the article clearly articulates. The author asserts that climatic conditions influence the ocean directly, although the vice versa is also true. These impacts are major reasons that influence human welfare. This paper is a summary of an article about the impacts of climatic changes in the ocean with regard to ocean acidification.

Brief historical account of the effects of pH levels

Oceanic scientists use The Joides Resolution, which is a specially designed ship for digging up sediments from the floor of the sea (Zimmer par. 2). The scientists once dug up sediments that were 55 million years old from the base of the ocean (Zimmer par. 2). As they studied the deposits, they realized that there was red clay formed in the middle of the sediments and this was a clear indication of how the shelled creatures of the sea had disappeared (Zimmer par. 4). This discovery led to a scientific conclusion that the changes were greatly influenced by the alteration in the level of the oceans pH.

Effects of the drop in pH levels

With the drop in the waters pH level, the shells are corroded and destroyed. The scientists realized that the crisis lasted for several millennia before the oceans could fully recover from the impacts of the drop in the pH level (Zimmer par. 4). Based on their discovery, scientists now are warning against spewing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. By so doing, scientists warn that the ocean will get more acidic and the pH level will consequently decrease. This will ultimately lead to the water getting corrosive, hence having the destructive effects as discussed earlier.

The speed of carbon effects on the pH levels

This article compares what happened 55 million years ago with what is currently happening especially with regard to climatic changes (Zimmer par. 5). The scientists warn against storing carbon dioxide in the oceans, citing that, it has the effect of changing the chemistry of the seawater (Zimmer par. 7). The impact of acidification of the seawater through carbon emissions are more dreadful compared to other forms. The impacts of the drop in seawater pH in the past 55 million years are nothing compared to the rate of acidification taking place today due to the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The process as the scientists have warned is fast and huge (Zimmer par. 5).

Seawater and the pH level

The typical pH of seawater at the surface of the oceans is about 8-8.5, according to scientists (Zimmer par. 7). This is slightly higher than pure water which is normally at pH 7 (Zimmer par. 7). The use of fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, consequently trapping heat. Nonetheless, the emitted carbon dioxide gas does not stay in the atmosphere for long before it gets absorbed into the ocean. Carbon dioxide absorbed into the seawater reacts with it and as such lowers its pH (Zimmer par. 7). The author argues that the amount of carbon dioxide that has been released into the atmosphere since the time the industrial revolution had begun will have a greater and faster effect on the ocean acidification (Zimmer par. 8).

Conclusion

This essay outlines the major effects of the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the impact of it on the sea water. The paper discusses the standard pH levels of seawater comparing it with normal water hence projecting the impacts of carbon dioxide. The speed at which the lowering of the pH level is anticipated has been also discussed.

Works Cited

Zimmer, Carl. An Ominous Warning on the Effects of Ocean Acidification. 2010. Web.

Introduction

The climatic conditions of the earth have changed significantly over the centuries. This can be noticed from the geological evidence of changes in sea levels and ice ages. The patterns of human activity over the centuries also give good evidence of climate change.

It is unclear what caused the climate changes in the past, but scientists have listed possible causes like volcanic eruptions, the suns effects, and changes in ocean currents (Pelling 2011 p. 17). The evidence of climate change at present is mainly seen in the sharp increase in global temperatures over the past few decades.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report arrived at the conclusion that climate change was happening at present. Atmospheric and oceanic temperatures have reached record high levels that have never been witnessed in the last 500 years and most likely for over 1000 years (IPPC 2008 p. 34).

The effects of climate change can be seen in many areas, with one of the most common pointers being the increased frequency of natural disasters. Industrialization and deforestation increase the levels greenhouse gases in the earths atmosphere, and this has consequently led to an increase in droughts, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Current Approach to Climate Change

A look at the statistics indicates that climate change is a major issue that requires a serious approach in order to mitigate its effects. For the period from 1995 to 2004, disasters caused 890,000 deaths and affected a total of 2.5 billion people, with losses estimated at US$ 570 billion (IPCC 2008 p. 46). The number of disasters recorded almost doubled for the period running from 1995 to 2005, and this is cause for major concern.

Other plausible explanations for this increase include population growth and the increase in the number of climatic disasters of a lower magnitude. However, the increased cases of droughts, storms, and very high rainfalls in different places are indicative of the culmination of the effects of climate change, and major disasters are yet to follow in the future (Schipper & Pelling 2006, p. 117).

Some positive statistics show that there are now fewer people dying as a result of disasters as compared to previous centuries. This is particularly so for widespread flooding and drought, which have in the past claimed hundreds of thousands of human lives.

This reduction can be attributed to improved systems for monitoring climatic patterns, providing early warning of impending disaster and general preparedness (Sietz & Boschutz 2011 p. 82). The responses of governments and international organizations through measures like evacuations and food aid have also helped save a lot of lives.

However, this trend could be on the reverse since the past few decades have seen a rise in the baseline level of deaths, which can be attributed to a growing population with a majority of the poor living in disaster prone areas. It is the poor people that feel the full impact of disasters and other effects of climate change.

Any progress that has been made towards poverty reduction over the years can be undone due to the damages caused by these disasters (Pachuari 2004 p. 137).

Many people in the population expect their respective governments to shield them from the risks of disaster at all costs (Wilkinson 2012 p. 156). They do not seriously consider the risks that they may be putting themselves in from the choices they make, especially concerning where they settle and the socio-economic activities that they engage in.

Experts have proposed an approach that decreases the chances of the population suffering impending disasters, regardless of whether they are related to climate change or not.

This idea of disaster risk reduction or adaptation can be implemented in several ways. These include public awareness programs, early warning systems, and environmental protection. These efforts also require serious political commitment and administrative input from respective governments.

Politics, Institutions and Climate Change

Disaster risk reduction and climate change are closely related, yet they are usually discussed under different policy spheres at both national and international forums. In recent years, those concerned with disaster reduction have actively contributed to discussions on climate change, and have proposed concepts for adaptation.

There have been efforts to combine the efforts towards disaster reduction and climate change. There are several UN processes geared towards risk reduction. They include bodies like the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UNOHRLLS) and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The Small Island Developing States have already recognized the need to reduce the risks of climate change, and have come up with the Mauritius Strategy on sustainable development. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is also helping poor countries that depend on agriculture how to reduce risk and adapt to climate change.

Experts emphasize that the most of the efforts towards reducing climate change and disaster risks should be made at community and state levels. This calls for an integrated approach that unites the efforts of all the concerned sectors under a common framework. Some of these sectors include education, infrastructure, health, and environment.

It has been noted that most of the disaster risk reduction efforts in many countries are handled by the armed forces or emergency management bodies that usually have few connections with other concerned ministries like environment, finance, or economic planning. Many countries are now looking at how to integrate these efforts for better coordination and collaboration between all the major stakeholders (Willis 2005 p. 175).

The public needs to be actively engaged in disaster reduction efforts to complement the efforts by the government and international bodies. The private sector also has a lot of expertise when it comes to disaster management and risk reduction, and their in put should be sought to boost the efforts that are already in place.

Climate change is now the leading cause of many disasters happening all over the world. As a result, the efforts at mitigating the effects of climate change are closely related to disaster risk reduction, and the two must be approached by combining efforts.

Future projections for climate change

Experts are now using computer-based models to try to predict future climate patterns. These models incorporate important factors that affect the atmosphere and the oceans, like the projected increase in greenhouse gases due to socio-economic activities. The results released by the IPCC based on the computer models paint a very grim picture.

Surface air temperatures for the globe are expected to increase by 1.1-6.4 degrees Celsius while seas levels are expected to rise by 18 to 59 cm by the year 2100 (IPCC 2008 p. 58). The acidity of the oceans will increase while the planet will experience heat waves and high precipitation events will become more common. The high precipitation will mainly be seen at higher altitudes while the subtropical areas will see less rainfall.

The continuous rising of tropical sea surface temperatures will cause the tropical cyclones, like typhoons and hurricanes, to become more intense. This will be seen in the higher peak wind speeds and more accompanying precipitation (citation).

Expected effects of climate change

Melt water from the top of the mountains supply more than one sixth of the planets population with their water needs. These are people living mainly in the dry tropics and mid latitudes, and they are likely to experience a significant reduction in water supply by the middle of the century. There will be higher precipitation in some areas and this is most likely to result in more floods.

The mid and high altitude areas may initially benefit from higher agricultural output due to the increased precipitation. However, in the lower altitude areas, crop production will be heavily affected due to the increases in temperature and frequency of droughts and floods. There will be more people facing hunger and this will cause displacement and migration of large populations.

Those societies, settlements, and industries located at the coastal areas and river flood plains face the highest risks from the effects of climate change. Also under threat are those countries whose economies are heavily dependent on climate-sensitive resources.

The extreme weather patterns have become a common occurrence and with increased intensity, and the economic and social costs of damages resulting from these events will increase. This is more so for places undergoing rapid urbanization. The negative impact of climate change on health is a major concern.

Heat waves, storms, droughts, floods, and fires are likely to cause more injuries and deaths. Other threats to health will come from malaria, diarrhea, and malnutrition. The projects aimed at improving public health especially in the poor countries will suffer a huge setback as a result of disasters (Mehta 2000 p. 89).

Climate change is expected to affect all countries, but the nastiest effects will be experienced by people in poor countries and the poor segment in developed countries. The poor have a tendency to live in high-risk areas like flood plains, yet they do not have properly built houses.

Their economic activities are also dependent on climate, like agriculture, and they have no capacity to cope with the effects of climate change (Madan 2010 p. 67). This means that the low incomes of the poor are likely to fall further, and the rates of illness and death will increase in many developing countries.

Africa already suffers from numerous problems like endemic poverty, armed conflicts, and other disasters yet it lacks the institutional capacity to deal with these situations. This makes the continent extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Drought is set to continue being a major problem in Africa, and it has been shown that sub-Saharan Africa has become drier during the 20^th century.

Agricultural production and water supply are expected to reduce significantly, with some projections putting a reduction in agricultural yields by up to 50% by the year 2020 (Low 2005 p. 248). Asia has been keen on sustainable development but this is set to come under strain as climate change puts more pressure on natural resources that are already under threat from urbanization and industrialization.

Dealing with Climate Change

The world has slowly awaken to the fact that climate change is a major concern, and countries are now trying to discuss and negotiate ways of dealing with the problem, mainly under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

It has been widely accepted that greenhouse emissions arising from human activity are the main problem, and focus is now on how to reduce these emissions (Levine, Ludi & Jones 2011, p. 46). There is a lot of contention on how to go about reducing greenhouse emissions, as it calls for radical changes that will affect the society in a major way.

The use of fossil fuels, industries, urban development, and general land use all need to be changed drastically and this is likely to affect many people in a huge way hence the resistance. The efforts at reducing greenhouse emissions are referred to as mitigation.

Some of the proposed mitigation actions include switching to renewable forms of energy, development of low-energy technologies and reducing reliance on energy-intensive products. It also involves environmental management and conservation efforts targeting forests and soils. The second plan of action in response to climate change involves finding ways of managing its impacts.

The amounts of greenhouse gases that have already accumulated in the atmosphere mean that the world cannot escape the impacts of climate change. This is reinforced by the continued emissions before the mitigation efforts take full effect.

It is widely accepted that the impacts of climate change are coming or are already here, and some effort is being put towards lessening these impacts. These efforts towards coping with climate change are referred to as adaptation.

Proposed adaptation efforts include early warning systems, better building designs, improved agricultural practices, and putting in place social safety nets for the poor. Adaptation and mitigation efforts should go hand in hand for complimentary effect (Jones et al. 2010 p. 79).

Conclusion

Geological and anthropological evidence indicate that the earth has experienced climate change before. It is difficult to point out the real reasons behind climate change in the past. However, climate change is happening now, and much of it is due to human activity.

Both atmospheric and oceanic temperatures have reached record highs that have not been experienced for hundreds of years. The effects of climate change are already being felt, especially due to the increased frequency of disasters all over the world. These changes have mostly affected poor people living in disaster prone areas (Baker 2012 p. 28).

The most common effects are extreme weather conditions like heavy rainfall that results in widespread floods, and prolonged drought that causes famine and denies the poor a source of livelihood through agriculture. There have been efforts towards addressing climate change as the world continues to witness its devastating effects.

However, there seems to be several hindering factors, mainly at local and national levels (Dasgupta & Baschieri 2010 p. 56). Most countries lack the capacities and institutional frameworks to deal with climate change, and there has also been slow reaction from governments yet they are expected to play a significant role in the whole process.

Efforts at addressing climate change revolve around mitigation actions aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions, and adaptation actions meant to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Mitigation requires some drastic measures that are bound to affect many people in a significant way, and this has caused a lot of debate. As for adaptation, it has come to be accepted that climate change is already causing problems, with more to come so people are trying to find ways of lessening the impact.

References

Baker, J L 2012, Climate change, disaster risk, and the urban poor: Cities building resilience for a changing world, World Bank, Washington, D.C.

Dasgupta, A & Baschieri, A 2010, Vulnerability to Climate Change in Rural Ghana: Mainstreaming Climate Change in Poverty-Reduction Strategies, Journal of International Development, vol. 954 no.748, pp. 803-820

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2008, Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability : Working Group II contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC Secretariat, Geneva.

Jones, L., Jaspars, S., Pavanello, S., Ludi, E., Slater, R., Arnall, A., Grist, N and Mtisi, S 2010, Responding to a changing climate: Exploring how disaster risk reduction, social protection and livelihoods approaches promote features of adaptive capacity, Overseas Development Institute, London.

Levine, S., Ludi, E. and Jones, L 2011, Rethinking Support for Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change The Role of Development Interventions, Overseas Development Institute, London

Low, S 2005, Climate change and Africa, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge [u.a.],

Madan K 2010, Natural and anthropogenic disasters: vulnerability, preparedness and Mitigation, Springer, Dordrecht

Mehta, l 2000, Environmental Governance in an Uncertain World, IDS Bulletin, vol. 32 no. 4, pp. 1-15

Pachauri, R 2004, Climate Change and Its Implications for Development, IDS Bulletin, vol. 35 no. 3, pp. 11-14.

Pelling, M 2011, Conclusion: adapting with climate change, Adaptation to climate change: from resilience to transformation, Routledge: New York,

Schipper, L and Pelling, M 2006, Disaster risk, climate change and international development: Scopes for, and challenges to, integration, Disasters, vol. 30 no. 1, pp. 19-38.

Sietz, D and Boschutz, M 2011, Mainstreaming climate adaptation into development assistance: rationale, institutional barriers and opportunities in Mozambique, Environmental Science & Policy, vol. 14 no. 4, pp 493-502.

Wilkinson, E 2012, Transforming disaster risk management: a political economy approach, Overseas Development Institute, London.

Willis, K 2005, Theories and Practices of Development, Routledge, Abingdon.

Explanation of why the term global warming is worse than the term climate change when it comes to describing the ongoing human impacts on our planet

When discussing climate change, the term global warming is often considered the standard, but recent scientific studies show that it is not very accurate. While melting ice caps, seasonal weather shifts and greenhouse effect are well-known and essential factors; global warming affects more than just the weather. Entire ecosystems are affected by it as biomes shift, forcing animals to change their homes and migration paths. For that reason, using a broader term such as climate change is more accurate as it includes a variety of effects human involvement cause to our planet.

Why Milankovitch Cycles are not reliable as an explanation for the recent trends in Earths temperature

Milankovitch Cycles theory describes how the Earths position relative to the Sun can affect its temperature levels and a predictable cycle that can influence the planet in the long term. It can help analyze past events such as the Pleistocene ice ages, but the current climate change does not fit the criteria. The theory is meant to explain the slow and long-lasting effects the planets position can cause, but the difference is happening too fast, and the Earth is moving towards its cooling phase.

Top two points to make if talking to someone skeptical about climate change, as a way to convince them of the reality and severity of climate change

Many people deny climate change despite the evidence. Two points can be made in order to support it. First, scientists have studied environment to analyze how different climate was thousands of years ago. It demonstrates how slower the change was when compared to the current climate change. The second point is how human cities need to adapt to rising water levels (Zhou et al., 2019). Many coastal settlements such as Newtok are disappearing from the map as a result of this change. These points show how climate change affects the planet by using scientific data as well as modern observations.

Reference

Zhou, Q., Leng, G., Su, J., & Ren, Y. (2019). Comparison of urbanization and climate change impacts on urban flood volumes: Importance of urban planning and drainage adaptation.Science of the Total Environment, 658, 24-33. Web.

Abstract

This report discusses the causes and impacts of climate change on ocean life and proposes measures to curb the destruction of aquatic life. Global warming is one of the serious manifestations of climate change. In the marine environment, it has led to the destruction of aquatic life. This report is written using qualitative information derived from secondary sources that discuss the impacts of global warming on aquatic life.

The findings of this study reveal that global warming has affected aquatic life as follows. First, it has led to high temperatures in the oceans. High temperature leads to the destruction of main sources of food such as algae and corals. This causes the depletion of food, which affects the symbiotic association of sea life. Global warming has led to an increase in deep-sea acidity. This has led to a decrease in the supply of organic gases.

Inadequate availability of organic gases leads to the death of marine life. Global warming has affected marine photosynthesis. Hence, most aquatic plants cannot access enough nutrients. Coral bleaching has been increasing steadily because of high temperatures in the oceans. Bleaching of coral reefs leads to the destruction of algae. In the Polar Regions, global warming has led to an increased melting of ice in the oceans. Therefore, many aquatic animals in the Polar Regions have started dying.

It is evident that climate change has serious consequences. Therefore, the following measures should be taken to protect ocean life from further destruction. First, serious measures should be taken to mitigate the emission of toxic gases that lead to global warming. Second, resources should be allocated to facilitate scientific research on aquatic life. Third, endangered species of aquatic life should be protected from further destruction.

Introduction

According to my research findings, climate change is one of the serious contemporary environmental challenges. Global warming is one of the effects of climate change. It has serious effects on the ecosystem. Global warming refers to the rise in the earths normal atmospheric heat that leads to analogous alterations in climate (World Wildlife Fund). There has been a significant increase in the emission of toxic gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane in the twentieth century.

Thus, human activities that generate carbon dioxide are one of the main causes of global warming. Toxic gases have obliterated the ozone layer. The destruction of the ozone layer has led to the exposure of the earth to harmful radiation from the sun. Emission of toxic gases into the atmosphere also leads to the creation of a shield around the globe, which traps heat inside the earth. Accumulation of heat leads to global warming, which affects the environment and living organisms.

An increase in air temperature is harmful to ocean life. Increase in temperature reduces water density and affects the cold layer of water that contains nutrients, which living organisms consume. The heating up of the oceans affect the availability of food for marine life (Taylor). Additionally, oceans are becoming more acidic due to increasing temperatures.

This report presents my research findings on the causes and impacts of climate change on ocean life and proposes measures to prevent the destruction of ocean life. The manager of the Aquatic International Network will present the findings of this study to a congressional committee of environmentalists.

Causes of Climate Change

Climate change refers to a considerable and long-term transformation in the numerical distribution of weather conditions (Guardian Environment Network). The earths climate has been changing rapidly due to the following factors. First, the varying intensity of radiation from the sun leads to the heating and cooling of the earths surface. This process leads to climate change. Second, oceans influence climate change since they contain carbon dioxide.

When carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, it warms the environment. Oceans accumulate high amounts of warmth. Thus, a slight change in sea currents can greatly affect coastal climate (Myles). Therefore, the movement of ocean currents affects climate in several parts of the earth (World Wildlife Fund). For example, when the sea currents move towards the continent of America, it becomes warm since the currents contain heat.

Third, plate tectonic forces can trigger the movement of continents to various points on the earth. These movements lead to volcanic eruptions and the formation of mountains. This process can lead to a significant change in the climate. Lack of vegetation cover exposes the earths surface to a lot of heat, thereby leading to global warming.

All these factors lead to substantial changes in weather patterns. Nonetheless, the interaction of these factors has a significant effect on climate change. For instance, a change in one of these factors leads to more changes in others (Conservation International).

The Impacts of Climate Change on Ocean Life

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants in the ocean access nutrients. For example, plants such as algae cannot survive in the ocean environment without photosynthesis. The process of photosynthesis eliminates carbon dioxide from the air and transforms it into natural carbon and oxygen, which plants use to process food.

Research findings suggest that phytoplankton thrives better in cool oceans. However, due to rising sea temperatures, phytoplankton is likely to reduce significantly (Center for Ocean Solutions). In addition, algae are being depleted because their production has been affected by excess heat in the oceans.

The rising temperatures in the oceans hinder the upward flow of nutrients from the seabed to the water surface. Thus, marine life cannot get enough organic gases such as carbon and oxygen. The depletion of sea plants leads to a shortage of food for aquatic animals. In addition, it reduces the supply of the aforementioned organic gases in the oceans. Consequently, depletion of food and oxygen negatively affect the survival of aquatic life (Myles).

Annual Growth Sequence

Plants and marine creatures require a balanced amount of temperature and light to survive. The ability of organisms such as phytoplankton to grow depends on the temperature of the ocean (Guardian Environment Network). An increase in temperature interferes with the growth cycle of phytoplankton by making it grow faster than usual. The life cycle of organisms, whose growth is facilitated by light, always begin at the same time.

Therefore, the rising temperatures in the oceans have affected the harmonious growth of light-driven organisms. Growth irregularities interfere with the marine food chain. For instance, some organisms that once moved to the water surface to feed are now encountering serious challenges due to deficiency of nutrients (Guardian Environment Network).

Migration of Ocean life

Some aquatic creatures have begun migrating to safer zones due to unbearable ocean temperatures. Most of the affected organisms are either moving to the east or to the west coasts depending on the conditions that they need to survive. Organisms that can withstand high temperatures such as shrimps are moving northwards. On the other hand, organisms that are vulnerable to high temperatures are receding southwards.

This relocation will result in a unique mix of creatures in new surroundings. Ultimately, the feeding patterns will change. Organisms that will not be able to adapt to the new environments will eventually become extinct. Death of some creatures will lead to an imbalance in the ocean bionetwork (Lobe).

Acidification

The high concentration of carbon dioxide in the sea affects the concentration of chemicals, which leads to acidity in the ocean. Increase in acidity hinders plants from consuming greenhouse gases. For instance, phytoplankton is being depleted due to high levels of acidity (Center for Ocean Solutions). Acidity in the sea also affects the survival of aquatic creatures. For example, excess carbon dioxide concentration has affected marine organisms such as shellfish and corals, which are likely to become extinct in the next few decades.

Coral reefs are arguably one of the most significant aspects of the marine ecosystem because they provide food to many organisms in the sea. Due to global warming, coral reefs have been ravaged seriously by excess accumulation of toxic gases and heat in the oceans (Taylor). Generally, coral generates minute crusts of calcium carbonate to facilitate the creation of its skeleton.

Increased acidification neutralizes the carbonate ions. This process retards the growth of coral reefs. Consequently, reduction of coral reefs will eventually lead to depletion of food in the marine ecosystem. Depletion of food will lead to starvation and death of some organisms (Queally).

Coral Bleaching

Coral bleaching refers to the breakup of the symbiotic association between coral and marine plants such as algae. This process is caused by warmth and increased the concentration of carbon dioxide, which breaks the bond between coral reefs and plants. Corals become weak once algae are detached from them. Destruction of algae and corals disrupts the marine food chain. Thus, many organisms cannot access food.

Reduction in the availability of food leads to a decrease in the ocean floor biomass (Lobe). Due to the limited availability of food, sea creatures reduce in size since they cannot get enough food and organic gases.

Organisms that inhabit deep waters are the most affected since they do not access food easily. Scientists have observed that in the future, there will be massive loss of biomass in the oceans if the coral reefs are destroyed. Nonetheless, in the Southern and Arctic Oceans of the polar regions, seafloor biomass is expected to increase; however, this will not be sufficient to counterbalance the negative effects felt elsewhere (National Geographic).

Holocene Climatic Optimum

The Holocene Climatic Optimum refers to a general warming period in the history of mankind that occurred between 9000 to 5000 B.P (Center for Ocean Solutions). Scientific evidence indicates that there was a serious climatic change during this period, which led to the extinction of many creatures and plants.

For example, an important plant species called younger days was depleted gradually due to increase in temperature. The pattern of depletion of coral reefs and marine plants is similar to that of younger days. Depletion of important resources will lead to serious effects in the ecosystem (Guardian Environment Network).

In the Polar Regions, global warming has led to an increase in the melting of ice. The reduction of ice will affect the production of some species of algae, which thrive in cold conditions. Algae are the basic sources of food in the Arctic food chain (Queally). Therefore, thousands of organisms in the Polar Regions cannot survive without algae. The cold temperature in the Arctic is suitable for many animals, such as polar bears and narwhals.

However, an increase in temperature in the Polar Regions leads to the melting of ice in the ocean, which in turn reduces the growth of algae and creates food shortages (Guardian Environment Network). Moreover, reduction of ice in the sea results in the loss of vital habitats for seals, walruses, polar bears, penguins, and whales in both the Arctic and Antarctic (Taylor).

Sea ice is a critical habitat for Antarctic krill, which is a source of food for many seabirds and mammals in the Southern Ocean (Conservation International). Unfortunately, there has been a considerable reduction in the number of Antarctic krill due to an increase in the melting of ice in the sea.

Effects on Human beings

Although humans are not part of the marine ecosystem, a drastic change in the ocean environment affects them because they also feed on some marine organisms. A small increase of two degrees Celsius would destroy almost all existing coral reefs (Union of Concerned Scientists ). Furthermore, changes in ocean flow due to an increase in temperature would seriously affect marine fisheries.

Recommendations

Based on my research findings, various factors have led to global warming. However, human activities are the main causes of high temperatures in the ocean. For instance, many people still use fossil fuels, which generate toxic gases that destroy the oceans. Therefore, the reduction of carbon emissions is the best solution to the current challenge of global warming, which has led to the obliteration of marine life. In this case, the use of clean sources of energy should be encouraged to prevent further destruction of the environment.

Second, research that is more scientific should be carried out to find out the extent to which ocean life has been destroyed by high temperatures. Research activities are important because they will help in the formulation of evidence-based solutions to the current global warming. Additionally, resources should be mobilized to facilitate rehabilitation and protection of ocean life because they are important in the ecosystem.

Conclusion

This discussion has revealed that climatic changes have led to an increase in global warming, which has seriously affected the entire ecosystem. Currently, the temperature is increasing rapidly in the oceans due to the accumulation of gases. Therefore, global warming is becoming a big challenge in the marine environment because it leads to depletion of food and organic gases. The primary sources of food for marine life such as coral reefs and algae are being destroyed at an alarming rate by the high temperatures in the sea.

The destruction of primary food producers in the oceans will lead to significant changes in the marine food chain. For example, many sea creatures have started moving away from their original habitats because they are looking for better environments. Moreover, the amount of biomass in the oceans will reduce drastically in the next few years due to the depletion of food resources. Consequently, drastic measures should be taken to save the oceans from further destruction because they greatly influence changes in climate.

Works Cited

Center for Ocean Solutions. Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming. 2013. Web.

Conservation Interantional. Five Effects of Climate Change on the Ocean. 2011. Web.

Guardian Environment Network. Deep Sea Creatures will Not Escape Climate Change. 2014. Web.

Lobe, Jim. Global Warming Threatens Marine Life. 2010. Web.

Myles, Robert. Climate Change to Cause Major Loss of Marine Life by 2100. 2013. Web.

National Geographic. Impact of Climate Change on Coral Reefs. 2014. Web.

Queally, Jon. The Global Ecosystem and Climate Change: Threat to Marine Life and the Worlds Oceans. 2013. Web.

Taylor, Annan. Climate Change Impacts on Marine Life. 2013. Web.

Union of Concerned Scientists. Loss of Sea Ice Accelerates, Warming Threatens Animals and People Living in the Arctic. Web.

World Wildlife Fund. Marine Problems: Climate Change. 2014. Web.

Dietz, W. H. (2020). Climate change and malnutrition: We need to act now. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130(2), 556-558. Web.

Dietzs article describes the two most critical current environmental threats: climate change and malnutrition. The author encourages the human population to revaluate our habits and needs in terms of food consumption, agriculture, land, and transportation use, as they directly affect the planets future. The strong point of Dietzs research is that it provides plenty of data on the increase of GHG around the world, including a graphic example. I consider this article extremely relevant as it urges to act immediately, uncovers how our unhealthy and irresponsible habits are adding to the climatic change, and explains what consequences that may have. Currently, Dr. William H. Dietz is the head of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

It appears that pediatric obesity is his main field of study, which logically explains why the article has many mentions of obesity and other diseases. In his article, Dietz remains realistic as he forecasts the future of the planet, which I find convincing and motivational. Nevertheless, I think that the article would be perceived better if Dietz used more illustrations instead of solely statistical data. All the projections and warnings not only make me want to reconsider my diet and start making sustainable choices and purchases in general.

ONeill, B.C., Carter, T.R., Ebi, K. et al. (2020). Achievements and needs for the climate change scenario framework. Nature Climate Change, 10, 1074-1084. Web.

In their article, ONeill et al. research climate change scenarios and estimate how successful a particular scenario framework is. The authors come from all over the world; some studied in Environment Institutes and Centers for Climate research, others pursued careers in Research and Economics, but their expertise is combined in this study. The researchers offer a new approach on how the framework mentioned above could be used and developed more effectively.

The frameworks goals are all aimed at supporting and spreading climate-related research within and outside research communities while taking into account the unpredictability of future climatic and societal futures. The authors include a detailed description of the SSP-RCP framework, which is accompanied by pictures and schemes throughout the article. Despite the framework being successful and showing progress, ONeill et al. state that there are aspects in which it can be improved. This paper is important for my field of study as it highlights the importance of the research community. It is also highly informative; every section contains illustrations, graphs, and plenty of examples.

The researchers conclude that both the society and the research community can help prevent climatic change in case the SSPRCP framework and the societal integration, regional applicability, policy research, and its relevancy get improved. I wish every article were as thorough and elaborative as this one. The authors in-depth analysis and well-argued and well-presented recommendations make this article stand out compared to other scientific works I have read. The paper constitutes a detailed, well-structured breakdown and covers all aspects of the issue, so I cannot identify any weak points as such.

Seddon, N., Chausson, A., Berry, P., Girardin, C.A.J., Smith, A., Turner, B. (2020). Understanding the value and limits of nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challenges. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 375, 1-12. Web.

The authors main fields of study are environmental change, ecology, and social sciences. Seddon et al.s subject of research is the rise of nature-based solutions (NbS) and how beneficial they are for the planet and climate change prevention. The authors address the challenges of NbS along with NbS potential to treat both climate and biodiversity crises while contributing to sustainable development. The article provides topic-related background and definitions and tables showing NbSs relevancy for climate change adaptation and mitigation in the context of the dimension of socioeconomic vulnerability. What appeals to me about this article is that it mentions both the successful aspects of NbS and the concerning and deficient factors that need to be worked on, which exposes all sides of the issue.

Nature-based solutions are crucial for the topic I am researching as it is an evolving approach that can play a significant role in enabling sustainable development within natures recourses and boundaries. The article concludes that fixing the barriers such as the lack of financial support and overcoming the research challenges of NbS can be truly rewarding for the planet. I feel that the article does not have any serious weaknesses since it is wisely divided into paragraphs and sub-paragraphs, which contain useful insights and forecasts. It is also important to note that all authors were involved in designing this researchs conceptual framework.

Sippel, S., Meinshausen, N., Fischer, E.M. et al. (2020). Climate change is now detectable from any single day of weather a global scale. Nat. Clim. Chang., 10, 35-41. Web.

This article emphasizes distinguishing changes in weather and global climate. Sippel and his colleagues are united by a research that relies on atmospheric and climate science. Sippel et al. offer a detection approach based on statistical learning, climate models that signify the relation between temperature and humidity patterns, the planets energy indicators, etc. The authors provide examples that depict the difference in local and global warming using key climatic metrics fingerprints. The examples also include the fingerprint of external forcing, AGMT estimates, the emergence of externally forced global climate change, etc.

Due to these illustrations and graphs, it is apparent that global weather carries crucial climate information that can be used for Detection & Attribution studies and improve the research of climatic trends in general. This article is extremely helpful in the context of global climate change because it outlines the possibility of predicting weather patterns and changes in the foreseeable and distant future. The final point indicates that the Earths energy pattern recorded over the past decade will continue to influence climate change in the near future. The article contains extended data figures which enhance the research even more. The paper seems to be written within the scope of the authors expertise, thereby, I cannot claim that it is inaccurate, insufficient, or has any weak points.

Skeie, R.B., Peters, G.P., Fuglestvedt, J., Fuglestvedt, J., & Andrew, R. (2021). A future perspective of historical contributions to climate change. Climatic Change, 164(24), 1-13. Web.

This article is different from the ones I reviewed previously as it is based on a historical approach. Skeie et al. outline the historical and regional contributions to emissions and global warming. The introduction references Skeies older research on climate sensitivity, which indicates that he and his colleagues have been exploring the subject of climate change for years. The authors shed light on the Paris Agreement, an important event in international climate negotiations, and proceed to estimate regional and national historical contributions to global warming have evolved significantly over the past few decades. To predict potential future historical contributions to global temperature change, shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) as well as climate models and setups are used. The research is full of estimates, calculations, and figures demonstrating the contribution to the GMST change over the years.

The approach used in this article is fascinating yet valuable as it makes the reader analyze climate change from a historical viewpoint as well as establish the possible origins and future scenarios. The authors claim that the period 1850 to 2015 was most important for future climatic contributions, while, surprisingly, from 2015 to 2100, there is little to no regional contributions to GMST change. Although the paper was interesting to read, in my opinion, the predictions made by the authors are difficult to assess and trust since our planet and its processes are ever-changing.