In 1896,
Svante Arrhenius calculated
the contribution of carbon dioxide to the greenhouse effect and speculated on
its role in climate change over geologic time. He noted that burning fossil
fuels contributes carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Arrhenius thought that the
enhanced greenhouse effect might make Earth more pleasant in colder regions.
However, we have learned that the consequences can be far from pleasant.
The
effects of climate change
Scientists
have documented steadily rising carbon dioxide levels and temperatures through
modern instrumental records and by using ice cores to investigate past gas
levels and temperature. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases are enhancing the natural greenhouse effect. This has led to
global warming and many otherveffects.
The changes
to Earth’s weather systems have been called ‘weather weirding’ in recognition
that once rare events are becoming more common. These include droughts, floods
and intense storms and are symptoms of our changing climate. The Australian
government lists many impacts of climate change including:
- Rising sea level
- Coastal erosion and flooding
- Increased energy costs for cooling
- More frequent and intense bushfires
- More intense storms
- Lower biodiversity and subsequent damage to ecosystems
- Frequent drought
- Changes to the distribution of pest species
Mitigation
Mitigation
is addressing the problem of global warming. Mitigation strategies minimise the
production of greenhouse gases or capture carbon from the atmosphere. Renewable
energy generation, public transport, tree planting and reducing the consumption
of meat and diary are all climate mitigation strategies. Re-designing electricity
production systems requires large investments from government and businesses. However,
individual lifestyle changes can also help to reduce global warming.
The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 to
lead world action on climate change. In 2016, The Paris Agreement came into
effect with the goal of keeping global temperature rise well below 2° C
and eliminating net carbon emissions. The IPCC synthesises information from
scientists around the world to document the effects of changing climate and
strategies for mitigating climate change.
Solar
panels produce electricity. Roof vents naturally cool houses
and reduce the need for air conditioning. Both are mitigation strategies.
Adaptation
As we tackle
the enormous task of climate mitigation, we must also adapt to a changed
climate. Immediately eliminating carbon emissions would still leave us with the
current greenhouse effect and altered climate. Adaptation strategies help
people to live in a warmer world with more extreme weather.
An example
of adapting to climate change is the installation of water tanks and
water-saving appliances in homes. As fresh water becomes increasingly scarce, they
decrease the need for municipal water supplies as fresh water. Adding insulation
to homes keeps people more comfortable in extreme weather (adaptation) and
reduces electricity consumption for heating and cooling (mitigation). Farmers
plant drought-resistant crops and find ways to retain water on their land as
they adapt to drying conditions.
Water
tanks save stormwater for use around the home. This helps reduce water demand
in times of drought and is a climate change adaptation.
The Australian
government discusses adaptation and mitigation strategies for housing on their Your Home website. Choices of where and how to build new homes and businesses are a major
concern as we look at our warmer future.
Learn
more
- Go on a scavenger hunt in your local area to see what climate mitigation and adaptation strategies have been adopted.
- Explore the effect of carbon dioxide on ocean pH in this blog post.
- Observe the process of ocean acidification in this experiment.
- Learn about climate change from the Australian Academy of Science.