Climate change is a long-term shift in temperature and weather patterns, caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels. The IPCC’s recent report, found that human emissions of heat-trapping gases have already warmed the climate by nearly 1.1oC, since 1750. The global average temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5oC within the next few decades. International frameworks and agreements, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, etc. are trying to halt the ill-effects of climate change. Cutting emissions, adapting to climate impacts and financing the required adjustments are needed in the present situation. Global countries are committing to net zero emissions by 2050, emissions must be cut in half by 2030 to keep warming below 1.5°C. Achieving these targets will require huge declines in the use of coal, oil and gas, and over two-thirds of today’s proven reserves of fossil fuels need to be kept in the ground by 2050 in order to prevent catastrophic levels of climate change. The book ‘Climate Change’, presents a cogent view of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and their recent large and often irreversible changes in ecosystems. The recent up-to-date international and national policies, and adaptation and mitigation strategies to fight against climate change have been revealed in a simple way.
R. Rex Immanuel, Ph.D., was born in the agrarian village of Nesarpuram, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. He did his M.Sc. (Agri.) in 1999 and Ph.D. (Agronomy) with a research area entitled ‘Agronomic Strategies and Use of Multipurpose Trees for Rehabilitation of Degraded Lands in the Coastal Agro-ecosystem of Tamil Nadu’, 2009 from Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. He has qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by ICAR-ASRB in 2004. His current position is Assistant Professor in Agronomy, Annamalai University and has 21 years of experience in academic, research and extension. He has been teaching courses on Agricultural Meteorology, Agroforestry, Rainfed Farming, Cropping and Farming Systems, Climate Change and Disaster Management to under-graduate/post-graduate students. His current area of research is Coastal Agro-ecosystem Management. He has authored books, book chapters, and published significant number ofresearch articles in reputed national and international journals. He has also received the Outstanding Agronomist Award in 2019.
1. Earth’s Atmosphere and Its Energy Balance................................ 1
Atmosphere and Planetary Temperatures .................................................. 1
Solar Constant ................................................................................................ 2
Earth’s Energy Balance ................................................................................. 4
Composition of Earth’s Atmosphere ........................................................... 6
Natural Greenhouse Effect............................................................................ 6
Redistribution of Earth’s Energy on the Surface of the Earth................... 7
2. Earth’s Eco-systems ......................................................................... 11
Structure of Ecosystem ................................................................................ 13
Determinants of Productivity of an Ecosystem ......................................... 13
Classification of Ecosystems ....................................................................... 17
Mass Extinction of Earth’s Ecosystems .................................................... 18
3. Radiative Forcings and Global Warming .................................... 23
Natural Forcings .......................................................................................... 23
Manmade Forcings ...................................................................................... 24
Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Sources ....................................................... 26
Carbon Dioxide ............................................................................................ 28
Methane ........................................................................................................ 32
Nitrous Oxide ............................................................................................... 34
Fluorinated Gases ........................................................................................ 37
Global-warming Potential ......................................................................... 40
4. Consequences of Climate Change ................................................ 41
Rising Atmospheric Temperature .............................................................. 43
Global Ocean Warming............................................................................... 45
Tipping Points and its Associated Ongoing Effects ................................ 46
Melting of Ice masses, Glaciers and Snowpack’s ..................................... 48
Sea level Rise ................................................................................................ 50
Ocean Acidification ..................................................................................... 54
Loss of Marine Biodiversity ........................................................................ 55
Accelerated Ocean Current Collapse ......................................................... 56
Shifting Climate Zones/Ecosystems and Loss of Terrestrial Biodiversity................................................................................................... 57
Loss of Coastal Ecosystems ........................................................................ 58
Clouds to go Extinct..................................................................................... 59
Extreme Weather Patterns ........................................................................... 59
Harmful Algal Blooms ................................................................................ 73
Pest Outbreak ............................................................................................... 74
Agriculture/Food Security.......................................................................... 75
Human Health Impacts ............................................................................... 77
5. Stratospheric Ozone ....................................................................... 81
Ozone Formation and Destruction ............................................................ 83
Ozone Hole/Depletion................................................................................ 85
Ozone Depletion Substances ...................................................................... 89
Phaseout of Ozone-Depleting Substances ................................................. 90
Ongoing Threat to Stratospheric Ozone ................................................... 93
6. Atmospheric Pollution.................................................................... 95
Atmospheric Pollutants .............................................................................. 97
Carbon Monoxide ........................................................................................ 97
Sulphur Dioxide........................................................................................... 97
Nitrogen Dioxide ......................................................................................... 98
Particulate Matter(PM) ............................................................................... 98
Smog .............................................................................................................. 99
Tropospheric Ozone ..................................................................................100
Acid Rain ....................................................................................................103
Microplastic Pollution...............................................................................105
Hazardous Air Pollutants ........................................................................106
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) ......................................................108
Indoor Air Pollution ..................................................................................110
Global Dimming ...........................................................................................110
Atmospheric Brown Cloud .......................................................................112
Nuclear Winter...........................................................................................113
Nuclear Summer ....................................................................................... 114
7. Global Initiatives Liability in Tackling Climate Change.........117
8. Indian Laws, Acts, Policy Frameworks, Regulatory Bodies and Conscientiousness in Tackling Climate Change ..............147
9. Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience......................................165
Annexures
i) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) ............................207
ii) International Decades and Years ......................................................210
iii) List of Environmental Conservation Related Days ........................212
Glossary ...........................................................................................213
References .......................................................................................221
