Climate Change: Assessing Ecological Risk by International Region By: Katie Mohn, Sam Dykstra, Michael Hartman, Jingxue Hu, Kelsey Loy, Shiqi Miao, Ruijuan Sun, Xiaoxiao Wang 1

Climate Change  A major alteration in any climate measure, including temperature, wind, and precipitation, that is prolonged.  Causes  Green House Gases: human activity  Unknown:  How quick it will arise  If predicted temp. will affect other systems 2

What Causes Climate Change  As there are many questions scientist still have toward climate change one thing scientists have agreed on is that Green House Gases, such as CO 2 occur naturally and are responsible for Climate Change  Green House Gases naturally warms the Earth  However with human activity and the use of fossil fuels the amount of Green House Gases in the planet has increased  Scientists have documented a warming trend between 1 and 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit over the 100-year period up to

Fossil Fuels: The Good and Bad  Formed Millions of Years Ago by Ancient Organisms  Most Common Fossil Fuels: Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas  Fossil Fuels Account for 87% of the World’s Energy Consumption AdvantagesDisadvantages -Efficient and Powerful -Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) released into the environment -Easy to find and transport -Non-renewable source of energy 4

From the International Panel on Climate Change Report (IPPC) the following places have been analyzed for their expected reactions to Climate Change 5

Climate Change in Africa  According to the IPPC Report Africa is considered to be the Continent most vulnerable to climate change  increased water stress (water availability,water accesibility, and water demand) * Even in the absence, present population trends of water use indicate that more Aferican countries will exceed the limits of their "economy usable,land-based water resources before 2025" decreased agricultural yields * Sahara agricultural losses will be 2%-7% of GDP * Western and central Africa agricultural losses will be 2-4% of GDP * Northern and south Africa agriclutural losses will be % Rising sea levels * could induce overtopping * Indian Ocean island is threatened by potential changes in the locaton, frequency and intensity of cyclones 6

Climate Change In Australia and New Zealand  A significant biodiversity loss by 2020 in northeast areas of New Zealand and Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef  Also in the northeast region there is expected to be a decrease in agriculture and forestry due to increasing drought and fires  The western and southern parts of Australia and New Zeal are expected to receive some benefits from climate change such as a long growing season and increased rain fall 7

Climate Change in Asia  Crop yields are expected to differ depending on location.  Southeast and eastern areas are expected to have an rising harvests, while declines in yields are expected in the central areas and the southern areas  Floods caused by rivers or rising sea levels pose as a threat  For example, the Maldives islands are very vulnerable to rising sea levels because the highest point is only 2.3 meters above sea level  This problem is intensified because most of the Maldives population population lives on the coast lines 8

Climate Change in Europe  Effects of climate change are expected to vary depending on region  In general, significant heat waves and receding glaciers are expected  Frequent coastal floods and erosion of land due to storms and rising sea levels  Some places are also expected to experience longer growing seasons, but for the most part Europe is expecting negative effects from the changing climate 9

extreme weather events Tempera ture Human precipita tion  Variations in wealth and geography, however, lead to an uneven distribution of likely impacts, vulnerabilities and capacities to adapt. Direct Effects Indirect Effects 10