Climate Change Presentation International Climate Challenge Project Subhalakshmi Kumar December 2010
Climate Change PresentationInternational Climate Challenge Project
Subhalakshmi Kumar
December 2010
Greenhouse effect
greenhouse
gases
Condition for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous
oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs) , ozone (O3) and water vapour (H2O)
partly
absorbedre-
emitted
infra-red
sun
Earth
visible
infra-red
Greenhouse pollution
+
+
SOURCE: Alexis Ringwald, India Renewable Energy Trends, 2008
India‟s major sources of Pollution
SOURCE: Hiding Behind the Poor, Greenpeace 2007
SOURCE: Hiding Behind the Poor, Greenpeace 2007
So more Greenhouse Gases…
SOURCE: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Mean a Hotter Planet
SOURCE: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Hottest Years Globally
SOURCE: Met Office, UK. Global Temperature Anomaly
19982005
20032002
20042006
20072001
19971995
Impacts Globally
• Climate Refugees
• Mass Species Extinction
• Increased Extreme Weather events
• Mass food & Water shortages
• Increase in Climate related deaths
Overall Indian Impacts
• Sea Level Rising
• Change in Rainfall patterns
• Increase in temperature
• Extreme weather events
• Impacts on Biodiversity
Impacts Regionally
Himalayas
Desert & Dry Regions
Sunderbans
Coastal India
Implications on „Aam Janta‟
• Climate Refugees & Political instability
• Increased Health Problems
• Food & Water Shortage
• Great Economic Loss
• Loss of Culture & Heritage
• Serious effect on housing and occupation
As a young person…
We‟ll be the ones living here in 50 years
time to bear the consequences of the
actions taken by today‟s leaders.
The BIG picture: Mitigation
Energy Targets: 350ppm
Energy Mix: Renewables
Stopping the clearing of forests
More public transport and
mandatory efficiency standards for
cars & buildings
Nuclear non solution
Renewable electrification of Rural India
The BIG picture: Adaptation
Rainwater harvesting
Dry and degraded land reforestation
Agricultural research
Disaster management
Early warning/rapid response systems
But How?
I am just one person…
“Be the change you want to
see in the world” – M.K. Gandhi
First Step: “Be the change you
want to see in the world”
• Calculate your footprint
• Don‟t waste energy (lights, aircon) or water
(washing, showers)
• Use renewable electricity
• Walk, public transport, car share, cycle.
• Become vegetarian & Buy Local
• Support people in affected communities
Second Step: Change the world
Changes at a local / College level
• Work on group projects
• Impact more than one community
• Garner local support for sustainable
activities
• Campaign for a cause
• Bring about changes in local area
Acknowledgements
• Indian Youth Climate Network
• Greenpeace: Blue Alert
• Greenpeace: Hiding Behind the Poor
• Australian Youth Climate Coalition
• Alexis Ringwald, India Renewable Energy Trends, 2008
• Malini Mehra, Climate Change: Why India needs to take leadership
• Jayant Sathaye, P. R. Shukla and N. H. Ravindranath: Climate change,
sustainable development and India: Global and national concerns
• A. K. Gosain, Sandhya Rao and Debajit Basuray: Climate change impact
assessment on hydrology of Indian river basins.
• R.K. Pachauri: Climate and Humanity
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