Climate change - What you need to know

CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW For more information: African Biodiversity Conservation and Innovations Centre, PO Box 100882 – 00101, Tel: +254 20 2330014, Mobile: +254 720 529884 , Nairobi, Kenya,

www.abcic.org, [email protected]

A significant change in the state of the climate and/or the variability

of its properties and that persists for an extended period and

include changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, and wind patterns

lasting for decades or longer.

Gases in the air around the earth keep it warm, just like a

greenhouse keeps the plants inside warm. These natural gases are

known as greenhouse gases (Table 1). Over the last 50 years,

human beings have produced more greenhouse gases, making the

air have a greater greenhouse effect (Figure 1). This is called the

enhanced greenhouse effect and has caused the temperature of

the earth’s surface to rise, changing the world’s climate. Natural

causes of climate change include changes in the sun’s energy,

changes in ocean circulation, variations in solar radiation and

volcanic eruptions.

What is climate change?

How does it happen?

What can you do?

The future climate change outlook

How can we tell that the climate is changing?

Table 1: Greenhouse gases

The six main gases are:-

CO2 Carbon dioxide (Industries)

CH4 Methane (Farms and solid waste landfills)

HFCs Hydrofluorocarbons (Industries)

PFCs Perfluorocarbons (Industries) N2O Nitrous oxide (Farms and industries)

SF4 Sulphur hexafluoride (Industries)

• Rising sea level

• Melting of snow and ice e.g. on Mts. Kenya and Kilimanjaro

• Widespread changes in extreme temperatures

• Changes in rainfall patterns

• Shrinking of the arctic sea-ice

• Prolonged and severe droughts (Figure 2) and floods

One of the key factors affecting future climate change is the amount

of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. This depends on

among others population growth, economic development,

technology and changes in people’s behaviour (Figure 3). Climate

takes a while to respond to greenhouse gases; so any greenhouse

gases released into the atmosphere now will still affect the climate

50 years to come.

Figure 1: Greenhouse effects

Figure 2: The main photo shows the impact of climate change on maize

in a farm in Kenya. The other shows loss of livestock as a result of

extreme drought in the Horn of Africa

• Use alternative sources of energy, renewable, which will not

release harmful emissions such as solar and wind

• Adopt energy saving tips e.g. using energy-saving appliances like

the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, switching off our

electrical appliances when they are not in use

• Use the public transport; reduce the use of automobiles or use

eco-friendly or fuel efficient car

• Reduce Reuse Recycle: to produce less waste

• Take part in forest conservation and re-forestation efforts: plant

and adopt a tree

• Practice sustainable and organic agriculture

• Introduce climate change education in the school curriculum

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABCIC would like to thank CIC Insurance Group for funding the

development of this poster.

Effects on/of humans

activities

Ozone depletion and

Global warming Land degradation and

desertification

Biodiversity loss Freshwater decline

Population

displacements

Water quality decline

Agro ecosystem

productivity decline Ultraviolet exposure

Greenhouse gases (from

industries, agriculture) Cha

ng

es in

rain

fall a

nd

tem

pe

ratu

re

CLIMATE CHANGE

Decline in ecosystem

services

Figure 3: Relating climate change occurrence and human activities