1. CLIMATIC CHANGE AND
HUMAN STRATEGY

2. INTRODUCTION Problems being faced: What is Climate?
History of climate change over the years
Reasons for changes: Internal & External factors responsible
Impact of climate change
Strategies to help avoid adverse consequences

3. PROBLEMS
Despite the level of development, we are causing more harm than good to the environment.
The scale of human activity can be measured both by its size (magnitude of construction, amount of mineral resources extracted etc.), and by the duration over which it has taken place.
The present scale of human activity has increased so much, that it has become comparable with a naturally occurring phenomena.
Earth’s environment cannot be considered an infinitely resilient environment.
Any mistake made in our assessment of the present and future states of natural and transformed environments, are likely to lead to very large cumulative errors.

4. WHAT IS CLIMATE?
Climate is both a consequence and demonstration of the workings of complex processes in the atmosphere, the oceans, and on land.
As a result of the unequal heating of the earth’s surface by the sun, an atmospheric circulation pattern is developed and maintained.
The main features of this general circulation when averaged over a substantial period of time exhibit continuity and permanence.
The parameters include:
(i) mean and extreme temperatures
(ii) precipitation amount
(iii) seasonal river discharge, etc.
The sum of all these relatively stable characteristics is what is meant by climate.

5. NOTHING NEW
Climate change has always been natural phenomenon, and an adverse change in climatic conditions is not new to the history of earth.
During the last several hundred million years ago, the climate was much homogeneous than today.
Several tens of millions of years ago, this began to change. The temperatures of high latitudes fell gradually.
About two million years ago, this process accelerated and Arctic temperatures dropped sharply, and a glacial period ensued.
The last glacial advance ended in the northern hemisphere about ten thousand years ago.
All this is proof enough that climate change is inevitable. However, the pace at which these changes are taking place is absolutely unnatural.

6. REASONS
The factors responsible for long period changes of climate may either be external to this planet or may develop on it (internal).
External Factors:
Variations in the quantity of radiation emitted by the sun.
Changes in the earth’s orbit around the sun.
Internal Factors:
Formation and movement of continental areas.
The growth of mountain ranges (progeny).
Volcanic activity of various kinds that produce dust and gases which may alter transparency.
Various other characteristics of the earth’s atmosphere.
Human development, by transforming various elements of the natural environment.

7. IMPACT
The impacts that are of the most relevance to the subject of climate change are:
Cause: Transformation of the land surface.
Effect: Alteration in the reflectivity of the earth’s surface and it’s
roughness, which in turn causes changes in the energy balance and in local
atmosphere circulation patterns.
Cause: Changes in the water balance.
Effect: No change in the general hydrological cycle. Will lead to a different
relationship between the various elements of the cycle in different
geographical regions.
Cause: Release of CO2 by combustion of fuels, and direct release of sensible
heat.
Effect: Changes in the energy balance

8. STRATEGY First element
To plan a set of long-term actions which will enable man to avoid the
adverse consequences. This must be further divided and implemented at
local, regional, and global level.
Second element
Assessment of the consequences of different type of natural or man
induces climate changes in terms of the future.
The assessment assumes the existence of long-term plans for national
development in individual countries and, on the world scale, for the whole
of mankind.
Third element
To make recommendations on how to avoid the adverse consequences of
climate change, or to avoid such change altogether.
* For eg: Fuel and energy use should be reduced to prevent in the
increase in CO2 levels.
International Co-operation in the solution of such global problems holds utmost importance.

9. NEED OF THE HOUR
Mankind should develop an appropriate strategy so that it is prepared for such inevitable changes.
Peace, disarmament, and international co-operation should provide the foundations for such a strategy.
Mankind must work together towards achieving this goal at local, regional, as well as at the global platform.

10. Let us work together
against
this self-started
extinction movement!