Climate Change, An Outline

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Climate Change
Topics:
1) What is climate change?
2) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
3) Causes of climate change
4) Effects of climate change?
5) International Panels on Climate Change
6) What can be done at home?

1) What is climate change?
Climate Change is the significant change in the climate and distribution of weather patterns on Earth ranging from the last decade to millennia earlier.
2) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Currently chaired by Mr. Rajendra Pachauri, this organisation was setup in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment Programme. IPCC reports on the scientific, technical and socio-economic information needed to understand the risks and impacts of climate change while developing ways to counter this global phenomenon. It analyses and researches data related to:
• Climate change caused by human activities
• The effects of climate change caused as a result of human activities
• Options for adaptation and mitigation

The IPCC consists of different bodies like:
1. IPCC Panel-It is the body in charge of the IPCC’s procedure, work programme and structure.
2. Chair-It is the body which supervises the panel
3. Bureau-It consists of two sections-A)The Working Groups
B) The Task Force
Working Groups-These groups assess scientific aspects of climate change,

Vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change, consequences, and adaptation options and also analyse options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Task Force- Maintains National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
3) Caus...

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...d the orbit of Earth in the last thirty years. Scientists and researchers agree that human activities like burning of fossil fuels is the main cause and driving force behind climate change.
4) Oceanic circulation-Ocean currents have the potential to affect Earth’s climatic condition. This is because they have the capacity to carry a large amount of heat. Winds blowing over cooler currents become cold and the areas over which they blow have their temperature reduced. Similarly if winds blow over warmer currents, the wind picks up heat and areas over which the wind blows sees temperature increase. If winds blow over evaporating currents the pick up moisture and bring rain to the areas over which they blow.
5) Volcanic eruptions – Effects of a volcanic eruption affects the climate for a long period of time even if the volcanic activity itself lasts only a few hours.

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