United Kingdoms response to the Threat of climate change Essay

United Kingdoms response to the Threat of climate change - Essay Example Some nations like the United States, have refused to plunge into binding commitments to minimize their greenhouse gas emissions in the absence of action by developing nations. Together, it is viewed that the developing countries' growth of demand for energy is a considerable driver of increasing strain on the global energy markets. Climate change: Why all the fuss We now see the glaring and the very intense effects of climate change (IPCC, 2001). Accumulated from many weather stations world wide, measurements back up the scenario of a warming planet. On an average of 0.7C, the planet has warmed since 1900 (Figure 1.1), and all of the ten warmest years recorded took place since 1994. Notably, 20th century's tempo and magnitude of global warming has been unparalleled in the past 1,000 years (International Ad Hoc Detention Group, 2005, pp. 129-1314). The speed in the rise of sea level has been picking up, doubling to 2 mm annually over the past one hundred fifty years (Miller, Kominz, Browning et al, 2005, pp.1293-1298). Showing sources of all greenhouse gases in 2000 - CO2 equivalent. Portions without label are industrial processes (World Resources Institute) Drivers of climate change Greenhouse gas emissions have been considered as the major cause for climate change in the past fifty years. Likewise, the discharge of carbon dioxide from burning fossils fuel has increased from 6 Gt in 1950 to 24 Gt in 2004 (World Resources Institute, 2005). Overall worldwide secretions which include all greenhouse gases, agriculture and land use change are nearing 45 Gt CO2-equivalent every year. Most of these discharges are generated by burning fossil fuels for energy in power and heat generation and transport, and by changes in land use, specifically deforestation, and from agriculture. In like manner, discharges from burning fossil fuels for the power and transport segments have risen with a substantial upturn in the 1950s. These are major pursuits in the economy and as it is energy use has a propensity to escalate together with economic activity. Threat of Negative Effects from Climate Change Increase with its Magnitude Source: Climate Change 2001: Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability IPCC, Summary for Policy Makers Impact on People and Livelihood Climate change have severe regional and worldwide effects that are constantly expected from most climate models which correspondingly have intense effects on people's lives and their sources of income. For instance, climate change is most likely to trigger major water shortages for hundreds of millions of inhabitants in Asia and South America whose dry season supplies originate from liquefied snow and glaciers (Barnett, Adam & Lettenmaier, 2005, pp. 303-309). In several parts of the world, glaciers thaw out at an exceptional rate. In Peru, glacial coverage fell by 25% in the past 30 years while in China, practically all glaciers have displayed significant thawing out, with implications for nearly one quarter of the nation's populace that depend on melted glaciers for water supply. Such hastened thawing out of glaciers could lead to flooding during the spring time then water shortages ensue in the summer from a used up reserve. There are also anticipated changes in the Indian monsoon which certainly will have