Unit 2 Climate and Change

1. Likley to get WARMER: 

COSTS: 

• Summer drought and water shortages, especially in the south 
• More illnesses e.g sunstroke, skin cancer
• Roads melt, railway lines buckle 
• Farmers change crops to those that need less water and more sun 
• Extinctions of some plants and animals as it gets too hot 

BENEFITS: 

• Winter heating costs and the costs of gritting teh roads fall 
• Tourism increases - good for the economy 
• Fewer deaths in winter especially the elderly from the cold 
• More land can be farmed at higher altitudes 

2. SEA LEVELS RISE: Low lying coasts could flood, Greater erosion, e.g Holderness, Sea defences and flood barriers could cost millions 

3. More EXTREME WEATHER: Heatwaves, Floods, Storms 

The Stern Review 2005 

• We spend 2% our GDP now 
• reducing pollution OR teh effects of global warming could decrease our GDP by 20% 
• Spend now or pay later 

What can we do? 

• Decrease fossil feul use 
• Switch to 'green energy' - wind, solar, tidal 
• Recycle more
• Use cars less and public transport more 

1997 KYOTO PROTOCOL = international agreement to cut CO2 emissions. Some countries e.g UK have cut emissions, others e.g China havn't. 

We need ALL countries to sign up.