Kenyatta University
School of Environmental Studies
Department of Environmental Education
COURSE: Climate Change and Global Warming
SUBJECT: Assignment
Climate Change, Development and Agriculture
SUBMITTED TO: Dr. Esther Lesan Kitur
SUBMITTED BY: Salia S. Sheriff
Date: July 25, 2016
Table of Contents
Introduction''''''''''''''''''''''''1
Climate Change and Development''''''''''''''.2-3
Climate Change and Agriculture''''''''''''''''4
Conclusion''''''''''''''''''''''''…5
Reference'''''''''''''''''''''''''..6
Introduction
Development and agriculture are two vital keys that drive human advancement and existence respectively. Mankind strive to live an improved life and meet his basic needs have led to the advancement of the human species above all other creatures. The building of skyscrapers, advanced technology, luxurious transportation means, improved food security and advanced weaponry for territorial defense. Others include urbanization, advanced medical diagnostic equipment and cures.
These luxuries and advances have come but with a cost that is threatening man's existence-climate change. Climate Change; i.e. increased global temperature (Global Warming), extreme weather events, sea level rise, ocean acidification, flooding, poor agricultural activities, etc. caused by anthropogenic activities since the industrial revolution. The combustions of fossil fuels to feed the our industries, to meet our energy needs, to keep our mobiles (cars, ships, aero planes, etc.) and the clearing of land/forests for development and agricultural activities have stressfully impacted the climate and consequently it is reserving to our detriment in the near future if nothing is done now.
Both development and agriculture are unavoidable practices for human existence, hence should be done sustainably to secure the environments in which life goes on. It is difficult to divorce the relationships amongst them, development, agriculture and climate change because they impact one another but effective sustainable used and integration of these activities pays the ultimate goals.
Climate Change and Development
Climate Change Impacts On Development:
Lack of anticipated plans, climate change would cause extreme stress on existing development projects. Developing countries are likely to be the first and hardest hit by climate change impacts because of their vulnerability and high dependency on climate sensitive economic activities such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and tourism and their lack of capacity to cope with the economic and environmental shocks. They live in the places with the fewest resources to prepare for floods, droughts, and other environmental shocks. The impacts of climate change'both slow and rapid consequences. The impacts of climate change such as flooding, drought, heat waves, landslides, poor agricultural activities and dust storms vary from one region to another. Developments in these regions are potentially slow and/or stop by these climate change phenomena causing mass displacement of people, disease outbreak, hungers and abject poverty.
Therefore anticipating climate change impacts and making early and smart investments and planning can reduce many of its negative impacts and offers other co-benefits. Many of these countries, which are yet to develop extensive energy and transportation infrastructures, can advance old technologies by adopting less carbon intensive systems at a lower cost (compared to sunk costs and costs of retirement or retrofitting). Speeding the development and deployment of clean and energy efficient technologies in these emerging developments.
Development Impacts on Climate Change
Development-the systematic use of scientific and technological knowledge to meet specific objectives such as infrastructures, economic, social, design, energy, or invention/discovery that add values to human existence, environments, institutions, piece of land etc. These activities though of necessary important but put serious challenges on the global environment. Say for example food production or construction of buildings and/or roads are welcoming developmental initiatives but the clearing of lands through the use of heavy machinery and equipment to meet these goals lead to consequential environmental pollutions and degradations. It also causes significant interruptions on conservation and biodiversity loss. These activities increase the emissions of greenhouse gases, hence the greenhouse effects, the primary anthropogenic cause of climate change.
In this regard, sustainable and integrated climate change-development initiatives (Green investment) is the mean. Development policies and projects should reflect climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in order to realize eco-friendly developments and climate change resilient activities.
Taking measures in our developments that lower the emissions of greenhouse gases (Mitigation) to an acceptable level and to take advantage of the opportunities created by changing climate (Adaptation).
Climate Change and Agriculture
Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture
Agriculture- the cultivations of crops and animals on land or in water for purposes of planting different plant species and keeping animals meant for improving the quality of human life and existence. The ultimate goal of agricultural farming is productivity. Farmers plant crops or raise animals to yield maximum harvests which greatly dependent on the environments. Climate change through the changing environment influences agriculture. The changing climate has different impacts on different regions. Climate Change influences changes such as drift in the average rainfall, temperatures or even weather extremes, alteration in pests and diseases, alteration in gases composition within the atmosphere or even a change in nutritional composition in the soils. These extreme and unpredictable weathers lead to poor harvests and deaths of animals (agriculture).
Agricultural Impacts on Climate Change
Climate change -the average statistical distribution of weather conditions in a given area for a long period of time, say 30 years. Many developing countries dependent agriculture to meet food security and demand and are heavily involved in unsustainable farming. These practices cause changes in the climate as a result of greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural activities such as clearing of land/deforestation, soil degradation, biomass burning, animal wastes, processing agricultural products, heating houses, cooling or even lubricating machines which produce gases such as methane, carbon oxides and nitrous oxides (Greenhouse Gases) emitted into the atmosphere. These gases accumulate into atmosphere and cause changes in global temperature, rainfall, wind speeds and directions, sea- levels etc. Agricultural activities are considered the second largest anthropogenic climate change inducer, contributing about 12% of the global climate change effects.
Conclusion
Climate Change, Development and Agriculture are interrelated and vice versa. The impacts of climate change on development and agriculture are enormous. Climate change is posing serious threats to us and to the future generation. The threats to better environments, food security, landslides, flooding, safe drinking water, etc. are evidently cleared. Agriculture and Development are no exception to the agents causing anthropogenic climate change. They proceed with potential emissions of greenhouse gases which are primary climate change agents. Activities
On other hand, present anthropogenic climate change impacts have serious affected human food security due to poor harvests as result of bad weathers especially drought, flooding and variation in seasons. Similarly, many urbanizations, advanced technological plants, infrastructural developments and economic development are serious challenged by climate change phenomena.
Therefore, the balance lies in sustainability. Sustainable development and agriculture which incorporate climate change resilient policies and projects. The core valued practices lie in global adaptation and mitigation measures. Taking advantage of the opportunities created by climate change and taking mitigation measures that ensure appreciable greenhouses gases reduction level. Green investment and technology should be an integral part of all of our development and agricultural practices. In this way, climate change, development and agriculture become mutually co-beneficial to one another and enhance generational human existence.
Reference
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). 2005. Special report on carbon dioxide capture and storage. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, USA.
Metz, B., O. R. Davidson, P. R. Bosch, R. Dave, and L. A. Meyer. 2007. Climate change 2007: mitigation of climate change. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, USA.
NOAA (National Centers for Environmental Information). 2015. Climate Monitoring ' Global Summary Information April 2015. Asheville, North Carolina. Available at https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/ summary-info/global/201504 (accessed 30 June 2015).
Richardson, Katherine et al. 2009. 'Synthesis Report.' Report prepared for Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions Conference, 10-12 March, Copenhagen
Stern, David. 2004. 'The Rise and Fall of the Environmental Kuznets Curve.' World Development 32: 1419-1439
UNCCC. 2016. United Nations Climate Change Conference COP21/CMP11. Available at http://www. cop21.gouv.fr/en/learn/what-is-cop21/the-phenomenon of climate-disruption (accessed 17 January 2016).