What is Climate Change?

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What is Climate Change?

Objectives of the Lesson In this lesson, we will learn about the definition of climate change, its causes, and its large-scale effects on our planet.

You might think of the intense tsunami in the movie 2012.

The severe colds in The Day After Tomorrow.

Or the complete destruction of the world in Wall-E.

The Effects of Climate Change An increase in global temperature, also known as ‘global warming, is the primary manifestation of climate change. According to the United Nations, the rapid increase in the process of climate change can cause the following:

Intense Droughts

Severe Fires

Rising Sea Levels

Flooding

Melting Polar Ice

Catastrophic Storms

Declining Biodiversity

The Effects of Climate Change on the Workforce

Objectives of the Lesson In this lesson, we will discuss the types of effects of climate change on individual workers and the workforce.

Hold up! "What do these effects have to do with me? I still have water, food, and shelter, so why should I be concerned over things that I do not experience?" This is a question that many of us have asked ourselves previously. Today, let’s consider the story of John who works as a Public Relation Specialist in the local electric power distribution company.

John is an employee who is very dedicated to his work. Over his twenty years of service to the company, he is known to his peers and managers as a hardworking and responsible individual.

His secret to his dedication is his enjoyment of his daily routine. Ever since he started working, he realized that he loves the walks and commutes to and from his office as well as the process of working with his colleagues and clients alike.

However, compared to his first few years of working in the company, he realized that it’s been harder to work as enjoyably as he did before.

His walks and commutes are getting harder to accomplish as the heat continues to increase every year.

It’s also more difficult to keep track of his colleagues because of the increasing turnover rate. Many of the resigning employees cite reasons such as increasing workplace hazards as the demands of workload consistently rise.

Even his own unit is getting affected. With the increasing interest in a more ‘green industry’, his company decided to lay off employees in his department in order to fund the emerging ‘green’ energy unit.

When he gets home from the office, he doesn’t get to enjoy his downtime because he has begun to worry about increasing food prices caused by shortages.

Before sleeping, John begins to wonder, since when has life started to feel this difficult?

Which of John’s experiences can tell us more about the effects of climate change?

Work Hazards in Newly-Emerged Industries Renewable energy continues to gain attention as an alternative to fossil fuels. Having to work with construction and electrical equipment, there is a higher risk of accidents for workers.

Indoor Hazards The increased heat gave rise to the need for buildings with controlled temperatures. However, this raises issues on poor air conditioning systems and **water contamination ** that spreads among the occupants.

Changes in Community Composition and Structure Community-related issues include issues on food supply, damages to local infrastructure, and climate-driven migration. Weather conditions brought about by climate change influence the patterns of human lives.

Climate Justice

Objectives of the Lesson In this lesson, we will discuss the largest producers of greenhouse gases in the world as well as possible solutions to lessen the rate of climate change.

There are various factors in play that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, but the biggest driver is economic development.

This was a trend made prominent by the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom during the mid-1700s.

The Industrial Revolution brought about the replacement of manual labor with machinery fueled by fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil.

Soon after, the United States of America started to lead the list of the largest emitters in 1903 following the American Industrial Revolution.

But with the development of Asian nations, China has led the list of most emitted greenhouse gases since 2006. China houses multiple local and international manufacturing warehouses powered by fossil fuels.

If you had 1.85 Trillion euros, what should you do to lessen greenhouse gas emission?

Developing countries face the dilemma of being both the biggest annual emitters of greenhouse gases today as well as the most vulnerable in times of natural disasters.

However, it is important to understand that developed countries today built their empires through the use of fossil fuels. Developing countries only followed suit.

Now that there is a conscious shift towards the use of more renewable sources such as the sun, water, and wind for more green energy supplies…

Developed countries have the responsibility to help developing countries make the shift as well.

The brunt of extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change affects vulnerable developing countries more than developed countries.