effects of global warming, adaptation, and vulnerability

 effects of global warming, adaptation, and vulnerability

Part A: Critical Reviews

Reflection #1Climate Change 2014 Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects

Climate change is now a confirmed issue from the recent ecological changes. The report by Working Group II address the effects of global warming, adaptation, and vulnerability. The report employed socio-economic, technical, and scientific literature to create an updated comprehensive report (Adger et al., 2014). It was important for the report to include these issues as climate change will affect everyone. By taking that approach, the Working Group II created a material that can help all stakeholders in decision-making.

Most studies on climate change do focus on immediate effects such as unpredictable and heavy precipitation, temperature rise, and the impact on animals and plants. According to Adger et al. (2014), the report got more detail to highlight the effects of global warming on international security, travel, and trade. The focus on other ignored issues besides the natural ecosystem or human endeavor gives the report more credit. Whenever food supply is destabilized because of climate change, politics will change, and insecurity will emerge. Handling effects of climate change, its vulnerability, and adaptation require explicit coverage and capitalizing on the opportunities to reduce risk (Adger et al., 2014). The effect of climate change could be gradual, but there are abrupt effects. Having an open and broad view of the matter will eliminate the chances of surprises.

In summary, this report increases the knowledge of global warming and gives everyone a role. Most reports do focus on the negative impact of global warming, but the report also demonstrates an opportunity through the designing of adaptation measures. From the report, combining sustainable development, mitigation measure, and adaptation creates a new sphere for the future generation to survive. A positive view of climate change will make more people creative and adapt effectively.

Reflection #2: Species and Climate Change: More than Just the Polar Bear

When mentioning climate change and the rise in atmospheric temperature, the melting of ice at the poles always come first. Many people consider polar bears to be the most endangered animals and use them as an indicator of global warming. According to Carr (2014), there are many flagship species affected by the melting of ice ranging from the poles to hot deserts in Africa. The report identified ten of the species to elaborate more on the consequences of global warming beyond the expected level.

The effect of global warming on plants and animals can be gradual or abrupt, depending on the changing phenomenon. An example of the impact is coral bleaching because of the increase in sea level and acidification (Carr, 2014). Corals are essential in providing aquatic life with oxygen and acts as food or habitat to some animals. The rise in sea level can also wash away the nest for leatherback turtle in the sand (Carr, 2014). The melting of ice at the pole disrupts the breeding site for ringed seals, emperor penguins. Other flagship species include arctic foxes, quiver trees since they are sensitive to drought and Koalas, which depend on eucalyptus (Carr, 2014). If one of these flagship species is eliminated, the effect will quickly spread to the other animals as they are significant prey or predators.

In conclusion, the article primarily implies that climate change does not only occur at the poles, and the effects are everywhere. By providing examples of indicator organisms in almost every ecosystem, the report warns on the magnitude of climate change. The extinction of flagship organisms may take time, but once it is eliminated, the effect will be severe as removal or one organism affect the entire food chain.

Reflection #3: Arctic Report Card

The Arctic ecosystem is unique due to its response to climate change and animal composition. The area is not as vibrant as Amazon or other thick equatorial forests. Nonetheless, it perfectly serves its needs. Jeffries, Richter-Menge & Overland (2014) claims that the warming of waters and a decline in sea ice due to an increase in temperature has had an unprecedented effect on the communities around. The Arctic report card reveals some of the changes in the area and how they affect the livelihood.

The most notable changes in the arctic are the loss of ice and an increase in temperature. The animals in the area are adapted to such conditions, and use them to reproduce and get food. The highest recorded temperature was between October 2018 and August 2019 (Jeffries, Richter-Menge & Overland, 2014). Such changes have a domestic and international effect on the ecosystem. More danger is coming when the annual loss of ice in Greenland stands at 267 billion metric tons (Jeffries, Richter-Menge & Overland, 2014). Similar cases occur in other areas at the poles, and that means the destruction of habitat in the arctic and equatorial coastlines. As more ice melts, life forms disappear, and the effect gets to terrestrial plants and animals. Moreover, global warming has led to a 70% decrease in the ivory gull population and made hunting and fishing hard for arctic communities (Jeffries, Richter-Menge & Overland, 2014). These pieces of evidence are a clear indication of the effect of global warming.

In summary, the rise in arctic temperature destabilizes the livelihood and habitats of its community. The changes affect the essential breeding site for arctic animals. The more the ice melts, the less the reproduction. Additionally, the effect extends to raising sea level, and that destroys transport and access to food.

Part B: Essay

Climate Change and Conflict

The relations between nations and individuals depend on the stability of the relationship. The impact of climate change pushes people to seek alternative means, and this can easily cause conflict. The weaker communities will be first affected. In the case of Canada, climate change puts the aboriginal people at the risk of poor health, destruction of livelihood, and violation of their rights (Ford et al. 2014, p.9). Such changes may create a crisis as a struggle to get fair treatment. At the international level, global warming can challenge the peace of sovereign states sharing the arctic. According to the Council on Foreign Relations (2014), the artic is strategic to Russia, Canada, Norway, the US, and Denmark as they have invested billion-dollar infrastructures in the area. Destruction of those properties due to global warming can impair their diplomatic relations. Moreover, the effects at the arctic affect other nations in Africa and Asia, and when the fight comes to survival for the fittest, a conflict shall arise.

Despite good diplomatic relations, every nation does have a vested interest that, when denied, can make a reason for war. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2014, p.773) more studies are indicating that global warming mitigations and adaptation have the potential of causing violence in addition to vulnerabilities of some communities. When there is a strain in natural resources, conflict may arise as every nation tries to get a share. Illegitimate or ineffective conflict management institutions may form a recipe for war in the distribution and access of the resource (IPCC, 2014, p.773). Moreover, it easy for states to notice inequality in resource distribution when there is scarcity.

One of the mitigation measures is shifting from fossil fuels to green construction energy projects such as hydro-power. The construction hydro-electric power plant is known to cause human insecurity and conflict between communities or nations that share the river (IPCC, 2014, p.774). Construction of large dams can cause violence in the future or may affect biodiversity due to the diversion of water. The use of nuclear energy also increases the risk of the manufacture of weapons or exposure to radiation (IPCC, 2014, p.773). Policymakers must have a comprehensive mitigation measure that looks at potential threats of suggested means.

The attempt to mitigate climate change is further slowed by existing armed conflict. Political science and development studies research managed to prove that violent conflict threatens human security and the ability of communities, individuals, or states to address climate change (IPCC, 2014, p.774). Whenever there is a conflict, no one is bothered with the mitigation measure, and the people are likely to use environmentally degrading fuels. Moreover, environmental conservation measures are expensive, and armed conflict is known to create poverty by destroying infrastructure, limiting education and access to knowledge, injuries, and death (IPCC, 2014, p.774). Instead of focusing on an environmental conservation plan, governments do turn the attention to ending conflicts. Moreover, conflict contributes to the unsustainable use of resources.

Climate change can also form a tool of peace in conflicting areas. Whenever the violence is based on resources, there is a potential of using non-violent strategies to bring peace to waring communities. According to IPCC (2014, p.775), a study on environmental peacemaking views climate change adaptation and natural resource management as a tool of bringing together warring camps. Additional studies have also proved the significance of rivers in bring peace between states if the water was the source of conflict (IPCC, 2014, p.775). Whenever two communities have a joint task in environmental management activities such as flood control, they are more likely to have lasting peace.

Climate change is also significant in the management of geopolitical issues. An analysis of security institutions and states indicate that anticipate and current climatic changes contribute to geopolitical cooperation (IPCC, 2014, p.774). Climate change causes a contentious issue on the claim of some resources and interferes with the integrity of the countries. On the other side countries may need more cooperation, especially among those with a significant portion close to sea level, to avoid problems associated with a rise in sea level.

In summary, global warming has a severe effect on humanity, making them vulnerable to conflicts. Climate change can cause depletion of natural resources and famine, forcing neighboring communities to fight over limited resources. Moreover, global warming mitigation, such as the development of green energy, may cause disunity, especially in the development of hydro-power plants. Besides, nuclear power can risk people to radiation or contribute to the development of illegal atomic weapons. However, the same problem can also bring peace when conflicting groups come together to solve environmental issues. The rise in sea level can also improve diplomatic ties as countries seek solutions.