Climate Change And Urban Areas Essay - 949 Words

Change in climate is becoming a major concern on a global scale, as it has had a tremendous impact on the urban environment. Climate change is the change in global or regional climate patterns, [†¦] attributed to increased level of atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases .’ (The Oxford Dictionary 2015). The increasing amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) released in the atmosphere is causing significant changes in the environment leading to unpredictable weather patterns and warming of the climate system. This is putting a great pressure on city development and infrastructures. This essay outlines three problems caused by climate change in urban areas, and evaluates the effectiveness of some of the mitigation and adaptation strategies. It reasons that mitigation and adaptation strategies need to work in synergy in order to address the situation effectively. The three problems caused by climate change are; rise in sea level, varied energy demand, and water scarcity. Firstly, the impact on costal areas contributing to sea level rise has made low-lying cities vulnerable. Hunt and Watkiss (2011, p. 32) estimates that 50 m rise in sea level would render Mumbai’s ‘informal’ communities in despair. Moreover, climate change will lead to variation in energy demand. Hunt and Watkiss (2011, p. 33) explain even though winter heating will decrease due to warmer weather, cooling is anticipated to increase in the summer, increasing GHG emissions. Miller et al. (2007, cited inShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Climate Change On Urban Areas871 Words   |  4 Pagespercent of the total population lives in urban areas (UN-Habitat 2009 p. xxii). Growing urbanization has led to many consequences on the environment. As a result, many cities face detrimental effects as the climate is becoming unfavourable daily. This essay outlines the significan t impacts caused by climate changes in urban areas and evaluates the effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation approaches to solve these problems. However, the effects due to climate change should be considered and significantRead MoreThe Effects Of Climate Change On Urban Areas931 Words   |  4 PagesClimate change has caused negative effects in urban areas. Variation in the statistical distribution of climate patterns when that change continues for an extensive period refers to climate change. The adverse impacts of the city include health problems for some dwellers, freshwater scarcity and urban heat effect. Improving the life standards of residents in towns through adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change is one challenge for the future. This essay outlines the major problemsRead MoreGlobal Environmental Issues Facing Climate Change Essay1245 Words   |  5 PagesBy 2030, the urban population will reach 5 billion – 60 % of the world’s population. It is clear that the development of urban areas holds the key to many of the challenges we face in our interactions with the environment. Climate change has become one of the most challenging global environmental issues facing humanity.. Urban households, industries and infrastructures are key sources of greenhouse gases. Urban areas concentrate populations, economic activities and built environments, thus increasingRead MoreThe Extent to which Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Can Contribute towards Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change Futures1062 Words   |  5 Pages1. Introduction Climate change the ‘wicked problem’ is continuously imposing significant threat to the nature as whole according to the recent projections (IPCC 2013; Bondeau et al. 2013). 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This chapter provides an overview of the Copernicus program and of its opportunities and challenges in wildfire prevention. A comprehensive review on the use of EO information for wildfires risk evaluation, fire monitoring, burned area mapping, and the analysis of fire impacts is provided. Particular emphasis is given to the activities of the European Forest Fires Information System (EFFIS). The possibility of complementing fire risk indices using new space-borne technologies isRead MoreThe Effects Of Water Coverage On Urban Areas Of Developing Countries1746 Words   |  7 Pages2.6.2 Decline in Water Coverage in Urban Areas Access to improved water in urban areas of developing countries is worrying since it has steadily declined over time (Kayaga et al, 2007). So far, investment in the urban water supply does not reflect a formula that matches the rapid urban population growth. Most water supply infrastructure is aging. 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