| Absorption
of Radiation - The uptake of radiation by a solid body,
liquid or gas. The absorbed energy may be transferred or re-emitted.
Acid Rain - When air pollutants from factories and the burning of fossil fuels
dissolve in water, the resulting ‘acid rain’ falls on
forests, killing trees and wildlife and seriously affecting soils.
Acid rain is not a new phenomenon; all rainfall has a natural acidity,
but pollution in the atmosphere increases this acidity more than
a thousand times. And acid rain not only affects habitats when it
falls as rain; acidity can also be present, and be just as damaging,
in snow, hail, cloud, fog, mist, or even airborne dust. Adverse effects of climate change
- means changes in the physical environment or biota resulting from
climate change which have significant deleterious effects on the
composition, resilience or productivity of natural and managed ecosystems
or on the operation of socioeconomic systems or on human health
and welfare. ALGAS
- stands for the Asia Least Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy
which is the analysis of the mitigation options of 12 Asian countries,
including the Philippines, under the guidance of the Asian Development
Bank, with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Atmosphere - The earth is surrounded by a thick blanket of air, called the
atmosphere. It contains the oxygen we need to breath. It is also
where all the weather happens. The air in the atmosphere may be
warm or cool, dry or moist. This controls the type of weather we
have. The air is constantly on the move, stirred up by the Sun’s
heat. The way the atmosphere moves and changes causes the changes
in the weather that some parts of the world have each day. The atmosphere
is made up of oxygen (nearly 21%), nitrogen (78%), and small amounts
of other gases (1%). It also contains water vapour (the invisible
gas form of water), and tiny droplets of water and ice that from
clouds. From the clouds fall rain, snow and hail. The Earth’s
gravity holds the atmosphere in place, stopping the air escaping
into space. TOP OF PAGE
Biomass
- Farmers have already begun to harness the sun to make the same
kinds of energy we get today from fossil fuels. They grow energy
crops to make biodiesel and alcohol fuels. Soon energy crops will
also produce electricity and chemicals for products such as plastics.
Energy crops include corn, oil-seeds, fast-growing trees and grasses.
Biodiversity - The variety of plant and animal life. Also known as biological
diversity, is an umbrella term used to describe the number, variety
and variability of living organisms in a given assemblage. Biodiversity
may be described in terms of genes, species and ecosystems, relating
to the three fundamental and hierarchically related levels of biological
organization. It therefore embraces the whole of ‘Life on Earth’.
Declines in biodiversity include all those changes, which will reduce
or simplify biological heterogeneity, from individuals or regions. TOP OF PAGE
Carbon Dioxide
(CO2) - A greenhouse gas that is primarily released from burning
fossil fuels e.g. machines and motors that use coal, oil and natural
gas, and also by deforestation. Carbon dioxide is a major contributor
to the greenhouse effect. Clean Development
Mechanism - A provision within the Kyoto Protocol that
will allow countries to obtain credit for greenhouse gas reduction
projects undertaken in developing countries. CFCs
- Chlorofluorocarbons are industrial solvents and materials that
both deplete the ozone layer and contribute to the greenhouse effect.
The production of this chemical is now controlled by an international
agreement to protect the ozone layer. Climate
change - means a change of climate, which is attributed
directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition
of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate
variability observed over comparable time periods. Climate
system - means the totality of the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere and geosphere and their interactions. Coral Bleaching
- Warming water may affect the natural balance of the marine ecosystem.
In the case of coral reefs, warming water may cause bleaching of
the living algae followed by death of the coral skeleton. If coral
reefs bleach and die, many species will lose valuable spawning grounds
and habitat. Conference
of the Parties - The Conference of the Parties (COP)
- the supreme body of the Convention - held its first session in
early 1995 in Berlin. At its third session in December 1997 the
COP adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which commits developed countries
to reducing their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by at
least 5% by the period 2008-12. In November 1998, COP-4 agreed on
the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for finalizing the Protocol’s
outstanding details by COP-6, to be held in The Hague, Netherlands
on 13-24 November 2000. The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC and
any related legal instruments that it may adopt is to achieve, in
accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization
of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate
system. Such a level should be achieved within a time frame sufficient
to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure
that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development
to proceed in a sustainable manner. Cryosphere
- In the next 100 years between one third and one half of the world's
mountain glaciers could melt, affecting the water supply to rivers
and thus hydroelectric dams and agriculture. As is already being
observed in Alaska, the areal extent and depth of permafrost are
projected to decline, resulting in adverse effects on human infrastructure.
A decrease in the extent and thickness of sea-ice will likely improve
the navigability of the Arctic Ocean. Coastal
System - Climate change and sea level rise, or changes
in storms or storm surges could cause the erosion of shores and
associated habitat, an increase in the salinity of estuaries and
freshwater aquifers, a change in tidal ranges in rivers and bays,
a change in sediment and nutrient transport, a change in the pattern
of chemical and microbiological contamination in coastal areas,
and an increase in coastal flooding. The ecosystems at risk are
salt water marshes, mangrove ecosystems, coastal wetlands, coral
reefs, coral atolls, and river deltas. TOP OF PAGE
Developed
Countries - A term used within the convention process
to categorize wealthy countries. Also known as 'Industrialized'
countries. Most developed countries are members of the OECD. Developing
Countries - A term used within the convention process
to categorize poorer countries. Also known as 'Industrializing'
countries. Deserts
- Desert regions are likely to be more extreme, becoming even hotter
than they are presently. The process of desertification will be
more likely to become irreversible due to drier soils and land degradation
through erosion and compaction. TOP OF PAGE
Energy Efficiency - Efficient use of energy or ‘doing more for less energy’ e.g. using CFL lamps (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) instead of incandescent
lamps; using 32-watt lamp with electronic ballast instead of traditional
40-watt with magnetic ballast, etc. El Niño - A periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern
Pacific ocean. El Niño is renowned for its association with
climate disruptions both locally and around the world. ENSO - The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is a semi-regular climatic
phenomenon involving regional interactions between the ocean and
the atmosphere. Emissions
Trading - A provision in the Kyoto Protocol that allows
countries with legally binding targets to trade emission entitlements
with another country. Emissions
- mean the release of greenhouse gases and/or their precursors into
the atmosphere over a specified area and period of time. Ecosystems
- Both plant and animal species are sensitive to climate. Due to
global warming, ideal temperature and precipitation ranges suitable
for present life forms may shift dramatically and rapidly, more
rapidly than the species that depend upon them can adapt to naturally.
A decline in biodiversity and in the goods and services provided
by most ecosystems is a likely result. However, a lengthening of
the growing season is also predicted for some high latitude regions.
Which means that these regions will likely experience an increase
in potential for agricultural production. TOP OF PAGE
Fossil Fuels
- Oil, coal, and natural gas, burning fossil fuels contributes to
the enhanced greenhouse effect. Forest
- Within the next 100 years many forest species may be forced to
migrate between 100 and 340 miles in the direction of the poles.
The upper end of this range is a distance typically covered by migrating
forests in millennia, not in decades. A decline in species composition
is predicted and some forest types may disappear from the earth,
while new ones may be established. Fisheries
- Rising temperatures are not predicted to change the global average
production; however, significant regional changes are likely. Production
is projected to increase in high latitudes, in freshwater and from
aquaculture. Warmer climates should increase the growing season,
decrease natural winter variability, and improve growing rates in
high latitude regions. However, these beneficial results may be
counterbalanced by changes in reproductive patterns, migration routes,
and ecosystem relationships. TOP OF PAGE
Geothermal
- Extracting heat from hot underground rock by circulating water
through human-made fractures in the rock has the potential of providing
geothermal energy. Gigatonnes
- One gigatonne is equal to one billion tonnes. Global Warming
- An increase in the average global temperature. Global Average
Temperature Change - Measurement records indicate a warming
of 0.3-0.6 oC in global average temperature since 1860. This is
in line with model projections of the size of warming to date, particularly
when the cooling effect of sulphur emissions is included. But observations
are sparse before 1900 and much of the warming occurred between
1910 and 1940, before the largest rise in greenhouse gases. There
is clearly more going on than a simple, direct response to emissions.
This is to be expected as the climate is a complicated and chaotic
system. Greenhouse
Effect - An analogy comparing the heat trapping ability
of atmospheric gases to a greenhouse. The 'natural' greenhouse effect
is essential for life as we know it. The 'enhanced' greenhouse effect
is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases and is
responsible for global warming. Greenhouse
Gases - Greenhouse gases
means those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural
and anthropogenic, that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation. Atmospheric
gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
CFCs and ozone which have the ability to trap heat at the Earth's
surface. Greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect and
global warming. TOP OF PAGE
Hydro Power
- Harnessing energy from moving water e.g. rivers. Large scale hydro
projects disrupt the environment and displace Iocal peoples; however,
small scale or micro-hydro projects are a renewable and sustainable
form of energy. Hydropower has been used for centuries for many
mechanical tasks like grinding grain in mills, sawing wood, pumping
water, and performing other labor-saving activities. In the 19th
century, with the understanding of how to produce electric current
from electro-magnetic principles, waterwheels began turning generators
to produce electricity. Hydropower systems use the kinetic (motion)
energy in flowing water to produce electricity or mechanical energy.
TOP OF PAGE
IPCC
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was jointly
established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United
Nations Environment Programme in 1988 to assess the scientific and
technical literature on climate change, the potential impacts of
changes in climate, and options for adaptation to and mitigation
of climate change. Since its inception, the IPCC has produced a
series of Assessment Reports, Special Reports, Technical Papers,
methodologies and other products which have become standard works
of reference, widely used by policymakers, scientists and other
experts. TOP OF PAGE
June 1992 - The Convention was opened for signature in June 1992 at the Rio
de Janeiro Earth Summit. It was signed there by Heads of State and
other senior representatives from 154 countries (and the European
Community) and entered into force on 21 March 1994. As of mid 1999,
over 175 States have ratified or acceded, thus binding themselves
to the Convention’s terms. As a background, in the 1980’s,
scientific evidence linking greenhouse gas emissions from human
activities with the risk of global climate change started to arouse
public concern. Governments held a series of international conferences
that echoed this concern by issuing urgent calls for a global treaty
to address the problem. The United Nations General Assembly responded
in 1990 by establishing the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee
for a Framework Convention on Climate Change (INC). The INC drafted
the Convention and adopted it on 9 May 1992 at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York. June 21
- The Sun is overhead at the Tropic of Cancer. It is Summer in the
northern hemisphere and Winter in the southern hemisphere. The North
Pole, which is tilted towards the Sun, has 24 hours of daylight,
but the South Pole receives no sunlight at all, and has 24 hours
of darkness. TOP OF PAGE
Kyoto Protocol
- The first international legally binding agreement, for the reduction
of, greenhouse gas emissions. Negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in December
1997. TOP OF PAGE
Lakes, Streams,
Wetlands - Climate change is predicted to alter water
temperatures, flow regimes, and levels. Such changes will likely
cause an increase in biological productivity at high latitudes,
but may result in extinction for low latitude, cool and cold water
species. Increased variability in flow, which will result if the
frequency and duration of large floods and droughts increases, will
tend to reduce water quality, biological productivity, and the habitat
in streams. TOP OF PAGE
Methane
(CH4) - A greenhouse gas that is primarily released from
agricultural activities such as intensive livestock raising and
flooding of rice paddies, and also from waste dumps, coal beds and
leaks from gas pipelines. Malaria
transmission - With predicted temperature increases,
there will likely be an additional 50 to 80 million cases of malaria
worldwide, bringing the percentage of the world's people within
the susceptible zone to 60%. It is also likely that increasing temperatures
will result in a decline in air quality due to increases in the
abundance of air pollutants, pollen, and mold spores. An increase
in the number of cases of respiratory disease, asthma, and allergies
is likely to follow. The change in the frequency and intensity of
extreme weather events (e.g. floods and droughts) combined with
warmer atmospheric temperatures, will probably result in a host
of adverse health effects, among them, exposure to contaminated
water supplies and death from diseases. Mountain
Region Warming - temperatures will probably induce a
shift in the distribution of vegetation to higher elevations. Living
creatures that exist only at high elevations will possibly become
extinct due to the disappearance of habitat or the decline in migration
potential. Recreational industries (e.g. ski industry) are likely
to be disrupted, having a severe adverse effect on the economies
of some regions. The high elevation populations of developing nations
will probably suffer from a decline in the abundance of food and
fuel. TOP OF PAGE
Natural
Gas - This is a type of gas that occurs naturally underground.
It is usually found with oil deposits. If there is a lot of natural
gas found, it is piped away and used as a fuel in homes and transportation.
Nitrous
Oxide (N2O) - A greenhouse gas that is primarily released
from intensive agriculture, and in automobile exhaust. TOP OF PAGE
Ozone (O3)
- A greenhouse gas in the lower atmosphere that is released indirectly
from automobile exhaust fumes. Ozone Layer
- Ozone in the upper atmosphere (the ozone layer) protects us
from harmful ultra-violet radiation from the sun. Certain chemicals,
such as CFCs, deplete the ozone creating 'holes' in the ozone layer.
The Montreal Protocol is an international agreement restricting
the production of CFCs to protect the ozone layer. Oceans
- Changing atmospheric temperatures will change patterns of ocean
circulation, vertical mixing, wave climate, and quantities of sea-ice
cover. These changes will affect nutrient availability, biological
productivity, and the structure and function of marine ecosystems. TOP OF PAGE
Paleoclimate
(past climate) - data and models show that major changes
in ocean circulation can be caused by freshwater additions to the
oceans from the movement and melting of sea ice or ice sheets and
can result in rapid and dramatic changes in climate. Abrupt shifts
in climate have had adverse effects on human civilizations in the
past. Paleo climate data suggest that the collapse of the Mesopotamian
Empire about 4,200 years ago (2,200 BC) corresponds to a sharp cooling
event (Alley & deMenocal, 1998) TOP OF PAGE
Quantum
- An invisible unit of any form of physical energy Quarantine
- The isolation of people or animals to prevent the spread of any
infectious disease. TOP OF PAGE
Rain Forests - A few thousand years ago, rain forests covered about 14 per cent
of the Earth’s land surface. Half of this has now been destroyed
by people. The remaining forest contains at least 50 per cent of
all the world’s plant and animal species. Yet the forests are
still being cut down at an alarming rate to make way for farms,
cattle ranches and settlements. Scientists have estimated that an
area of rain forest the size of Austria is being cut down every
year. At this rate, the forests will be destroyed by the year 2030. Renewable
Energy - An energy source that renews itself. Fossil
fuels, once consumed, are gone forever. In contrast, solar energy
is renewable. The sun we harvest today has no effect on the sun
we can harvest tomorrow. Renewable energy is produced from regenerative
or virtually inexhaustible resources such as biomass, solar radiation,
the wind, water, or heat from the Earth's interior. Renewable energy
is also defined as energy created by sources that are not used up
or depleted. Most forms of renewable energy do not produce carbon
dioxide and other harmful gases. Using more renewable energy sources
would reduce carbon dioxide emissions and minimize global warming. Regional
Economic Integration Organization - means an organization
constituted by sovereign States of a given region which has competence
in respect of matters governed by this Convention or its protocols
and has been duly authorized, in accordance with its internal procedures,
to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the instruments concerned. Reservoir
- means a component or components of the climate system where a
greenhouse gas or a precursor of a green house gas is stored. Rangelands
- Changes in growing seasons and shifts in the boundaries between
grasslands, forests, and shrublands are projected results of changing
temperature and precipitation regimes. Increased levels of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere may result in a decline in food values
of grasses for herbivores. TOP OF PAGE
Sea-level
Rise - Relative sea-level is monitored routinely in several
hundred locations around the world as part of the Global Sea Level
Observing System (GLOSS). One of the most striking consequences
of a warming climate will be rise in global-mean sea-level. Observed
sea-level has risen by between 10 and 25 cm over the last century,
reaching its highest level during the 1997/98 El Nino event, and
our scenarios suggest a future rise of between 22 cm and 124 cm
by 2100 compared to average1961-1990 conditions. The largest contribution
to this sea-level rise comes from the expansion of warmer waters,
while melting land glaciers contribute up to 20 per cent. The "best
estimate" of sea level rise is approximately 50 cm by the year
2100. Sinks
- Within the Kyoto Protocol sinks include land-use change and forestry
activities. Countries may secure credits from reforestation and
afforestation activities but they also have to report emissions
from deforestation. Sink
- means any process, activity or mechanism, which removes a greenhouse
gas, an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Source
- means any process or activity which releases a greenhouse gas,
an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Solar Photovoltaics
- Solar photovoltaics (PV) convert sunlight directly into clean
electricity, using solar cells arranged in panels. Solar PV panels
are fitted onto the roof of a house or building where the electricity
is used. Over the centuries, human ingenuity has devised many different
technologies for directly harnessing the sun's energy. Today, solar
collectors can gather thermal energy (via solar panels, for example)
in almost any climate to provide a reliable, cost-effective source
of energy for many applications including hot water for homes, residential
heating, and hot water for industries such as laundry and food processing. Solar Thermal
Systems - Energy derived from converting sunshine into
direct heating applications (such as water heating) or, to produce
electricity in a steam-generating plant where the steam is derived
by heating water. TOP OF PAGE
Temperature
and Precipitation - the last decade has been the warmest
this century and, as with a number of countries around the world,
1998 was the warmest year this century in the Philippines. Warming
has occurred in all seasons of the year, but has been largest in
the June-August season. At the same time as the country has become
warmer, the Philippines has also become drier. Total Precipitation
- is predicted to increase, but at the local level trends are
much less certain. Wintertime precipitation in the far north is
likely to rise, but what happens in mid-latitudes and in the tropics
depends very much on the details of the particular climate model
and the emissions scenario. Including the effects of aerosols, for
example, significantly weakens the Asian summer monsoon in the two
models, which have so far run this experiment. Takagas
Waste-to-Energy Project - One example of a measure to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Tanzania is a pilot project on
energy recovery from municipal waste. Popularly known as Takagas,
this initiative is to be implemented in Dar es Salaam. Taka is a
Swahili word for waste, and Takagas is therefore gas from waste.
The goal of the Takagas project is to reduce emissions of GHGs in
Tanzania by substituting bioenergy (methane gas and electricity)
- produced from anaerobic digestion of industrial and municipal
waste in the Dar es Salaam area - for fossil fuels. Tropical
Grasslands - Bordering the rain forests are hot regions
with a long, dry season. In these areas, forests grow only along
rivers or in other places with water. The rest of the land is made
up of tropical grassland, with a few scattered trees and bushes. TOP OF PAGE
UNFCCC
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was
established in 1992. It set an ultimate objective of stabilizing
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference
with the climate system. TOP OF PAGE
Vulnerability
- Vulnerability often refers to four sectors (forests, water, livestock
and agriculture) that will suffer due to potential climate change.
Bolivia, for example, a self-sustained, landlocked Andean country
with geographic contrasts, is very vulnerable to climate changes.
TOP OF PAGE
Water Vapor
- The gaseous state of water, which is also a greenhouse gas that
is primarily released from the naturally occurring water cycle.
Watershed
- The high land separating two river basins. Wave energy
- or ocean energy is electric power generated from waves or series
of ridges moving across the ocean or other expanse of water. Wetlands
- In a country as dry as Australia, every drop of water is precious.
Increasing pollution, salinity and disappearing wildlife suggest
that we need to improve our management of wetlands. Weather - The weather depends on the air around us, from day to day
or from hour to hour. In some parts of the world, it is fairly easy
to guess what the next day’s weather will be like. The study
of weather is called meteorology. Wind Turbine
- a renewable energy source that generates electricity using wind
power. Wind turbines, with huge, specially shaped blades, have been
built in windy areas, such as on islands. However, wind farms are
not the complete answer to fuel shortages. They need steady winds
and large areas of open land, and are very noisy. They also cause
unusual air currents and are a danger to birds. Over 1,000 turbines
would be needed to replace one coal-fired power station. Outstanding
progress has been made in the technology used to convert wind energy
into electrical energy. Small wind turbine systems are often the
most inexpensive source of power for remote sites. Wind electric
water pumping systems are simple and rugged. Other applications
include telecommunications and rural residences electrification. TOP OF PAGE
Xenon
- Of the 92 chemical elements found in nature, only 11 are gases
at ordinary temperatures. These are hydrogen, helium, nitrogen,
oxygen, fluorine, neon, chlorine, argon, krypton, xenon and redon.
Xenon is a gaseous element of the atmosphere. TOP OF PAGE
Year 2100 - At current rates of growth emissions, the Earth’s average
temperature will increase by 1.5 0C -4.5 0C by the year 2100. The
annual global-mean surface air temperature over the period 1961-90
was 14 degrees centigrade and this has already risen to 14.3 0C
during the 1990s. Hence, planetary fever reaches between 15.3 0C
to 18.6 0C by 2100. While global average sea-levels may rise by
22-124 cm. The "best estimate" of sea level rise is approximately
50 cm by year 2100. TOP OF PAGE
Zero Emissions
- The term zero emission refers to zero release of greenhouse gas
(GHG) into the atmosphere. Example, generation of electric power
using renewable energy (RE) sources e.g. solar panels, wind turbine,
micro hydro, ocean or wave energy, etc. - power generation that
releases no greenhouse gas (GHG) or harmful gases into the atmosphere.
Zoning
- Zoning is the town-planning according to zonal areas, residential,
etc. Zoology
- Zoology is the study of animals. Ecology, a branch of Zoology,
is the study of how living things relate to their environments.
While Paleontology, another expertise under Zoology, is the study
of the fossil remains of living things. Zoology helps us understand
the delicate balances of nature and how to protect endangered species,
such as the panda. Through Zoology, we know that pandas rely mainly
on bamboo shoots for their food. So preservation of bamboo forests
is essential.
TOP OF
PAGE
REFERENCES
1.
Website: http://www.whrc.org/globalwarrning/warmingearth.htm
2. Climate Change and Development Workshop manual, Harvard Institute
for International Development, HIID, March 2000
3. Guinness World Records 2000, Millenium Edition
4. Hotter Facts on Hot Climate, Foundation for the Philippine Environment,
2000
5. The Philippines’ Initial National Communication on Climate
Change, December 1999
6. Wildlife Fact-File, Australia, 1999
7. UNFCCC Booklet, July 1999
8. Hulme, M., Sheard, N. and Markham, A.,1999, Global Climate Change
Scenarios, and Climate Change Scenarios for the Philippines, Climatic
Research Unit, Norwich, U.K.
9. CC:Train/ENDA Energy, 1999, Compilation of a National Inventory
of Greenhouse Gases
10. A Climate Change Primer for Southeast Asia, Greenpeace, June
1998
11. Philippine Climate Change Information Center
12. Website: http://www.ccic.ateneo.net
13.
UNEP Infokit
14.
The Economic Valuation of Tropical Forest Land Use Options: A Manual
for Researchers, by Camille Bann, April 1998
15. National Climate Change Action Plans: Interim Report For Developing
and Transition Countries, October 1997
16. Climate Change in Asia: Indonesia, by Asian Development Bank,
July 1994
17. Young Students Learning Library Dictionary, 1994. |
