Climate Change | Environment for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
 
CLIMATE CHANGE 
Page 2


 
 
CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
 
The United Nations Framework Convention on 
Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines  
it as a change of climate that is attributed 
directly or indirectly to human activity, 
altering the composition of the global 
atmosphere. 
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CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
 
The United Nations Framework Convention on 
Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines  
it as a change of climate that is attributed 
directly or indirectly to human activity, 
altering the composition of the global 
atmosphere. 
 
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE 
CHANGE  -  NATURAL FACTORS 
 
The earth’s climate can be affected by a number of natural factors such as 
Extraterrestrial factors, such as variations in the sun's activity and slow changes 
in the earth's orbit and tilt of its axis. 
Scientists say it is no coincidence that an increase in sunspot activity and a run-
up of global temperatures on Earth are happening concurrently and hence, 
blame global warming on natural variations in the sun’s output due to 
sunspots and/or solar wind. 
The seasonal distribution of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface is directly 
related to Earth’s Orbit and a slight variation in Earth’s orbit leads to 
variation in distribution across the globe.  
 
The main influence within earth is volcanism.  
When the Volcano erupts, the outburst of gases and dust particles partially 
block the incoming rays of the Sun which lead to the cooling of the weather. 
Volcanic eruptions have a large but transitory negative effect.  
 
Page 4


 
 
CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
 
The United Nations Framework Convention on 
Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines  
it as a change of climate that is attributed 
directly or indirectly to human activity, 
altering the composition of the global 
atmosphere. 
 
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE 
CHANGE  -  NATURAL FACTORS 
 
The earth’s climate can be affected by a number of natural factors such as 
Extraterrestrial factors, such as variations in the sun's activity and slow changes 
in the earth's orbit and tilt of its axis. 
Scientists say it is no coincidence that an increase in sunspot activity and a run-
up of global temperatures on Earth are happening concurrently and hence, 
blame global warming on natural variations in the sun’s output due to 
sunspots and/or solar wind. 
The seasonal distribution of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface is directly 
related to Earth’s Orbit and a slight variation in Earth’s orbit leads to 
variation in distribution across the globe.  
 
The main influence within earth is volcanism.  
When the Volcano erupts, the outburst of gases and dust particles partially 
block the incoming rays of the Sun which lead to the cooling of the weather. 
Volcanic eruptions have a large but transitory negative effect.  
 
Slow drift of continents and mountain building also 
influence climate, but this occurs only over millions of 
years, so can be considered constant over time scales 
of decades to centuries. 
 
Factors operating on the earth’s surface include 
the reflectivity or albedo of the surface; the amount 
of heat in the oceans and the atmosphere and the 
level of heat exchange between them; and the 
influence of land vegetation on the composition and 
heat balance of the atmosphere. 
Atmospheric factors include the composition of the 
atmosphere and its reflectivity, from the surface of 
the earth to the stratosphere. 
 
Page 5


 
 
CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
 
The United Nations Framework Convention on 
Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines  
it as a change of climate that is attributed 
directly or indirectly to human activity, 
altering the composition of the global 
atmosphere. 
 
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE 
CHANGE  -  NATURAL FACTORS 
 
The earth’s climate can be affected by a number of natural factors such as 
Extraterrestrial factors, such as variations in the sun's activity and slow changes 
in the earth's orbit and tilt of its axis. 
Scientists say it is no coincidence that an increase in sunspot activity and a run-
up of global temperatures on Earth are happening concurrently and hence, 
blame global warming on natural variations in the sun’s output due to 
sunspots and/or solar wind. 
The seasonal distribution of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface is directly 
related to Earth’s Orbit and a slight variation in Earth’s orbit leads to 
variation in distribution across the globe.  
 
The main influence within earth is volcanism.  
When the Volcano erupts, the outburst of gases and dust particles partially 
block the incoming rays of the Sun which lead to the cooling of the weather. 
Volcanic eruptions have a large but transitory negative effect.  
 
Slow drift of continents and mountain building also 
influence climate, but this occurs only over millions of 
years, so can be considered constant over time scales 
of decades to centuries. 
 
Factors operating on the earth’s surface include 
the reflectivity or albedo of the surface; the amount 
of heat in the oceans and the atmosphere and the 
level of heat exchange between them; and the 
influence of land vegetation on the composition and 
heat balance of the atmosphere. 
Atmospheric factors include the composition of the 
atmosphere and its reflectivity, from the surface of 
the earth to the stratosphere. 
 
 
OCEAN CURRENTS 
 
The ocean covers 71 percent of the planet and 
holds 97 percent of its water, making the ocean 
a key factor in the storage and transfer of heat 
energy across the globe.  
The movement of this heat through local and 
global ocean currents affects the regulation of 
local weather conditions and temperature 
extremes, stabilization of global climate 
patterns, cycling of gases, and delivery of 
nutrients and larva to marine ecosystems.