by Alizeh Ahmed

A. ADAPTATIONS
Over the past several decades people have already starting adapting to the climate change, although this will increasingly become an economic strain especially in developing countries.

B. BIOFUELS
Biofuels are renewable sources of energy obtained from biomass. Biomass such as wood can also be used directly as a source of energy as well. The biofuel industry is expanding rapidly as the world seeks out alternative energy sources that are more environmentally friendly. Biofuels can also be replenished quickly as they come from carbon sources which can be replaced i.e. plants.

C. CARBON DIOXIDE
Carbon dioxide is a gas that exists in the earth’s atmosphere at normal temperature and pressure. As the amount of CO2 increases in the atmosphere its absorption of infrared radiation increases the heat in the atmosphere thus adding to global warming.

D. DEEP ECOLOGY
Deep ecology or “ecosophy” is a philosophy which believes that mankind is an important part of the ecosystem although non human aspects of the ecosystem like other species and the existing natural environment are more important.

E. ECOSYSTEMS
An ecosystem can be defined as a natural unit that consists of all plants, animals and micro-organisms in an area functioning and interacting together with all the non-living physical factors of the environment. Climate change has disrupted the natural habitats of many living beings.

F. Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the earth’s crust. They range from very volatile materials such as hydrogen, methane, liquid petroleum as well as coal, materials that are traditionally burned to produce energy and electricity.

G. GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is the result of the greenhouse affect which means heat from the sun is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere by carbon dioxide. Green-houses gases— gases that trap the sun’s heat — are the product of excessive human consumption of fossil fuels.

H. HIMALAYAS
The Himalayan mountain range stretches across six countries: Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Himalayas contain the world’s highest mountain peaks including Mount Everest, and has a profound influence blocking different winds from different countries.

I. IPCC
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was first organized in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), both of them a part of the United Nations.

J. JARGON
Climate change jargon is becoming more and more common in the world media and mental inundation is a real possibility. The Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk) and BBC (www.bbc.co.uk) websites explain these in laymen’s terms.

K. KYOTO PROTOCOL
The Kyoto Protocol was a convention agreed upon in December 11, 1997 when the IPCC member states met in Japan. It sets targets for cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases that the industrialized world are chiefly responsible for releasing into the atmosphere, causing global warming.

L. LAND USE
The use of land, as in irrigation, agriculture and deforestation were all major contributors to climate change before the widespread use of fossil fuels. Altering the landscape allows water to reach places it usually would not reach, light shines on land that used to be dense forests, and trees that acted as carbon dioxide sponges have been cut down.

M. MITIGATION
A push to mitigate the emerging problems has gained popularity. These measures to buffer and eventually eliminate the impacts can be either structural or non-structural. Structural measures use technological solutions, such as flood levees, while non structural measures involve policy making.

N. NATURAL DISASTERS
The alarming frequency at which natural disasters have been occurring in recent years has led to an appalling death toll. The death toll in 2006 is 21, and 342, 82,061 in 2005. In 2004 the Tsunami alone was responsible for taking the lives of 230,000 people. In 2006 395 natural disasters affecting 135 million people occurred compared to the number of incidents that were well under 100 only three decades ago. A list of the ten deadliest disasters that occurred in 2005 alone is as follows:
Earthquake (May) Indonesia 5,778
Typhoon Durian (Dec) Philippines 1,399
Landslide (Feb) Philippines 1,112
Heat wave (July) Netherlands 1,000 Heat wave (July) Belgium 940
Typhoon Bilis (July) China 820
Tsunami (July) Indonesia 802
Cold wave (Jan) Ukraine 801
Flash flood (Aug) Ethiopia 498
Typhoon Samoai (Aug) China 373

O. OCEANS
Oceanic currents are a major transporter of heat to different parts of the world. The heat is transported through an overturning circulation system in which cold dense water sinks to the bottom and warm water rises to the top. This sort of circulation transports much warm water to the North Atlantic region.

P. POLAR BEARS
With rising temperatures, polar bears are among the worst affected species since their habitat in the north pole region is increasingly disintegrating. There are about 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the wild today, about 60 per cent in Canada. The impact on the polar bear is likely to be much more.

Q. QUITO
Melting glaciers will greatly affect cities at high altitude like the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. There are over 11 million people residing in such cities who are at risk. It is not only drinking water that will be scarce, but also that which is used for agriculture and hydroelectricity on which the cities are dependant.

R. REFERENCES
Quick references to learn more about climate change:
UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme):
http://www.unep.org/themes/climatechange/
IPCC: http://www.ipcc.ch/
Global Environment Facility: http://www.gefweb.org
http://www.un.org/climatechange/

S. SEA LEVEL PROJECTIONS
The pattern of sea levels in ocean basins largely depends on atmospheric pressure and wind surface stress. As the ocean warms, the density of the water increases even if the mass does not. This creates a thermal expansion that occurs at all ocean temperatures and this contributes to sea level changes. Hence, greater global expansion occurs at higher temperatures regardless of where the temperature is higher. Along with this, global warming is causing the ice caps to melt as well as parts of Greenland and some Antarctic the ice sheets further raising the sea level. The IPCC estimates) estimates that the global average sea level will rise by 7.2 to 23.6 inches (18-59 cm or 0.18- 0.59m) by 2100.

T. TEMPERATURES
Since the 1880s the average temperatures have risen 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) globally according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and the warming still continues. The 20th century’s last two decades were the hottest in 400. Estimates predict that the Arctic region may have its first complete ice-free summer by 2040.

U. USA
The United States has been unabashedly sluggish in recognising science that proves climate change, in a bid to protect its heavy investments in conventional energy sources. Australia was the only other major economynot to sign the Kyoto Protocol that came into play on February 16, 2005. Needless to say, the US is also the highest per capita emitter of green house gases that cause global warming.

V. VECTOR BORNE DISEASES
Vector borne diseases are rampant in tropical countries and are a major cause of illness and death. Infective agents and their vector organisms are sensitive to factors such as temperature, surface water, wind, humidity, soil moisture and forest distribution. Changing climates tamper with the natural patterns and affect the natural rate of these diseases.

W. WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?
Who killed the Electric Car is the controversial documentary filmed in 2006, in which director Chris Paine explores the rise and fall of the electric car. Paine explores the roles of car manufacturers, the oil industry as well as other agents such as the US government and consumers to analyze its unpopularity.

X. X MARKS THE SPOT
As sea-levels rise, low-lying countries, frequently the most densely populated areas of the world, will be inundated. With a sea-level rise of just one meter, the populations of Bangladesh and the Maldives as well as coastal China, Egypt, and the Netherlands will threatened, as well as infrastructure and industry in countries such as Japan.As sea-levels rise, low-lying countries, frequently the most densely populated areas of the world, will be inundated. With a sea-level rise of just one meter, the populations of Bangladesh and the Maldives as well as coastal China, Egypt, and the Netherlands will threatened, as well as infrastructure and industry in countries such as Japan.

Y. YOU. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Countries like Bangladesh have the right to be pointing fingers at the developed world for causing climate change, but its also true that each of us can become accountable for our actions. Although it may seem that our individual action can’t make a difference, every effort makes a difference.

Z. ZERO CARBON ECONOMY
Many economies have strived to mitigate the effects of global warming by becoming a low carbon economy, in which the release of greenhouse emissions are significantly reduced by controlling the consumption of fossil fuels.