ByByDr. Yasser Adel Hanafy OsmanDr. Yasser Adel Hanafy Osman

20092009

OutlineWhat are the environmental problems?Are it real?How do we know?Why should we care?What next—what can we do?

What is Biodiversity?

What is Desertification?

What is climatic changes?

BiodiversityBiodiversity

“ The variety and variability

among living organisms, and

the ecological complexes in

which they live ”

Biodiversity ImportanceBiodiversity ImportanceOr Or

Why should we care Why should we care??

DesertificationDesertificationThe degradation of land productivity specially in

arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas into desert

Climatic changesClimatic changesUp normal climatic changes such differ than Up normal climatic changes such differ than

common ones common ones

((cosmological and geological processes)cosmological and geological processes)

Climate ChangesBasic IssuesEarth’s climate varies naturally – because of a

variety of cosmological and geological processes.“Climate change” refers to an additional, and

relatively rapid, change induced by human actions.The additional change – several degrees C within a

century – will disrupt the foundations of life on Earth.

Ecosystems and life in general have evolved within a narrow band of climatic-environmental of climatic-environmental conditions.conditions.

What do climate scientists really think?

How do we knowHow do we know??

Global mean surface tempratures have increased

““Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effect ” ”

Increasing greenhouse gases trap more heat

Nitrous oxide

Sulfur hexafluorid

eMethane

Carbon dioxide

Water

Causes for the environmental Causes for the environmental problemsproblems

Human activity

Climatic changes (non-human induced)

Biological diversity (Animals – Diseases)

Human activitiesHuman activities Urbanization Mining Pollution Recreation Over population/land stress Overgrazing Over exploitation or using of natural resources Deforestation Precarious agriculture

Human activitiesHuman activities

Human activities have changed the composition of

the atmosphere since the pre- industrial era

Precipitation patterns have changed

Climatic changesClimatic changesUncertain rainfallUncertain rainfallRiver River floodingDepletion of surface waterDepletion of surface waterDepletion of ground waterDepletion of ground waterFiresFiresSoil erosionSoil erosionSea water intrusionSea water intrusionSand encrogmentSand encrogment

Why should we care?

Sea-level rise projections: a few inches - a few feet

•2 ft: U.S. would lose 10,000 square miles

•Affects erosion, loss of wetlands, freshwater supplies

•Half of the world’s population lives along coasts

•Big question: Ice sheets

Health effects

Temperature-relatedillness and death

Extreme weather-related health effects

Air pollution-relatedhealth effects

Water and food-bornediseases

Vector borne and rodent borne diseases

Health Effects

Temperature-relatedillness and death

Extreme weather-related (floods, storms, etc.) health effects

Air pollution-relatedhealth effects

Human exposures

Regional weatherchanges

•Heat waves•Extreme weather•Temperature•Precipitation

••••

•Sea-level rise

Contaminationpathways

Transmissiondynamics

----rodent

Microbial changes:

Contamination paths

Transmission dynamics

Water and food-bornediseases

Vector borne and borne diseases

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Changes in agro-ecosystems, hydrology

Socioeconomic and demographic disruption

Effects of food and water shortages

Mental, nutritional,infectious-disease and other effects

Modulating

influences

More adverse than beneficial impacts on biological and

socioeconomic systems are projected

Food production Food production needs to double needs to double

to meet the to meet the needs of an needs of an additional 3 additional 3

billion people in billion people in the next 30 the next 30

yearsyears

Climate change is projected to decrease agricultural productivity in the tropics and sub-tropics for almost any amount of warming

Wood fuel is the only source of fuel for one third of the world’s population

Wood demand will double in the next 50 years

Forest management will become more difficult due to an increase in pests and fires

One third of the world’s population is now

subject to water scarcity

Population facing water scarcity will more than

double over the next 30 years

Climate change is

projected to decrease

water availability

in many arid and semi-arid

regions

Climate change will exacerbate the loss of biodiversity

Estimated 10-15% of the world’s species could become extinct over

the next 30 years

Food and Fiber ProductionProvision of Clean and Sufficient Water

Maintenance of BiodiversityMaintenance of Human Health

Storage and cycling of Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus

Agricultural Lands

CoastalZones

ForestLands

FreshwaterSystems

Arid Lands & Grasslands

Climate change will affect the ability of ecological systems to provide a range of essential ecological

goods and services

Developing countries are the most vulnerable to climate change

Impacts are worse - already more flood and drought prone and a large share of the economy is in climate sensitive sectors

Lower capacity to adapt because of a lack of financial, institutional and technological capacity and access to knowledge

Climate change is likely to impact disproportionately upon the poorest countries and the poorest persons within countries, exacerbating inequities in health status and access to adequate food, clean water and other resources.

Net market sector effects are expected to be negative in most developing countries

Biodiversity lossBiodiversity loss

Soil erosionSoil erosion

DesertificationDesertification

Loss of nutrients

and soil moisture

Reduced

Structural diversity

Of vegetation cover

And diversity of microbial species in soil crust

ReducedReduced

Soil conservationSoil conservation

Reduced primary Reduced primary ProductionProduction

And Nutrient cyclingAnd Nutrient cycling

Reduced

Carbon reserves

And increased

CO2 emissionsClimate changeClimate change

Increase in

extreme events

(floods, droughts, fires..)

Decreased plant and soil

Organisms species diversity

ReducedReduced

Carbon sequestration intoCarbon sequestration into

Above- and below- groundAbove- and below- ground

Carbon reservesCarbon reserves

Increases

And reductions in

Species abundances

Change in

Community structure

And diversity

Linkage between Climatic Changes,Linkage between Climatic Changes, Biodiversity loss and DesertificationBiodiversity loss and Desertification

Environmental problems ThreatsEnvironmental problems Threats Extinction of some genetic resources or Habitat destructionBiodiversity lossPovertyHungerDiseasesFloodsLand erosions ImmigrationWars

Threats

SoSoWe are facing a We are facing a severe case ofsevere case of

Environmental Environmental problemsproblems

UUnited nited NNation ation CConvention for onvention for CCompete ompete DDesertification esertification ((UNCCDUNCCD))..

United nationUnited nation Convention Convention for for BBiodiversity iodiversity ((CBDCBD)).. UUnited nited NNation ation FFrame work rame work CConvention for onvention for CClimatic limatic

CChanges. hanges. ((UNFCCCUNFCCC))..

Wedges for mitigation

“For every complex

problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and

wrong.”H. L. Mencken

National and International National and International Conferences, workshops and Conferences, workshops and

training coercestraining coerces

One destiny for all of usOne destiny for all of usGive us a hand to solve or mitigate Give us a hand to solve or mitigate

those problemsthose problems

Don’t sayDon’t say I I am too little

Hand on HandHand on Hand

Yes We CanYes We Can

References and important sitesReferences and important sites

The realities and opportunities of climate change - S. Mulkey

Climate Change - Dave Griggswww.cbd.intwww.unccd.intwww.unfccc.int

Thank you for giving us a handThank you for giving us a hand

yasser123ok@yahoo.com

http://www.scouting4peace.org