2. What is Global Warming ?
• Global warming, also referred to as climate change, is the observed
century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate
system and its related effects.
• In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth
Assessment Report concluded that "It is extremely likely that human
influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the
mid-20th century.“ The largest human influence has been the emission of
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
• Climate model projections summarized in the report indicated that during
the 21st century, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further
0.3 to 1.7 °C (0.5 to 3.1 °F) in the lowest emissions scenario, and 2.6 to
4.8 °C (4.7 to 8.6 °F) in the highest emissions scenario.
Global mean surface-temperature change from 1880
to 2017, relative to the 1951–1980 mean. The black
line is the global annual mean, and the red line is the
five-year local regression line. The blue uncertainty
bars show a 95% confidence interval. Reference:
https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/
3. • From 1880 to 2012, average global temperature increased by
0.85°C. To put this into perspective, for each 1 degree of
temperature increase, grain yields decline by about 5 per cent. Maize,
wheat and other major crops have experienced significant yield
reductions at the global level of 40 megatonnes per year between
1981 and 2002 due to a warmer climate.
• Oceans have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished
and sea level has risen. From 1901 to 2010, the global average sea
level rose by 19 cm as oceans expanded due to warming and ice
melted. The Arctic’s sea ice extent has shrunk in every successive
decade since 1979, with 1.07 million km² of ice loss every decade.
Environmental Impacts
Reference: https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/ ,
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climate-change-2/
The atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased to levels
unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years. Carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by 40 per cent
since pre-industrial times, primarily from fossil fuel emissions and secondarily from net land use change emissions.
The ocean has absorbed about 30 per cent of the emitted anthropogenic carbon dioxide, causing ocean acidification.
4. The climate is changing.
So must architecture.
• As every architect should know, buildings consume some 40 percent of the
energy in the world annually, and they emit nearly half of the carbon
dioxide(CO2), through greenfield development, cement production, and the
burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal.
• Because CO2 traps solar energy in the atmosphere, thereby heating the planet, it is
the chief agent of climate change , making buildings—and by association, the
architecture profession—profoundly responsible.
• Architects must minimize the use of energy- and carbon-intensive technologies such
as electric lighting and air-conditioning, and revive low-tech solutions such as
passive ventilation.
Reference: http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/editorial
Dubai tower by RUR Architecture, is covered by a concrete exoskeleton that creates a chimney effect,
pipping hot air up through the three-foot-deep space between the perforated shell and the building’s glass
windows, keeping the interior cool. As more areas of the world face desert-like conditions due to climate
change, this kind of passive climate control could be used to reduce buildings’ carbon footprint.
5. Adaptation and Mitigation
Mitigation – reducing climate change – involves reducing the
flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,
either by reducing sources of these gases (for example, the
burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat or transport) or
enhancing the “sinks” that accumulate and store these gases
(such as the oceans, forests and soil).
The goal of mitigation is to avoid significant human interference with the
climate system, and “stabilize greenhouse gas levels in a timeframe
sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, ensure
that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development
to proceed in a sustainable manner”
Adaptation – adapting to life in a changing climate – involves adjusting
to actual or expected future climate.
The goal is to reduce our vulnerability to the harmful effects of climate
change (like sea-level encroachment, more intense extreme weather
events or food insecurity). It also encompasses making the most of any
potential beneficial opportunities associated with climate change (for
example, longer growing seasons or increased yields in some regions).
Reference: https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/
6. Solutions for climate change
Boosting energy efficiency: The energy used to power,
heat, and cool our homes, businesses, and industries is
the single largest contributor to global warming. Energy
efficiency technologies allow us to use less energy to
get the same—or higher—level of production, service,
and comfort.
Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-
carbon technologies: Research into and development of
the next generation of low-carbon technologies will be
critical to deep mid-century reductions in global
emissions. Current research on battery technology, new
materials for solar cells, harnessing energy from novel
sources like bacteria and algae, and other innovative
areas could provide important breakthroughs.
Ensuring sustainable development: The countries of
the world—from the most to the least developed—vary
dramatically in their contributions to the problem of
climate change and in their responsibilities and
capacities to confront it. A successful global compact on
climate change must include financial assistance from
Reference: http://www.climatehotmap.org/global-warming-solutions/
richer countries to poorer countries to help make the transition to low-carbon development
pathways and to help adapt to the impacts of climate change.
