CLIMATE

1.0 CLIMATIC CLASSIFICATION

 Climate is the general weather conditions of a large area over a long period of time.
 There are lots of ways to classify climate, but the Koppen-Geiger climate classification
is the most comprehensive and is extremely common in scientific circles. It splits the
Earth into three groups:
i. Hot climates - There are three main climates in the hot zone: Equatorial, Tropical
and Desert Climates
ii. Warm climates - There are three main climates in the temperate zone: Oceanic,
Mediterranean and Continental Climates
iii. Cold climates - There are two main climates in the cold zone: Polar and Mountain
Climates
2.0 CLIMATIC DISTRIBUTION
 Across the world, these climate zones are distributed in complex patterns.
 In general, the closer you get to the Equator, the hotter the climate will be due to being in
more direct sunlight. You tend to get equatorial and tropical savannah climates near the
equator, tundra and polar climates near the poles, deserts at certain latitudes, and so on.
 How far inland you are also makes a difference, especially in the eight temperate
climates. Being on the coast in one of these areas, you might find yourself in temperate
climates like oceanic, or even Mediterranean. But further inland in a temperate area, you
will often find climates like humid continental or humid subtropical.

3.0 CLIMATE CAUSES

 Different climates are caused by many factors, but the six most important ones are:
latitude, elevation, currents, proximity to large bodies of water, winds and terrain;
i. Latitude relates to how close you are to the Equator: as discussed, this has a big
impact on where the climate zones are positioned.
ii. Elevation is how high above sea level you are. The higher you get, the colder it
gets. So, while latitude contributes a lot to temperature, it isn't the only factor. A
place near the Equator that is mountainous can be colder than a place further from
the Equator that's at sea level.
iii. Ocean & Wind Currents: The fact that hot water and air rises and cooler water
and air sinks beneath is it a big part of creating the weather patterns. When a
warm front approach and rises over a cold front, it can create rain, for example.
And since climate is really just weather over a long period, the general patterns of
these currents affect the climate.
iv. Nearness to water. The water heats up and cools down slower than land does,
having a moderating effect. On colder days, the water heats up the land, whereas
on hotter days, the land is cooled down by the water. These areas also experience
more precipitation.
v. Terrain. The differences in the elevation inland. As air is forced to rise over a
piece of land (e.g., a mountain) the temperature decreases and condensation
 increases. As it condensates water droplets get bigger and heavier and are forced
to fall. Once the air mass goes over the mountain the temperature and evaporation
increase but condensation decreases, resulting in a halt in precipitation and rain
shadows.
vi. Wind and air masses. Heated ground causes air to rise which results in lower air
pressure. As it rises it cools and descends to the ground resulting in high air
pressure. This cycle repeats, creating wind. These air masses absorb the climate of
the air below it.

4.0 CLIMATE CHANGE

 Climate change describes a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and
rainfall — in a region over a long period of time.
 Global warming is the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere caused
by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels that pump carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
 The Greenhouse Effect is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface. When the
Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the
rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases include water
vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and some artificial chemicals such
as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
 The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth. This process
maintains the Earth’s temperature at around 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would
otherwise be, allowing life on Earth to exist.
 Some of the causes of Climate Change in Kenya include:
i. Use of fossil fuel in industrial activities
ii. Clearing of vegetation and forests to create room for constructions and settlements
iii. Increasing livestock farming. Livestock produce large amounts of methane when they
digest their food.
iv. Fertilizers containing nitrogen produce nitrous oxide emissions.
v. Industrial Farming
vi. Garbage in Landfills. As trash breaks down in landfills, it releases methane and nitrous
oxide gases
vii. Electricity production power plants

 Some of the mitigation measures to the impacts of Climate Change include;

i. Use of renewable sources of energy e.g., solar energy.
ii. Increase Co2 sequestration through planting of trees, that is afforestation and reforestation
iii. Environmentally sustainable and friendly activities e.g., bee keeping.
iv. Mass Transportation.
v. Proper management of forests
vi. Ensuring Sustainable Developments to ensure development doesn’t harm the
environment
vii. Educate the mass on issues relating to environmental conservation
viii. Protecting Coastal Wetlands
Impacts of Global Warming
a) Increase in average temperatures and temperature extremes - One of the most
immediate and obvious effects of global warming is the increase in temperatures around
the world. The average global temperature has increased by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit
(0.8 degrees Celsius) over the past 100 years
b) Extreme weather events - For example, hurricane formations will change. Lightening is
another weather feature that is being affected by global warming. According to a 2014
study, a 50 percent increase in the number of lightning strikes within the United States is
expected by 2100 if global temperatures continue to rise. Scientists project that extreme
weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, blizzards and rainstorms will continue to
occur more often and with greater intensity due to global warming
c) Ice Melt - One of the most dramatic effects of global warming is the reduction in Arctic
sea ice. The melt means there is less thick sea ice that persists for multiple years. That
means less heat is reflected back into the atmosphere by the shiny surface of the ice and
more is absorbed by the comparatively darker ocean, creating a feedback loop that causes
even more melt.
d) Sea Levels and Oceans Acidification - In general, as ice melts, sea levels rise. Melting
polar ice in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, coupled with melting ice sheets and glaciers
across Greenland, North America, South America, Europe and Asia, are expected to raise
sea levels significantly. Global sea levels have risen about 8 inches since 1870, according
to the EPA, and the rate of increase is expected to accelerate in the coming years. If
current trends continue, many coastal areas, where roughly half of the Earth's human
population lives, will be inundated.
e) Plants and Animals - The effects of global warming on the Earth's ecosystems are
expected to be profound and widespread. migratory birds and insects are now arriving in
their summer feeding and nesting grounds several days or weeks earlier than they did in
the 20th century. Warmer temperatures will also expand the range of many disease-
causing pathogens that were once confined to tropical and subtropical areas, killing off
plant and animal species that formerly were protected from disease.
f) Social Effects – as dramatic as the effects of climate change are expected to be on the
natural world, the projected changes to human society may be even more devastating.
Agricultural systems will likely be dealt a crippling blow. Though growing seasons in
some areas will expand, the combined impacts of drought, severe weather, lack of
accumulated snowmelt, greater number and diversity of pests, lower groundwater tables
and a loss of arable land could cause severe crop failures and livestock shortages
worldwide. This loss of food security may, in turn, create havoc in international food
markets and could spark famines, food riots, political instability and civil unrest
worldwide.

5.0 OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

The ozone layer depletion is a major concern and is associated with a number of factors. The
main causes responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer are listed below:
 i. Chlorofluorocarbons-Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are the main cause of ozone layer
depletion. These are released by solvents, spray aerosols, refrigerators, air-conditioners,
etc. The molecules of chlorofluorocarbons in the stratosphere are broken down by the
ultraviolet radiations and release chlorine atoms. These atoms react with ozone and
destroy it.
ii. Unregulated Rocket Launches-Researches say that the unregulated launching of rockets
results in much more depletion of ozone layer than the CFCs do. If not controlled, this
might result in a huge loss of the ozone layer by the year 2050.
iii. Nitrogenous Compounds-The nitrogenous compounds such as NO2, NO, N2O are highly
responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
iv. Natural Causes-The ozone layer has been found to be depleted by certain natural
processes such as Sun-spots and stratospheric winds. But it does not cause more than 1-
2% of the ozone layer depletion.
v. The volcanic eruptions are also responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
Consequences;
The depletion of the ozone layer has harmful effects on the environment. Let us see the major
effects of ozone layer depletion on man and environment.
i. Effects on Human Health-The humans will be directly exposed to the harmful ultraviolet
radiations of the sun due to the depletion of the ozone layer. This might result in serious
health issues among humans, such as skin diseases, cancer, sunburns, cataract, quick
ageing and weak immune system.
ii. Effects on Animals-Direct exposure to ultraviolet radiations leads to skin and eye cancer
in animals.
iii. Effects on the Environment-Strong ultraviolet rays may lead to minimal growth,
flowering and photosynthesis in plants. The forests also have to bear the harmful effects
of the ultraviolet rays.
iv. Effects on Marine Life-Planktons are greatly affected by the exposure to harmful
ultraviolet rays. These are higher in the aquatic food chain. If the planktons are destroyed,
the organisms present in the food chain are also affected.