Why is Global Warming taking place?

Positive Impacts of Global Warming for the UK

Negative Impacts of Global Warming for the UK

• Mediterranean summers on the south coast will encourage tourism• New crops such as maize, vines, oranges and peaches can be grown in the south• Higher amount of some crops such as potatoes, sugar beet and outdoor tomatoes can be grown•The length of the growing season will increase in Scotland producing greater harvests

• Many coastal ports will be flooded by rising sea levels• The Thames Barrier will need to be replaced•Loss of the Norfolk Broads due to rising sea levels•Loss of valuable farmland in East Anglia• Sea defences costing £10 billion needed to protect parts of the east coast• Forest fires are more likely•Arctic plants which grown in northern Scotland may become extinct• Most pests and diseases will exist due to mild winters• Increased likelihood of droughts and water shortages in the South•Increased number of extreme weather events e.g. flooding

How can we manage global warming?• In 1992 the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was

the first time that Global Warming was discussed at a global level. It was agreed to try and reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions to the 1990 levels but no official targets were set.

• In 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, an international agreement was decided called the Kyoto Protocol. More than 100 developed countries signed up to targets to reduce their Greenhouse Gas emissions. Developing countries didn’t have to sign up but they agreed to publish their total emissions and to put in place national ideas to help reduce global warming. One major problem was that the USA did not agree to sign.

• Nations can reduce greenhouse gases by changing from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, invest in technology which uses less fuel, cut down on the use of cars and develop public transport, control deforestation and encourage tree planting.