Impact of climate change –
Specific examples
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I.
Purpose of using these specific examples in this module
A number of specific examples are suggested for teachers to strengthen students’ global perspective
and their spatial sense. These examples are to be used by the teacher to give a brief introduction of
the impact of climate change and how people at different places respond to it.
II. Curriculum tailoring for students of different abilities
1. It is essential for teachers to ensure that every student can get hold of a global picture of the
impact of climate change and how people at different places respond to it.
2. If students’ ability and interest allow, teachers can add a brief introduction of how climate
change affects China on the whole, with particular emphasis on the increasing magnitude and
frequency of extreme weather events.
3. For the more able students, teachers can further extend the lesson to include a more detailed
study of the impact of climate change on the Tuvalu and the Poles.
III. How to make use of the information provided in this folder?
1.
There is a description on the changing climatic conditions and the local impacts brought by
these changes in the specific examples. Actions done to alleviate such impacts by China and
Tuvalu have been discussed so that students can understand what have been done locally by
individual countries.
2.
Teachers need not cover all the information provided in this folder. Instead it is advisable for
them to select appropriate example(s) and refine the materials based on the ability and interest
of their students.
3.
Teachers can make use of the materials as:

Background information for students to understand the impacts of climate change in
different places and resulting human responses to it;

Materials for self-study to arouse their interest in this topic.
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I.
Climate change in China
According to scientific assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
global temperature may increase by 1.4 – 5.8oC at the end of the 21st Century. In 2011, it was
reported that temperatures in China were rising faster than the global average. By the end of this
Century, China’s temperature is estimated to increase by 2.5 – 4.5oC.
More extreme weather events happened in China. They included:

More frequent and severe dust storms in North China.

Drought – e.g. the severe drought happened in Henan Province in 2014 has led to 7.3 billion
RMB economic loss, mainly due to agricultural loss.

Flood – e.g. the flood that happened in the six provinces (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi,
Chongqing, Sichuan and Guizhou) in June 2014 has killed 34 people and caused 5.21 billion
RMB damages.

Stronger snow storms in southern and central China.

Increase in sea surface temperatures resulting in more powerful tropical cyclones.

Heat wave – e.g. in May 2014, North China has experienced the most severe heat wave. Many
cities like Beijing have experienced high temperature up to 40oC, Tianjin 38.7 oC. In Yunnan,
temperature has reached up to 40oC for 10 days. Many people have been sent to hospital
because of heatstroke.
II.
1.
Impact of climate change on China
Melting glaciers
The change in temperature has triggered rapid melting of glacier in the Himalayan Mountain and
Tibetan Plateau. It is estimated that the area of glacier will shrink from 500,000km2 in 1995 to
100,000 km2 by the 2030s. This will lead to flooding in the upper course of the Yangtze River and
lower the volume of water in its lower course. The overflow of glacial lakes will also lead to
mudslides in mountainous areas. For example, a serious landslide and flooding happened in June
2004 in the Tibetan Plateau and has destroyed highways and bridges connecting the regions.
2.
Rising sea levels
The State Oceanic Administration of China reported that the average sea level along Chinese coastal
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areas has increased by 90 mm between 1979 and 2009. Sea level along the coast of Tianjin has risen
by 196 mm, more than double the average increase in China. Rising sea level threatens coastal cities,
especially those built on reclaimed land with a dense urban development like Shanghai, Tianjin and
Hong Kong.
Besides, sea-level rise will cause seawater intrusion, soil salinization and coastal erosion. These
changes alter the ecological conditions along the coast and affect the coastal ecosystem.
3.
Loss of biodiversity
Climate change has led to changes in the climatic characteristics of the region which in turn changes
the habitat for animals. For example, between 1959 and 2009, the amount of rainfall in Southwest
China has significantly decreased. Such a change threatened the growth of bamboo which is the
food source of the giant panda and endangered their survival. Another example is the golden
monkey living in the Qinling Mountain in Shaanxi. Their number was decreasing as a result of the
uneven distribution of rainfall and changing temperatures.
4.
Threat to the coral reef
China has abundant coral reef resources along the South China Sea, especially around Hainan
Island. The rising sea surface temperature and rising levels of carbon dioxide as a result of climate
change cause serious coral bleaching problems. The death of coral also affects the marine
ecosystem which depends on this habitat.
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I.
Human responses to the issue (local level)
In 2013, China is the largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions by volume.
Its per capita emission has risen to 7.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide, comparable with the
total emission of all the countries in the European Union. Fortunately, the Chinese
government has taken actions to address this issue. In March 2011, the Chinese
government adopted the 12th Five-Year Plan (FYP) (2011-2015). Its key target on
environmental aspect included:

A 16% reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP;

Increasing non-fossil energy to account for 11.4% of total energy use; and

A 17% reduction in carbon emission per unit of GDP.
To achieve these targets, the following actions have been taken.
1.
Improve energy efficiency

The Chinese government mobilized a national campaign to promote energy
efficiency by listing the top 1000 largest and least efficient energy consuming
enterprises. These companies are required to take measures to improve their energy
efficiency or otherwise, they will be closed down by the Chinese government.
The Chinese government also subsidizes the installation of over 18 million
high-efficiency air conditioners and the production of more than 4 million
energy-efficient motor vehicles.

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
The Chinese government is working to transform Shanghai into a low carbon city by
improving energy efficiency in buildings, as well as promoting green mobility through
clean, efficient vehicles and public transport modes.
2.
Reduce the amount of energy and coal use

China has proposed to cap energy consumption in 2015 to 4 billion tonnes of coal
equivalent (btce). This meant the growth rate has to be slow down to around 4.3% per
year. She has also capped coal output to 3.9 billion tonnes in 2015.
This can be achieved by raising the energy efficiency and increasing the amount of
renewable energy used. Moreover, China is planning to use natural gas to replace coal
for power generation.
In 2013, there was the policy to cut the use of coal and requested provinces to
introduce detailed plans to cut pollution. Twelve provinces – covering 44% of the
country’s coal consumption – have already pledged to cut the use of coal.


3.


Develop clean energy
In 2013, the Chinese government has invested US$54.2 billion in renewable energy
which was 50% larger than that of the US.
The government offers financial incentives, such as a national fund to foster
renewable energy development and discounted lending and tax preferences for
renewable energy projects.
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4.


5.

Industrial policy
Government supports clean energy industries, such as those using solar, water and
biomass energy and promotes those energy saving and environmental protection
technology industries, such as the production of hybrid and electric vehicles.
The government has spent 2.2% of GDP to encourage innovative energy-saving
R&D.
Forestry
The 12th Five-Year Plan also aimed at increasing the rate of forest cover in China to
over 21% and the total forest stock by 12.5 million hectares by 2015.
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References:
1. China: A vital partner in combating climate change
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/opinion/2013/09/16/china-a-vitakl-partner-oin-combatingclimate-change
2. China: Acting on climate change
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/sites/climatechange/files/international/
13029WEBchina133Mayaccessible.pdf
3. China says poorly prepared to fight impact of climate change
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/09/us-china-climate-idUSBRE9B806D20131209
4. Climate change impacts in China
http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2011/03/08/climate-change-impacts-in-china
5. Climate change impacts on China’s environment: biophysical impacts
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/climate-change-impacts-chinas-environmentbiophysical-impacts
6. Climate change mitigation measures in the People’s Republic of China
http://ww.c2es.org/docUploads/International%20Brief%20-%20China.pdf
7. Data: What is the impact of china’s efforts to tackle climate change?
http://greenpeace.org.uk/newsdesk/energy/data/data-how-china%E2%80%99s-coal-controlmeasures-could-help-avoid-catastrophic-climate-change –six-charts
8. Energy and climate goals of China’s 12th Five-Year Plan
http://www.c2es.org/dosUploads/energy-climate-goals-china-twelfth-five-year-plan.pdf
9. The Diplomat – In China, climate change is already here
http://the diplomat.com/2014/08/in-china-climate-change-is-already-here/
10. The problems: China and climate change
http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/campaigns/climate-energy/problems/
11. White paper: China’s policies and actions on climate change
http://www.china.org.cn/government/news/2008-10/29/content_16681689_4.htm
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I. Basic information about Tuvalu
Capital city:
Funafuti
Year of independence: 1978
Location:
5.20°S; 174.00°E
Area:
26 km²
Population:
9,894 (2014)
Climate:
Tropical maritime climate
Terrain:
Low-lying (lowest point: 0m; highest point: 5m)
GDP per capita
US$ 3484 (2014)
Figure 1: Location of Tuvalu
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II. Impact of climate change on Tuvalu
1.



Coastal flooding
Global temperature increase has caused the polar ice to melt and in turn led to sea-level rises.
In Tuvalu, sea-level has already risen by 20 cm between 1870 and 2010. The low-lying area
along the coast has been flooded.
The airport of the capital city has been drowned in February 2000.
Some scientists predicted that in less than 50 years from 2014, Tuvalu will disappear in the
world map.
2.
More extreme weather events

It has been reported that there were more tropical storms and cyclones since 1990. High winds
and rainfall causes storm surges and leads to flooding.
Based on the present situation, it has been projected that the country will experience more hot
days and more days with extreme rainfall. Although it is expected that tropical cyclone will be
less frequent, the intensity will be greater, and may cause more damages.

3.


Soil salinization
As sea-level rises, the soil will be prone to increasing salinization. The saline soil will affect
the growth of plants, such as the coconut trees.
More salty water will intrude into the soil, reducing the amount of groundwater. The Tuvaluans
will lose their source of water supply. Therefore, they need to rely on collecting rainwater to
meet their needs. However, this source of water is threatened as there are more droughts in
recent years. The supply of water becomes irregular and is difficult to forecast.
4.



Reducing biodiversity
Rising sea-level changes the habitat for plant growth. Some plants may die and this in turn
affects the ecosystem of the area.
Climate change results in higher ocean water temperature. This will affect corals and marine
organisms. Biodiversity will decrease especially when the corals grown in the area decreases.
The decrease in number of marine organisms affects the livelihood of the Tuvaluans as they
rely on the ocean as a food source.
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I.
Human responses to the issue (local level)
Before 2012, there was no comprehensive planning on what should be done to cope with
the threats brought by climate change. Some people started thinking of migrating to New
Zealand but New Zealand only allocated 75 slots annually to Tuvaluans in 2009. That is not
enough for them. So some people suggested spending their national reserves to buy a big
island off the coast of Australia as their new homeland. But there is still no final decision on
this suggestion.
In 2012, the government has formulated a comprehensive “Tuvalu Climate Change Policy”
in response to impacts of climate change and related disaster risks over the next 10 years
(2012-2021). The following summarized the goals and actions being planned under this
policy:
Goal
Actions being planned, for example
1. Strengthen the adaptation actions to
climate change hazards.


Improve food and water security
Coastal protection through re-planting
programmes
2. Improve the understanding and
interpretation of climate change data.

Old equipment is replaced and
maintained

Inter-island communication is
improved to receive warnings

Professional financial management on
the funding related to coping climate
change hazard
Better coordination and access to
funding for adaptation and disaster
risk management
3. Get access and manage the financial
resources for coping with climate
change hazards.

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Goal
Actions being planned, for example
4. Develop and maintain the infrastructures 
to withstand climate change impacts.

Key infrastructure (e.g. power station,
telecom communication equipment,
airport, wharfs, roads, hospitals,
schools) are secured.
Coastal protection measures are
constructed
5. Ensure energy security.

Realize the target of 100% of
electricity generation through
renewable energy technologies
6. Plan for effective disaster preparedness,
response and recovery.

Well-coordinated disaster management
institutional arrangements at all levels
Advanced preparedness at all levels
(national, sector, island and
community) to cope with the impacts
of climate change and disaster risks

7. Guarantee the security of people of
Tuvalu and maintain national
sovereignty.


Establishment of international legal
framework for the resettlement and
recognition of Tuvalu within another
country as a sovereign state if Tuvalu
islands disappear because of sea level
rise
Tuvalu’s preparedness for any
migration due to climate change impact
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References:
1. Adapting the climate change in Tuvalu
http://www.thegef.org/gef/node/9914
2. Central Intelligence Agency – The World Factbook – Tuvalu
http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tv.html
3. Climate change and its impacts on a small island state: Tuvalu
http://cliffhague.planningresource.co.uk/2013/03/30/climate-change-and-its-impacts-on-a
-small-island-state-tuvalu
4. International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative – Pacific Climate Change Science Program –
Current and future climate of Tuvalu
http://www.pacificclimatechangescience.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/4_PCCSP_Tuvalu_
8pp.pdf
5. Klima-Tuvalu – Climate change in Tuvalu
http://klima-tuvalu.no/tuvalu-and-climate-change/the-consequences-of-climate-change-onTuvalu
6. TE KANIVA – Tuvalu climate change policy 2012
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/TUV_2012_Te_Kaniva_CCpolicy.pdf
7. What happens when your country drowns?
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2009/11/tuvalu-climate-refugees
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I. Changes occurred in the Arctic region
The temperature in the Arctic region has been increasing recently. In 2014, the average increase in
temperature over the land areas was 3-5oC and up to 7 oC over oceans. Precipitation has increased
by about 8% across the Arctic region between 1914 and 2014. Rain now mainly falls in winter
instead of spring or autumn. Between 1984 and 2014, the average sea area covered by sea ice has
decreased by about 8%, an area larger than Norway, Sweden and Denmark combined. The average
thickness of Arctic sea ice has also decreased by about 10-15% over this time period. These changes
have induced many effects.
II. Impacts of disappearing sea ice
1.

Effects on climate
Polar ice caps help regulate global temperature by reflecting about 90% of the sun’s energy.
This function will be lost if more ice caps are melted. Different from solid ice, liquid water
will absorb heat and in turn causes more sea ice to melt. Global warming will be enhanced
further.
2.

Sea-level rises
Sea levels are expected to rise 18-59 cm by the end of this Century and the continued melting
at the poles can add 10-20 cm more.
Sea level rise will trigger flooding of many coastal cities.

3.

Coastal erosion
Reduced sea ice allows stronger wave to form, increasing shore erosion. This will threaten
coastal cities and villages. People living in these cities and villages need to evacuate or migrate
to other places.

As sea ice continues to decrease in coming years, more ocean surface will be exposed. More
moisture and heat will be available to power storms. These stronger storms will bring stronger
winds and higher storm surges to coastal areas, resulting in increased erosion and flooding of
the coastal areas.
4.

Effects on ecosystem
Warmer climate in the Arctic region causes the northward expansion of forests. The number of
species in the Arctic region is projected to increase due to migration of species from the south.
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However, the number of the original plant species may decrease as the new species may
compete away their habitat.



The total forest area will not increase, however, as higher temperature promotes the breeding
of pests which destroys these forests. For example, the Spruce bark beetles have boomed in
Alaska and have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees between 1987 and 2007.
In the Arctic region, the whole ecosystem relies on the presence of sea-ice. The plankton living
on the bottom of the sea-ice will die with the disappearance of the sea-ice. Marine organisms
relying on plankton will lose their source of food.
Arctic animals will also be affected by the melting of sea-ice. For example, polar bears give
birth and hunt on sea-ice and they need it to travel from one region to another. Decrease in
winter sea-ice means that female polar bears have to travel longer distance without food. This
increases their risk of death. Similar situation also threatens the life of the penguins on
Antarctica. Their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 between 1977 and
2007.
5.

Effects on human activities
Warmer temperature affects the farming activities in the Arctic region. The range of crops that
can be grown increases. However, as there will be more evaporation than precipitation as a
result of higher temperature, there may not be enough water for the crops. Irrigation systems
will be needed to ensure the crop yield. In addition, yield increase may be offset by the
increasing amount of pests due to increase in temperature.

A warming of the climate is likely to have a positive effect on marine fishery which is an
important sector to the economy of many countries within the Arctic region, such as Norway
and Iceland. Warmer water favoured many commercially fished species, such as herring,
pollock and cod. Besides, increase in water temperature makes salmon and trout, the two main
aquaculture species farmed in the Arctic region, grow faster. However, there are also some
negative impacts. Warmer water increases the occurrence of disease and the growth of toxic
algal blooms which in return will kill the fishes.
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I. Types of mitigation measures
1.
International co-operation

Since the problem of climate change is a globalized one and its
effects are not confined to specific areas, international co-operation
in dealing with this problem is needed. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change is the leading international body for the
assessment of climate change. It provides the world with a clear
scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change
and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.

In 1992, a number of countries joined “the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change” to cooperatively
consider what they could do to cope with the impacts brought by
climate change. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted by many
countries over the world which legally bound the developed
countries to emission reduction. The commitment of reduction in
greenhouse gas emission was further actualized in later meetings in
Durban (2011), Doha (2012) and Paris (2015). Such discussion and
meetings will continue to update the actions that needed to be
done.
2.
Ways to alleviate global warming
The most direct way to alleviate global warming is to reduce the
emission of greenhouse gases. The followings are possible ways of
doing that:

The burning of fossil fuels is the main source of greenhouse gases.
More energy-efficient fuels, such as natural gas, and renewable
energy, such as hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal power,
etc. can be used to replace coal for the generation of electricity.
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
Energy embedded in solid waste can be converted into electric
power or heat after processing. This can reduce the amount of
fossil fuels used. For example, the Hong Kong and China Gas
constructed a commercial landfill gas utilization plant in Tai Po
Gas Production Plant. It utilized the Shuen Wan Landfill gas to
produce coal gas. This reduces the emission of some 4,600 tonnes
of carbon dioxide every year.

Forests help to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through
the process of photosynthesis. Deforestation leads to a sharp
increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, and
enhancing the greenhouse effect. Trees themselves store large

amount of carbon atoms. Once they are destroyed, the amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will increase. Therefore, the
cutting of trees must be controlled and extensive afforestation
should be carried out.
About one-fourth of energy resources are consumed by the
transport sector. As most transport vehicles use fossil fuels, they
become the major source of greenhouse gases in cities. The
following can be done to improve the energy efficiency and
reduce greenhouse gas emission:
 Development of mass transit system
 Building of high-speed railway to reduce short-haul air travel
 Improving the design of motor vehicles, such as hybrid
vehicles
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References:
1. Arctic sea ice decline
http://www.wunderground.com/climate/SeaIce.asp
2. Effects of global warming
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-effects
3. Global greenhouse warming
http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/polar-caps.html
4. Global warming impacts in the Arctic and Antarctic
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/impacts/polar_melting
5. Global warming puts the Arctic on thin ice
http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/qthinice.asp
6. Green facts – Arctic climate change
http://www.greenfacts.org/en/arctic-climate-change/1-2/2-polar-ice-cap-melting.htm
7. Hong Kong RE Net
http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/gen/overview/over_intro.html
8. Mitigation of global warming
http://climap.net/mitigation-of-global-warming
9. Summary of policy makers – Climate change 2014 Mitigation of climate change
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
http://report.mitigation2014.org/spm/ipcc-wg3-ar5-summary-for-policymakers-approved.pdf
10. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
http://unfcc.int/essential_background/items/6031.php
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