Introduction
Global climate can be referred to as the information of humidity, atmospheric pressure, temperature, wind, atmospheric particle count, rainfall and other meteorological elements in the world recorded over a long period of time (Thornthwaite, 1948). Biologists and astronauts have argued that climate change assumptions rather than facts, and computer modeling rather than real-world observations, underpin political attempts to combat climate change. Existing data recorded in the past, both ecological and geographical, indicate that climate change is an environmental, social and economic challenge on a global scale (IPCC, 2007).
Scientists who address the natural, economic, and sociological characteristics of climate change are mainly concerned about the direction or the timing of changes. In an attempt to discover the role technology can play in the research of climate change, several approaches have been recommended by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). One of the greatest challenges that the computer scientists are facing is coming up with technological solutions to climate change. The risks and vulnerability of developing countries (especially in Africa) by uncertain and complex climate change disasters is largely attributed to lack of modern equipment and human resource.
Case analysis
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on climate change (2007) revealed that the global average surface air temperature has increased considerably since 1970. It is estimated that the change in the normal temperature, of the Earth’s surface is mainly based on measurement from thousands of weather stations, ships and buoys around the world, as well as from satellites. The amount of rainfall across the globe is not distributed evenly.
The normal distribution of rainfall across regions is primarily influenced by atmospheric circulation patterns, the availability of moisture, and surface terrain effects. Various researchers have argued that the several elements of climate have been exacerbated by human induced actions such as: the widespread use of land, the broad scale deforestation, the major technological and socioeconomic shifts with reduced reliance on organic fuel, and accelerated uptake of fossil fuels.
Climate resilient development has received increasing recognition in the discourse of poverty and environmental problems. This was largely upheld by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which aims at stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system (IPCC, 2007). The approaches that have been used in the past to tackle climate change have evolved over the past regimes from political science arena, to the conference of parties (COP) negotiations and finally targets and timetables approach. The most recent and innovative approach of use of technology was last considered during the Kyoto protocol.
Use of technology in addressing climate change will not only provide reliable information to all the stakeholders but also create early warning for vulnerability and conditions creating risks. By use of software and other equipment’s such as Geographic information systems, ERDAS Imagine, photogrammetry and seismogrammetry represents the power of computer science towards finding solutions to climate change. The availability of real-time and future information convinces that technology can indeed be used in analyzing the complexities and interdependencies of any one intervention required.
Conclusion
Modern technology can enhance proper adaptive capacity in combating to climate change. Use of modern equipment’s to detect the major elements of weather such as rainfall and temperature, will allow proper preparedness, planning and readiness to the possible impacts of climate change. However, technology can not operate in vacuum and this calls for clear policy guidelines to support and build the required framework for technological approach. Its is evident that technological approach paint the bigger picture of climate change and provide estimates for the likely consequences of different future scenarios of human development.
References
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007, Summary for Policy Makers, in Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, WHO/UNEP.
Thornthwaite, C. (1948), An Approach toward a rational classification of climate. Geographical Review 38 (1): 55–94.