Causes, consequences and countermeasures to climate change in Ukraine and the world

Abstract

The current rapid changes in the Earth’s climate are due to a significant increase in the global average temperature. Greenhouse gases participate in these changes. The concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere are currently the highest in the last 800,000 years. To counteract this climate crisis, it is considered necessary to achieve carbon neutrality by the middle of the 21st century. Since the middle of the 19th century, due to the burning of huge amounts of fossil fuels, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere began to increase sharply. And the concentration of CO₂ has increased from 280 ppm (parts per million) to over 400 ppm. The average global temperature since 1880 has increased by 1.1°C. In Ukraine, temperature changes in the last half century have been about 0.3°C per decade. The water level in the rivers of Ukraine in summer periods is becoming lower than normal in previous years. It is estimated that the greatest decrease in runoff is observed in the river basins of the Pripyat, Dniester, and Southern Bug. On the rivers of Polissya, the climatically determined increase in water runoff at the end of winter threatens the formation of persistent spring floods; the increase in water runoff in the rivers of the Western region of Ukraine is manifested in the formation of catastrophic floods on the mountain rivers of the Carpathians. Climate change increases the likelihood of more frequent floods and droughts. This makes agriculture, transport, energy, and the social sphere more vulnerable. After all, these are the sectors that are highly dependent on water resources. Due to the increase in the average annual temperature, the agroclimatic zones of Polissya, forest-steppe and steppe have changed their boundaries, moving north by up to 200 km. From the rise in sea level due to climate change in the southern regions of Ukraine by 2100, we should expect flooding of an area of from 650 thousand to 1 million hectares. If global temperature changes at the end of the 21st century. exceeds 1.5°C, climate change will lead to a significant increase in extreme hot days and sea levels will continue to rise. Increased ocean acidity will lead to the extinction of marine animals and the destruction of food chains. Hurricanes, storms, fires will be stronger and more frequent. All this will cause a decrease in crop yields, changes in animal habitats, loss of water supplies and significant economic consequences.