Climate Change Management - Bushfire Season - Case Study Example

Running Head: Climate Change Management Plan Name Institution Course Professor Date Climate change management plan Introduction Each and every year there are thousands of climatic happenings that characterize jeopardies to organizations & people. These climatic hazards emerge from ordinary year to year, periodic and day to day inconsistency in climate as well as geographical climate differences (McCarthy, Canziani, Leary, Dokken, and White, 2001). Most of the organizations have put in place strategies and practices to deal with this tedious climate variability (Johnson, 2001). For these organizations, climate inconsistency will continue to increase jeopardies and challenges that need to be controlled. Nevertheless, when handling climate inconsistency in years to come, organizations cannot solely put your faith in the assumption that the dominant climate will be less or more similar as it was over the pass fifty or hundred years. Climate change is more probable to overturn this supposition, with alterations in both typical situations and the severity and frequency of life-threatening climate happenings (Ding, Houghton, Griggs, Maskell, Van der Linden, Dai, and Johnson, Noguer, 2001). Climate change is expected to have unescapable consequences. These consequences will definitely be realized in some way by each and every organization and every individual, private or public, and at all levels, from well-planned administration to functioning undertakings. The consequences will influence across environment concerns, social behavior, economic performance, organization and other facets of humanoid presence. Alterations are expected to advance progressively but might be rapid. Mitigating Climate Change Climate change pauses a threat to human and plant life and if measures to mitigate it are not taken as early as possible then we risk rendering the earth not fit for floral and faunal inhabitance (Hellmuth, Moorhead, Thomson, & Williams, 2007). This report is going to utilize statistical and scientific knowledge available to give possible measures to ensure climate change is inhibited for better animal and plant life. According to Hellmuth, Moorhead, Thomson, & Williams, (2007), human activities that cause climate change are the main focus of mitigating climate change since it would be impossible to control internal forcing. Combating Bush and Wildfires According to Willows, and Connell, (2003), wildfire or bushfire as it is frequently referred to by the Australian people is a naturally occurring phenomenon in the Australian surrounding. Prior to arrival of mankind on the Australian continent, wildfires or bushfires were often started because of volcanic eruption or lightning strikes. According to Wilson, Parra, Bontempo, Hart, Sailor, and George, (2008), even though lighting strikes still continue to provide the spark for wildfires or bushfires, the actions of the Australians (either accidental or deliberate) also contribute to the many wildfires that occur in the Australian continent every year. Wild/Bushfire Prevention Strategies The raw constituents for any probable wildfire or bushfire is the availability of fuel such twigs and leaves, grass, direct flame or heat, and the oxygen from the surrounding air (Togtokh, and Tuvdendorj, 2009). The moment a fire is initiated with these raw materials, the spread of the wildfire relies on a number of surrounding factors comprising: the size and kind of the fuel the moisture content and the degree of compaction of the fuel the weather the topography The kind of approach to be taken in order to reduce the possibility of bushfire occurring and to diminish the spread of wildfires. Land management Land management strategies are given effective in: reducing the existence of fuels in the grassland or forests areas decelerating and sometimes ending the spread of wildfires or bushfires ensures existence of easier access roads for firefighters to reach and put out the fire before it becomes a disaster Fuel lessening is vital to bushfire or wildfire minimization (Risbey, Karoly, Reynolds, and Braganza, 2003). By ensuring that the materials that help to start or spread the fire are not within reach, fires will definitely not start, nor can fire continue to spread. One of the very useful strategy when it comes to bushfire fighting, controlling and lessening accumulation of fuels in grassland, bushes, and forests areas involves the deliberate burning off of these fuels by authorized land management and fire agencies (Department of Bush Fire Services, 1992). Fuel reduction through deliberate burning of fuels does not only lessen the possibility for future fires in those regions particularly during the sizzling summer months, but will help in reducing the speed at which bushfire spreads, also the intensity and height of the bushfire is reduced. Another land management strategy is the creation of firebreaks or fire lanes. Firebreaks basically refers to the regions of land that is free of vegetation and also being maintained for the purpose of providing corridors that play the role of fire suppression barrier and also help fire combating operations (Rivett, (1997). Land organization policies for fire avoidance also necessitate a communal based tactic. People living in urban areas or those living in rural areas which are next to forests of bush land have an obligation both to themselves, the wider community and their neighbors in the deterrence of bushfires. Fire agencies are also accountable for the creation of programs that lay emphasis on shared and individual accountabilities; an example of such programs comprise of “Community FireGuard Program” (Department of Natural Resources and Environment & Country Fire Authority, 1999). People living in such areas too are necessitated to embark on similar land organization approaches, which comprise eliminating as much fuel as possible from the areas surrounding their homesteads. They need to also create appropriate firebreaks mainly for properties that are located next to forests or grasslands. Building Management Most of the fires within building are caused by a number of things and could be accidental, deliberate or because of poor building standards. Building standards and guidelines ought to be established and should particularly aimed at making structures more resilient to fire emissions (Houghton, Ding, Griggs, Noguer, Van der Linden, Dai, Maskell, and Johnson, 2001). The local government agencies must come up with regulations that control the building design, positioning, and also the building materials used especially in those regions that are prone to bushfires. Such controls do not only play the role of minimizing the damage to home sites and lessen the losses from resulting from fires, they also play the role of helping in the prevention and spread of wildfires (Department of Natural Resources and Environment & Country Fire Authority, 1999). Community Education The kind of behavior people have and their activities; whether intentional or not are positively accountable for the majority of wildfires that occur within the Australian continent. According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment & Country Fire Authority, (1999), some of the usual sources of wildfires within Australian continent have resulted from intentional burning-off that in most cases becomes challenging to control hence causing destruction and loss of property. Another common cause of wildfires which intentional is the fire that escapes from burning heaps of rubbish because of being careless. According to the Department of Bush Fire Services (1992), for the fire to start, it takes only a single spark from outdoor or campfire cooking resource not appropriately switched off, a machinery such as a soldering or welding equipment, or youngsters playing around with matches. With such very high wildfire incident rate that is caused by the activities of people, the Australian local governments, especially within the regions that are known for wildfires, should come up with ways of educating the community concerning bushfire fighting and prevention techniques. Education takes different forms and is normally planned to offer people a good and complete understanding of the jeopardies they face on daily basis from wildfires and the actions the public can take to lessen such hazards. A variety of information brochures ought to be made available to the community or public in general (especially those living in wildfire predominant areas), for them to gain knowledge on what measures needs to be taken in case of fire breakup and they can protect themselves and their properties before and during wildfires. Some of the basic information that the public should know: Preparation before the Bushfire Season prepare a fire barrier around the homestead where possible trim branches surrounding the homestead remove twigs and leaves from the roof gutters paints, fuel, and wood ought to be stored in a safe location clear rubbish, plants, and leaf litter around the house keep grass around the house short If a Bushfire Approaches call the wildfire brigade fill buckets, sinks, baths etc., with standby water and switch off and power or gas get rid of curtains and remove furniture that are close to the windows put on defensive clothing that completely shields the body area, solid shoes or boots, a woolen balaclava or hat and gloves close all doors and windows, and block gaps and crevices from inside When Choosing a Home Site choose a flat ground over sloping ground because it’s safer top of the slope is not safer as compared to the bottom steep slopes are risky than gentle slopes develop fire barriers between any forest/bush land or grass land and the house fire breaker or barrier ought to encircle the home site Fire Danger Warnings According to Bush Fire Council of N.S.W., (1998, radio and television broadcasts are the best methods of educating the public concerning their accountabilities in relation to fire prevention. The fire safety and prevention campaigns should be aired or broadcasted for the entire year (Rivett, 1997). It helps in providing simple advice to the public concerning issues such as campfire safety, how to carry out fuel burn-offs, how to dispose cigarettes butts and how to burn rubbish in the outdoor fires. Combating Cyclone According to McCarthy, Canziani, Leary, Dokken, and White, (2001), tropical cyclones since time in memorial has been causing massive destruction along the Australian coastal regions and it has been recognized as one of the top disasters in Australia. According to the Togtokh, & Tuvdendorj, (2009), in Queensland, tropical cyclones present very serious threat to business, homes and the surrounding communities. Quite a number of preparation and safety procedures should be put in place in order to survive cyclones. Cyclone Prevention Strategies Mitigation and prevention policies for cyclone emergencies should rely heavily on the organization of development or what is referred to as land use planning and the built surrounding (McCarthy, Canziani, Leary, Dokken, and White, 2001). Even though it is difficult to stop tropical cyclones from happening, but policies to decrease the effects of cyclones on societies might comprise of: engineered solutions, for instance hardening buildings social solutions, for instance community education implementation of legislative necessities, for instance building restrictions in regions identified as being prevalent to tropical cyclones It is also important to: check with the local building authority to confirm if the house meets the required building standards check whether the roof, walls, and eaves of the house are protected branches and treetops should be timed preparing an emergency kit of crucial all glass areas in the house must have shutters or metal screens Combating Flooding Afforestation, reforestation and avoid deforestation Forests use more water than crops, grass, or natural short vegetation because of the sum of transpiration and evaporation of water intercepted by tree canopies (Risbey, Karoly, Reynolds, and Braganza, 2003). Forest affect climate through their influence on surface energy fluxes and on water cycle that alter the climate change signal afforestation means planting more trees to increase interception and storage of water by reducing surface runoff hence reducing flooding and enhancing water conservation (Nicholls, 2004). According to Risbey, Karoly, Reynolds, and Braganza, (2003), in water-limited areas, afforestation, especially plantations of species with high water demand, can cause a significant reduction in stream flow, affecting the inhabitants of the basin and reducing water flow to other ecosystems and rivers, thus affecting aquifers and revive. Trees use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis hence afforestation would act as carbon sinks hence reducing carbon dioxide emission in the atmosphere (Johnson, 2001). Stopping deforestation and sustainable management of forests may contribute to avoided emissions, may conserve water resources and prevent flooding, reduce runoff, control erosion, reduce siltation of rivers, and protect fisheries and investments in hydro-electric power facilities and at the same time preserve biodiversity. Cropland management (reduced tillage) According to McCarthy, Canziani, Leary, Dokken, and White, (2001), conservation tillage is any method of cultivating soil that leaves the previous year’s crop residue on field before and after planting the next crop to reduce soil erosion and runoff conservation tillage has numerous environmental benefits: its improves soil and water quality by adding organic matter as crop residue to create an open soil structure that let water in more easily hence reducing runoff and also conserving water by reducing evaporation at the soil surface. Conservation tillage reduce soil erosion by using crop residue to shield soil particles from rain and wind until new plants produce a protective canopy over soil and also reduce potential air pollution from dust and diesel emission (McCarthy, Canziani, Leary, Dokken, and White, 2001). Cropland management (water) Agricultural practices which promote the mitigation of greenhouse gases can have both negative and positive effects on the conservation of water, and on its quality (Houghton, Ding, Griggs, Noguer, Van der Linden, Dai, Maskell, and Johnson, 2001). Where the measures promote water-use efficiency like reduced tillage, they provide potential benefits. But in some cases, the practices could intensify water use, thereby reducing stream flow or groundwater reserves. Rice management has generally positive impacts on water quality through a reduction in the amount of chemical pollutants in drainage water (Johnson, 2001). References Bush Fire Council of N.S.W., (1998). Bush Fire Protection: Safety and Survival, Government Printer, New South Wales. Department of Bush Fire Services, (1992), Everyone’s Guide to Rural Homesite Selection and Layout’, Rosehill, New South Wales. Department of Natural Resources and Environment & Country Fire Authority, (1999). Fire in the Australian Landscape, East Melbourne, Victoria. Hellmuth, M., Moorhead, A., Thomson, M., & Williams, J., (2007). Climate Risk Management: New York, USA. Columbia University Press Houghton, T., Ding, Y., Griggs, J., Noguer, M., Van der Linden, J., Dai, X., Maskell, K., and Johnson, C.A., (eds.) (2001). Climate Change: UK, Cambridge University International Research Institute for Climate and Society (2009) Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA), (2004). Economic Issues Relevant to Costing the Impacts of Climate Change. Canberra. McCarthy, J., Canziani, O., Leary, A., Dokken, J., and White, S., (2001). Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability: UK, Cambridge University Press, p, 1032pp Morgan, Q., (2003): Climate change and extreme weather events: Climate Policy Nicholls, N., (2004). The changing nature of Australian droughts. Wiley Press Risbey, J., Hamza, K., and Marsden, J., (2006): Use of climate scenarios to aid in decision analysis for inter-annual water supply planning. Risbey, J., Karoly, D., Reynolds, A., and Braganza, K., (2003). Global warming signature in Australia’s worst drought. Rivett, R., (1997). Bushfires – Living with Australia’s Natural Heritage, Country Fire Authority, in association with the Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria Inc., Burwood East, Victoria. Togtokh, N., Tuvdendorj, N., (2009): National Climate Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan. Willows, R. and Connell, R. (eds.), (2003). Climate adaptation: Risk, uncertainty and decision making, UKCIP Technical Report, UKCIP, Oxford. 153pp Wilson, J., Parra, D., Bontempo, M., Hart, J., Sailor, and George, L., (2008): Public perception and behavior change in relationship to hot weather and air pollution. Environmental Research Read More