Download Global Warming

Climate Change Pre-Quiz
1. What is the “greenhouse effect”?
2. What are examples of greenhouse
gases?
3. Is climate change natural or humanmade? How do we know?
4. What are the effects of climate change?
5. Are climate change and the depletion of
the ozone layer related?
Is this evidence of global warming?
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Shadow
Prediction
No
shadow
Is this evidence of global warming?
Groundhog Day Predictions
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1
0
Year
No shadow = early spring
Shadow = 6 more weeks of winter
Greenhouse Gases
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Water vapor (H2O)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Ozone (O3)
Do all greenhouse gases have the
same effect on atmospheric
temperature?
Global Warming Potential
• Certain GHGs are more effective at
warming the Earth than others
• 2 most important factors:
– How well the gas absorbs energy
– How long the gas stays in the atmosphere
• Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a
measure of the total energy that a gas
absorbs over a particular period of time
(usually 100 years), compared to CO2
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2011
The Great Recession
Natural Sources of Greenhouse Gases
• Carbon dioxide and PM from
volcanic eruptions
• Methane from decomposition in
low-oxygen environments
• Nitrous oxide from denitrification
• Water vapor from evaporation
and evapotranspiration
Anthropogenic Sources of
Greenhouse Gases
• Burning fossil fuels releases CO2
• Agricultural practices release
methane, nitrous oxide, and CO2
• Deforestation increases CO2
• Landfills release methane
• Industrial production releases
CFCs
Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Economic Sector in 2011
Greenhouse Effect
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzCA60
WnoMk&list=PLi_1unC2AWvBgO2QcF9pf
nWlyg4MemHAw
Comparing Emissions
• Which country emits the most CO2?
• Which country emits the most CO2 per
capita?
Comparing Emissions
CO2 Emissions Per Capita
• http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore
?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=en_atm_co2
e_pc&idim=country:CHN&dl=en&hl=en&q
=china%20co2%20emissions
CO2 Heat Trapping
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTLU4VTZ9o&list=PLi_1unC2AWvBgO2
QcF9pfnWlyg4MemHAw
Global Temperature Change
• Since 1880, temperatures have increased 0.8°C
Global Temperature Change
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF5Fxp
edVlw&list=PLi_1unC2AWvBgO2QcF9pfn
Wlyg4MemHAw
CO2 Concentration Throughout History
How do we know what the climate
was like thousands of years ago?
Ice Cores
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NENZ6
TSc1fo&feature=player_embedded
Melting Ice Caps
Melting Arctic Ice Cap
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bHufxbxc8
Ice Sheets Losing Mass
Rising Sea Levels
Rising Sea Levels
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKoch_i
Eos8
What problems will climate change
cause?
What do you think?
• Should developing countries be held to the
same CO2 emissions standards as developed
countries?
• Things to consider:
– How did developed countries become so wealthy?
– Which countries are to blame for climate change?
– Will strict CO2 standards inhibit growth in developing
countries?
– Will developing countries be able to afford costly new
technology?
Kyoto Protocol
• In 1997, representatives of the nations of the world went to
Kyoto, Japan to discuss how best to control the emissions
contributing to global warming
• The agreement was that emissions of greenhouse gases
from all industrialized countries will be reduced to 5.2%
below their 1990 levels by 2012
• Developed nations agreed to different levels of emissions
restrictions (U.S. – 7%, European Union – 8%, Russia – 0%)
• Developing nations did not have emission limits imposed by
the protocol
Kyoto Protocol
• Though the U.S. signed the protocol, it was
never ratified by the Senate
• Therefore, the protocol is not legally binding in
the U.S. and we do not need to abide by it
• The U.S. is the only developed country that has
not ratified the Kyoto Protocol
• http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/12/20
/pol-kyoto-protocol-part-one-ends.html
Climate Change Awareness
• In 2007, the Nobel Peace Prize was
awarded jointly to Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
and Al Gore "for their efforts to build
up and disseminate greater
knowledge about man-made climate
change, and to lay the foundations
for the measures that are needed to
counteract such change"