Prof. Chan King Ming Associate Professor Dept. of Biochemistry and Environmental Science Program

1. Global Warming: Its challenges and solutions. Prof. Chan King Ming Associate Professor Dept. of Biochemistry and Environmental Science Program Chinese University email: kingchan@cuhk.edu.hk KMCHAN

2. CONTENTS: • Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect • The Impacts of Global Warming • 3. Kyoto Protocol • 4. What can we do to help? KMCHAN

3. 1. Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_3_1.htm KMCHAN

4. 1. Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect Atmospheric CO2 • Sinks (Carbon Fixation) : • Photosynthesis • Uptake by ocean • Sources: • Burning of fossil fuels and organic matters • Respiration Other forms of carbon deposits, e.g. coral, cellulose. KMCHAN

5. 碳的貯存和轉移 1. Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect KMCHAN

6. Major sources of greenhouse gases: burning of fossil fuels, e.g. vehicle and power plant emissions. KMCHAN

7. 1. Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect Carbon Dioxide Surge was created by human activities since industrial revolution KMCHAN

8. 1. Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect Global Warming = Rapid Increase of Global Surface Air Temperature Caused by global carbon dioxide surge. KMCHAN

9. 4 ℃ – 8 ℃ surge Increased 0.6 C in 20th century KMCHAN

10. 1. Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect Q What contributed to the heat energy absorption in molecules in the atmosphere? Global Warming Potentials, GWP, stability in atmosphere: Carbon Dioxide = 1 (?) Methane = 21 (12 year) Nitrous Oxide = 310 (120 years) CFC-11 = 4,600 (45 years) CFC-12 = 10,600 (100 years) http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html KMCHAN

11. 2. The Impacts of global Warming Arctic perennial sea ice has been diminishing at a rate of 9% per decade. The ice of frozen freshwater on Greenland melts to dilute and lower the salinity of the arctic ocean. This would have significant effects (slower or stop) on the ocean conveyor. Arctic 1979 Ice from land could raise sea level Reduced ice from ocean changes currents Arctic2003 KMCHAN

12. How would the climate change if the Gulf Stream shut down? A shut down of the Gulf Stream would suddenly decrease the amount of heat in the North Atlantic, leading to much colder temperatures in Europe and North America. KMCHAN

13. 2. The Impacts of global Warming Even if not killed… Resting& Migration • Reduction of sea ice has impact on populations of marine mammals, they use ice floes for resting, molting and giving birth. Sardine Poor Cod Walrus Bearded Seal Anchovy KMCHAN

14. 2. The Impacts of global Warming Flowering & Feeding • Predators follow their prey • Temporal mismatch of prey and predator = “phenological disjunction” • non-migratory Great Tit (Parus major) and migratory Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) • Reproductive success ↓ due to changing availability of caterpillar food supplies. • Also affected by phenological changes of forest due to climate change and air pollution 71% of UK butterfly species are reported to be declining Ficedula hypoleuca Parus major KMCHAN

15. 2. The Impacts of global Warming Abstract from the 17th Global Warming Conference, April, 2006. • In 2003, the World Conservation Union's Red List said more than 12,000 species (out of 40,000 assessed) faced some extinction risk, including one bird in eight, 13% of the world's flowering plants, a quarter of all mammals. KMCHAN

16. The Impacts of global Warming • Reduction of biodiversity: • Losing Habitats due to temperature rises • Reduction of freshwater supply trapped in mountains • Extreme weathers: more storms, floods, droughts… • More diseases • Endemic diseases increasing health risks • Unpredictable climate change • Buffering power of planet earth is lowered, leading to unforeseeable climate change • leading to fluctuating economy, e.g. Hurricanes in Mexico Bay are threatening oil prices to surge, drought lead to depletion of resources supply, etc……… KMCHAN 2. The Impacts of global Warming

17. Effects of global warming

18. Abstract from the 17th Global Warming Conference, April, 2006. 3. Kyoto Protocol • .. today‘s atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are the highest in 650,000 years.  • Antarctic climate and concentrations of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) were tightly coupled. • … CO2 seemed to be confined between bounds of about 180 ppmv (parts per million by volume) in glacial periods and 280 ppmv in inter-glacials; …… Today is 380 ppmy and is rising…. KMCHAN

19. 3. Kyoto Protocol 京都協定The Kyoto Protocol, 1997 • Took effect in February, 2005.Obligates countries to observe target figures for green house gas reduction. • Advanced nations should reduce emissions of 6 gases by an average of 6-8% (relative to 1990 levels) over the five year period from 2008 to 2012. • Kyoto Mechanisms : Scheme for Trading Green House Gas Emissions Rights and encourage international co-operations to achieve carbon neutral KMCHAN

20. History: Emission Trading Clean Development Mechanism

21. 3. Kyoto Protocol KMCHAN

22. World Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Region, 1990-2001(Million Metric Tons Carbon Dioxide) 3. Kyoto Protocol KMCHAN

23. 3. Kyoto Protocol KMCHAN

24. History: Emission Trading

25. The global carbon market

26. Carbon dioxide emission trading • Since carbon dioxide is the principal greenhouse gas, people speak simply of trading in carbon. • Carbon is now tracked and traded like any other commodity. This is known as the "carbon market." • Each country and company must set its own targets (set ceiling)

27. Kyoto Mechanisms: Joint Implementation (JI) Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Emission Trading KMCHAN

28. 3. Kyoto Protocol 2007 UN Climate Change Conference Result (Kyoto II): Road Map by 2009 for all countries? Obama VS Bush? KMCHAN http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7120952.stm

29. The Wedge Game http://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/resources/CMI_Resources_new_files/CMI_Wedge_Game_Jan_2007.pdf http://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/resources/stabwedge.htm http://www.ctenergyeducation.com/images/Wedges_Concept_Game_Materials_July05.pdf KMCHAN

30. Wedge Strategies: • Nuclear energy • Renewables (e.g. solar, wind, hydrogen) • Biostorage (e.g. forest and soil storage) • Efficiency (reduced miles traveled, increased building and electricity efficiency) • Conservation (reduced transport) • Fossil-Fuel-Based (fuel switching, carbon capture) http://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/resources/CMI_Resources_new_files/CMI_Wedge_Game_Jan_2007.pdf KMCHAN

31. A question for you 4. What can you do to help? Hong Kong is hotter than global trend in recent years! Why? Leung et al., 2004. Climate Change in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Observatory Technical Note No.107. HKSAR Government. 41 p. KMCHAN

32. http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/data/files/GHG_trend_1990_2005.pdfhttp://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/data/files/GHG_trend_1990_2005.pdf KMCHAN 4. What can we do to help?

33. http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/data/files/GHG_signifacnce_1990_2005.pdfhttp://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/data/files/GHG_signifacnce_1990_2005.pdf 60% GHG Emission is from Power Stations KMCHAN 4. What can we do to help?

34. 4. What can we do to help? Our Power Plants are using coal or Natural gas as their major fossil fuel to generate electricity! Gas-fired Plants under construction Gas-fired Plants planned CLP Plants in Castle Peak. Scheme of Control Agreement KMCHAN HK Electric Plants in Lamma Island.

35. Why CO2 is not included? HKSAR Government’s Targets KMCHAN http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/misc/ehk07/english/air/index.htm#2

36. 4. What can we do to help? USE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND NUCLEAR POWER Proposed Wind farm near Ninepin KMCHAN

37. WHAT CAN WEDO TO HELP ?? • Carbon audit • Low carbon Living • Conserve rural area, plant more trees. • Practice life-style of health and sustainability (LOHAS), e.g. 3R, use MTR, stop using tungsten light-bulbs, save water, etc. KMCHAN

38. Summary • Carbon dioxide emission exceeds the normal range and is rising, together with global temperature • The impacts are visible, cannot be stopped and the situation is getting worse • We are causing global warming and we have to act on saving our planet earth! KMCHAN

39. Discussion: • What’s Carbon neutral? What can we do to achieve Carbon neutral or carbon compensation? • Practicing wedge strategies: audit and plan for low carbon living in your school/firm/ organization/and at home! • Is carbon tax more useful (fair?) than trading? KMCHAN

40. Further Readings Practise Low Carbon Living • Christianson, Gale (1999) Greenhouse: The 200- Year Story of Global Warming. Walker & Company, New York. Penguin Books, 305p. • Flannery, Tim (2006) We Are The Weather Makers, The Story Of Global Warming. Text Publishing Co., 272p. • Gore, Al (2006) An Inconvenient Truth. Rodale, Inc., New York, NY., 327p. • Houghton, John (2004) Global Warming. Third Ed., Cambridge University Press, 351p. KMCHAN