Climate Change and Global Warming

1. Climate Change and Global Warming Anna and Anu

2. Summary • What are they? • What causes them? • Evidence for climate change • What will the increase in global temperature cause? • What can be done?

3. Definitions • Climate change = any long term change in the average weather • Global warming = the increase in the average measured temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans • The greenhouse effect = the change in the thermal equilibrium temperature of a planet or moon by the presence of an atmosphere containing gas that absorbs infrared radiation

4. Temperature change • Global surface temperature increased about 0.74 °Cduring 100 years • Climate model projections indicate that average global surface temperature will likely rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C during the 21-century • Warming and sea level rise are expected to continue for more than a thousand years even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized • The delay in reaching equilibrium is a result of the large heat capacity of the oceans

5. Why? • Variations whitin Earth’s climate • Glaciation • Ocean variability • Non-climate factors driving climate change • CO2 (greenhouse gas) • Plate tectonics (reposition continents, shape oceans, build and tear down mountains) • Solar variation (sun is getting brigther) • Orbital variations (the Earth's orbit lead to changes in the distribution and abundance of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface) • Volcanism ( eruptions releases for example CO2 to atmosphere)

6. Human influences (anthropogenic factors) • Fossil fuels (CO2 and methane) • Aerosols • Cement manufacture • Land use (deforestation, agriculture) • Livestock ( causes 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions) • Feedback effects • They make global warming more rapid • Water vapor • Ice-albedo feedback

7. The increase in annual mean temperature between 1880 and 2006

8. Greenhousegases • Major greenhouse gases are water vapor, which causes about 36–70 % of the greenhouse effect; carbon dioxide, which causes 9–26 %; methane, which causes 4–9 %; and ozone, which causes 3–7 % • The issue is how the strength of the greenhouse effect changes when human activity increases the atmospheric concentrations of some greenhouse gases Recent increase in atmospheric CO2

9. Greenhousegases • The atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 have increased by 31% and 149% respectively since the beginning of the industrial revolution • Fossil fuel burning has produced approximately 75% of the increase in CO2 concentration. Most of the rest is due to land-use change, in particular deforestation • The present atmospheric concentration of CO2 is about 385 parts per million (ppm) • Future CO2 levels are expected to rise due to ongoing burning of fossil fuels and land-use change

10. Evidence for climatechange • Pollen analysis • Beetles • Glacial geology

11. Whatwill the increase in global temperature cause? • Rise of sea level • Changes in rain patterns • An expanse of tropical areas • Increased pace of desertification • More intense extreme weather events • Agricultural yields • Glaciers will continue to melt • Arctic shrinkage • Mass extinction of species • Ranges of disease vectors may increase • Flooding and drought • Reduced summer streamflows • Increasing deaths, displacements and economic losses due to extreme weather

12. Climatechange and biodiversity • Interdependent pairs of species losing synchronization • Movement of species northwards in Europe • The ascendancy of opportunistic species at the expense of scarcer species with narrower or more specialized ecological requirements

13. Adaptation to global warming? • Actions taken to minimize the global environment's impact on humans • Agricultural production • Improving irrigation and developing new crop strains • Rainwater storage • Weather control • Damming glacial lakes • Migration corridors for plants and animals in the natural environment • Relocation of people, agriculture and industry • Assisting disadvantaged nations

14. Preventive measures • Efforts at increased energy efficiency and limited moves towards use of alternative fuels • The world's primary international agreement on combating global warming is the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol now covers more than 160 countries globally and over 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.(Only the United States and Kazakhstan have not ratified the treaty) . This treaty expires in 2012.

15. Preventive measures • Improving energy efficiency • Reduce energy use in buildings • Improve fuel efficiency of new cars • Make appliances more efficient • Replacing coal, oil and gasoline with cleaner energy sources and technologies • Instead of gasoline, use ethanol, hydrogen or electricity in cars and trucks • Natural gas heating • High efficiency plants that use natural gas • Solar power plants • Nuclear power plants • Agriculture, deforestation and other human activities • Improve waste management • Alter use and formulation of fertilizers • Change in land use • Establish an international "forestry fund" to prevent deforestation • Reduce methane emissions by improving waste management practices and changing agricultural techniques

16. Whatcan you do? • Make Your Home More Energy Efficient • Invest in double glazing in your home • Turn off all appliances when not in use • Replace domestic and electrical equipment with energy efficient recommended models • Insulate your home: loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and simple draught excluders • Make Your Lifestyle Greener • Holidays: don't fly, take a train or alternative transport method • Shopping: minimize the number of shopping trips you take by planning ahead and writing a list • Nightlife: walk to your local facilities rather than taking the car • Sport: try cycling, walking or running to get from A to B

17. Thank you!