prap. Vítězslav Hlobil 21-2LES The Environment Topic: Global warming prap. Vítězslav Hlobil 21-2LES University of Defence 2010

Main points “Watching with understanding” What is Global Warming (GW)? Reasons for GW Consequences of GW “Watching with understanding” GW in numbers

What is Global Warning? GW as the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased by 0.74 ± 0.18 °C throughout the 20th century!

Reasons for Global Warming Natural changes - solar radiation - lay out of lands and oceans - volcanic activity - ocean circulation - condition and envelopment of biosphere Anthropogenic changes - burning fossil fuels (rock oil, coal, natural gas) - activity releasing into atmosphere so-called greenhouse gasses (carbon oxide-CO2, methane, freons …) - carbon oxide emissions

Reasons for Global Warming - The Greenhouse Effect The real greenhouse:

Consequences of Global Warming Melting of glaciers Increasing sea level Extreme atmospheric events Changing direction or stop of sea currents Less fresh water Negative effect on agriculture and fishing Lack of food Expansion of diseases and vermin Risk to fauna and flora “El Niňo”

Iceberg melting Satellite photos show long term decrease of arctic ice (1979 and 2003).

Increasing sea level

Extreme atmospheric events Increasing number and intensity of: - floods - storms - tornados - hurricanes etc.

Changing direction or stop of sea currents Oceanic circulation has a huge effect on the climate everywhere around the world If the oceans got significantly warmer, it would be able to change the direction of currents Climate in Europe is influenced to a great extent by the warm Gulf Stream Average temperature could decrease of about 5 - 10 °C in Europe, without huge warm, which is supplied by warm ocean currents

Expansion of diseases and vermin Expansion of diseases from warmer region Dengue fever or malaria could expand from Africa to Europe Double even triple the number of deaths caused by hot weather Dangerous is also the growing population of termites

Stronger phenomenon “El Niňo” Moving of warm water from west equatorial Pacific as far as sea coast of South America Strong rains and subsequent floods, soil erosion and coat of warm water chase out and deprive fishermen of living On the other side of Pacific ocean the El Niňo causes long drought We have vivid memories on this event from years 1997-98

Watching with understanding Watch the video of the global warming and answer these questions: 1) According to the scientists what was the warmest year in the history? 2) What do researchers predict about temperature? 3) What changes could help reduce global warming?

Global warming in numbers Share of CO2 on GW is 72% (existence of water vapour is neglected) Share of H2O in the atmosphere on GW is 95% Independent human activity contributes to warming by 0.28%, the figure is progressively increasing Number of recorded natural disasters in the period 1990 to 2001 based on international database

What do you think? Are there more „pros“?? (which)

Thank you for your attention… …questions?