Climate Change
Some Climate Change Statistics 2007: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Oceans will rise 7-23 inches by year 2100 90% certain that humans caused accelerated warming of 20st century Higher CO2 Global Warming Climate Change Changes timing & length of seasons Changes rainfall amounts
Climate Change Climate change: significant, long-lasting changes in weather patterns Includes… Intensity of weather Number of severe weather events Regional or Global
Is Climate Change the same as Global Warming? No! Global warming contributes to climate change Warmer temperatures affect world weather patterns: Rainfall amounts Storms Droughts Sea Level
-OZONE (O3) -CFCS? -WHY DO WE NEED OZONE? So what is Ozone?! -OZONE (O3) -CFCS? -WHY DO WE NEED OZONE?
Greenhouse Gases Greenhouse Gases are naturally present in the Earth’s atmosphere GGs help maintain a “healthy” global temperature by trapping heat Greenhouse Gases: Water vapor (H2O) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Methane (CH4) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Ozone (O3)
Greenhouse Effect “The Greenhouse Effect”: the “trapping” of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere The “trapped” warms the Earth Greenhouse Effect is NORMAL, but has been amplified by human production of CO2
How does it work?
Humans CO2 Production Global Warming Climate Change
Before Global Warming
After Global Warming
VERY close to ocean Result of coastal erosion
So… Officials had to move Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 2,870 feet inland! 1999-2000
Peterman Glacier, Greenland