Global Climate Change

Why Climate Change and not Global Warming What is Climate The statistics (averge temperature, precipitation, etc) over long periods of time Global Warming implies that everything is just heating up and nothing else is changing However a change in temperature has large and often unexpected effects on factors like; precipitation amounts/type/timing, wind, ecosystem balance (maybe it shifts to be too dry for some plants or too wet for others) The proper term is Global Climate Change

Rising Temperatures

Rising Temperatures The average global temperature has been rising for the past 11700 years. However the rate of increase changed dramatically in the last couple of hundred years We believe that the rapid change is due to human activities, beginning with the Industrial Revolution

Effects of Rising Temperatures Easy to see evidence is the amount of ice that stays throughout the year has reduced

Effects of Rising Temperatures Easy to see evidence is the amount of ice that stays throughout the year has reduced As more ice melts the sea levels are rising

Effects of Rising Temperatures Easy to see evidence is the amount of ice that stays throughout the year has reduced As more ice melts the sea levels are rising More difficult to see and to explain is the change in Climate for various locations

Factors that cause rising temperatures Greenhouse gases (Water vapor, CO2, Methane CH4, Nitrous Oxide N2O, Ozone, etc) Urbanization Albedo

Greenhouse Gases Most abundant Water vapor, second is CO2 CO2 isn’t the most powerful at raising the temperature but it is increasing rapidly Mauna Loa Observatory Note the annual rise and fall, why is that?

Greenhouse Gases Most abundant Water vapor, second is CO2 CO2 isn’t the most powerful at raising the temperature but it is increasing rapidly Mauna Loa Observatory Note the annual rise and fall, why is that?

Urbanization Cities are hotter than rural areas, particularly at night The large amount of concrete and the height of the buildings contribute to this Also urban environments have more people/cars/energy demands and so also produce more greenhouse gases and waste heat

Urbanization

Albedo The measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation out of the total solar radiation received by an astronomical body. (How much light an object in space reflects)

Albedo A high albedo will actualy lower the global temperature Ice and snow reflect large amounts of light raising the albedo Urbanization utilizing lighter colors also will raise the albedo However as ice and snow melts the albedo drops, so the remaining ice and snow melts even faster.