GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

What’s the Kyoto Accord? International agreement signed in 1997 Aimed at reducing global warming Participants asked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a percentage below 1990 emission levels Set binding targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for countries to reach by 2012 37 industrialized countries which make almost 65% of greenhouse gases (GHG) were to decrease to ~ 5% less than 1990 levels (US target = 7%)

KYOTO is “OLD NEWS”! UNITED STATES The ________________ is the only major industrial country that did NOT signed the Kyoto Accord. Standards set by Kyoto expired in 2012 Countries have been meeting since 2009 to decide what will happen next UNITED STATES http://unfccc.int/meetings/items/2654.php

WHAT NEXT? NEW CLIMATE AGREEMENT More than 130 countries (including US and China) signed the landmark agreement to tackle climate change at a ceremony at UN headquarters on April 22, 2016 (Earth Day!) US pledged a 26-28% cut by 2025 compared with 2005 levels. It sets a collective goal of keeping global warming below 2° C compared to pre-industrial times, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5C. It requires all countries to submit plans for climate action and to update them every five years, though such plans are not legally binding.

Clean Power Plan Clean Power Plan sets achievable standards to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and giving states flexibility of how they will meet these goals . Feb 2016 Supreme Court moved to temporarily block implementing the plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Federal court will decide lawsuit in June 2016

THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOREVER WE CAN’T COUNT ON OUR LEADERS to FIX THIS THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOREVER http://e360.yale.edu/images/features/stahl_0401_energy_policy.jpg

Even if you don’t “believe” in global warming . . . http://matadornetwork.cachefly.net/bravenewtraveler.com/docs//wp-content/images/posts/20080418-planet.jpg Even if you don’t “believe” in global warming . . . Even if countries can’t agree on emission levels … we should still work to reduce our emissions of global warming gases BECAUSE . . .

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! http://www.inkcinct.com.au/Web/CARTOONS/2005/2005-379C--last-fossil-fuel.gif THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! Fossil fuels are a limited resource… eventually they will be gone!

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! http://healthandenergy.com/global_warming_cartoons.htm Our supply of fossil fuels is dependent on countries that are not “friendly” to the U.S.

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! Brookings Register March 2012 Our supply of fossil fuels is dependent on countries that are not “friendly” to the U.S.

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! Brookings Register Drilling for and transporting fossil fuels has negative environmental consequences

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! Drilling and transporting fossil fuels has negative environmental consequences Brookings Register

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET! BP oil spill in Gulf 2011 Drilling and transporting fossil fuels has negative environmental consequences http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2011/04/14/news/companies/bp_meeting/deepwater_horizon_fire.top.jpg http://pn.b5z.net/zirw/b12qa/i/u/68100167/i//Jan11/0126drill.jpg Brookings Register

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX CLIMATE CHANGE” make sense anyway! Images from: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/R/Renewable_energy.asp Innovation and alternative energy technologies for automobiles and power generation are good for our economy

BAD BEST! REALLY BAD THINK ABOUT IT Scientists are RIGHT about man-made Climate change Scientists are WRONG about man-made Climate change WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING- NOTHING! Environmental Disaster Consequences too awful to think about Still have other problems associated with fossil fuel use: pollution/acid rain/ dependence on our enemies WE WORK TO GET OFF FOSSIL FUELS CHANGES HELP TURN THINGS AROUND + solve other fossil fuel problems Solves other problems associated with fossil fuel use REALLY BAD BAD BEST! GOOD!

http://www. climateactionreserve http://www.climateactionreserve.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/climatesummit.jpg

What happens next depends on YOU! YOUR GENERATION is the KEY http://www.people-press.org/2013/02/21/section-1-opinions-about-major-issues/#carbon-emissions What happens next depends on YOU! YOUR GENERATION is the KEY Only 3 percent of voters 18 to 34 DON’T believe that climate change real. video

http://upload. wikimedia http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_Congress.jpg Even SD Senator John Thune admits a potential role for humans in climate change. When asked if climate change exists and is caused by humans he said, “I’m not denying that. I’m simply saying that the debate ought to be: What are we going to do about it, and at what cost?” http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/17/climate-change-denial-scepticism-republicans-congress

What’s so bad about warming up a little? We’re freezing here in S.D.!

Coastal flooding What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://healthandenergy.com/images/global2.gif Cartoon from Brookings Register Coastal flooding

Changes in Gulf Stream What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://www.claybennett.com/pages/ocean_temps.html What’s so bad about warming up a little? Changes in Gulf Stream http://zfacts.com/metaPage/lib/Atlantic_conveyor.jpg

More severe storms What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina More severe storms http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/WEATHER/08/25/tropical.storm/story.katrina.915p.jpg

Weather extremes What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dictionary/aaa_Dictionary_pictures/drought.jpg Heat waves and drought Brookings Register

Changing habitats means loss of species What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=35720&in_page_id=34 Changing habitats means loss of species

ACIDIFICATION OF OCEANS http://www.conchaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/florida-keys-coral-reef-loss.png What’s so bad a little more CO2? ACIDIFICATION OF OCEANS Affects coral reefs and shelled sea animals http://www.biologyjunction.com/clip0051.jpg