Global Warming Carbon

2. What’s the problem? Greenhouse effect Caused by water and carbon dioxide Turns the Earth from a ‘snowball’ with a hot Equator into the relatively temperate place So what’s the problem?

3. Carbon dioxide & the carbon cycle The amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere is increasing…

3. Atmospheric CO 2 Concentration versus year Historical Value 280 ppm Current value 370 ppm

2. Increase in CO 2 concentration Concentration in 19 th century Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) Added in 20 th Century

3.Atmospheric CO 2 Concentration versus year (Detail 2) 1.4 ppm per year

3. Carbon dioxide The amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere is increasing… Historically280 ppm ppm ppm Increasing at 1.4 ppm every year There is no doubt or dispute about this

3. Carbon dioxide Why is the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere is increasing? We are digging up geological deposits of carbon –Coal & Oil & Gas –Burning them! C+ O 2 >>CO 2 There is no doubt or dispute about this

3. My family’s CO 2 emissions 0.2 kg per mile 4000 miles per year 800 kg CO 2 /year 0.3 kg per mile per person 1000 miles per year 600 kg CO 2 /year 0.5 kg per kWh 7300 kWh per year 3650 kg CO 2 /year

3. My family’s CO 2 emissions 5050 kg of CO 2 per year Just over 5 tonnes! There are many families like mine…

3. Global CO 2 Emissions 6 billion tons C 27 billion tons CO 2 Developing countries Developed countries Total

Question Is 6 billion tonnes of carbon per year (emitted as CO 2 ) a lot or a little?

Carbon Cycle increasing at 3.2/year 2,000 39, ,000 3,