Global Warming

Blue Man Group

Global Warming … what is it? Increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans

What causes this warming? Industrial Revolution: burning fossil fuels and deforestation increases greenhouse gases Greenhouse gases – Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) – Methane (CH 4 ) – Nitrous oxide – Sulfuric hexafluoride – Hydrofluorocarbons – Perfluorocarbons – Water Vapor (*) They are necessary for life – Keep planet ’ s surface warm

Animation It ’ s all about Carbon – Episodes 1-5 – deo/ deo/

According to NASA data, temperature has increased by about 1.2 to 1.4°F in the last 100 years 11 of the last twelve years rank among the 12 warmest years on record – Warmest: 1998 and 2005

Measuring Atmospheric CO 2 Air samples taken in Mauna Loa, Hawaii Why Hawaii – Isolated location – Minimal human activity/pollution/vegetation Zig-Zag – Earth breathing in and out – Winter (trees give off CO 2 ….levels rise) – Summer (trees take in CO 2 ….levels drop)

CO 2 in Ice Samples EPICA: European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica 400,000 years ago Today ’ s rising atmospheric CO 2 is already 27% higher than its highest record level during the last 400,000 years Crush the ice, expand the gas, analyze in a gas chromatography – the ratio of oxygen isotopes in the snow reveals temperature, In snow, colder temperatures result in higher concentrations of light oxygen.

What ’ s being done? Kyoto Protocol (met: 1997) – Put into effect 2005 agreement by which industrialized nations have committed to making substantial reductions in their emissions of greenhouse gases by % below 1990 levels between 2008 and More than 187 countries have signed and ratified U.S.?

Bush administration has rejected it as being too costly for the economy Did propose a climate change initiative – Voluntary reductions in emissions, tax credits for emissions and increased research and development for new energy technologies

Others who haven ’ t signed … In 2006, China ’ s CO 2 emissions were more than the US. – 8% higher By 2025, China ’ s annual CO 2 emission alone will be 3.2 billion tons of Carbon – Current world emission: 6.15 billion – Neither China nor India have signed the Kyoto Protocol either

Obama Administration Obama stopped by the climate talks held in Copenhagen – The president said he met with leaders from India, China, Brazil and South Africa, and "that's where we agreed... to set a mitigation target to limit warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius. ” – voluntary pledges of 85 countries to cut emissions Obama acknowledged that the cap-and-trade approach to limiting greenhouse gas emissions, backed by his administration, "was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way. It was a means, not an end."

Climate Change talks in Cancun – the US repeated its ''one-in, all-in'' catchcry, claiming that targets for cutting emissions needed to be binding on all countries, not just developed nations. – Progress appeared likely on several fronts, such as the protection of tropical rainforests and $US30 billion of fast-start finance to help developing countries deal with the impact of climate change.

What can we do?

Opposing View Is there really a global warming consensus? – eature=related eature=related Dr. Fred Singer – –