1. CHEM 127: Chemistry and Climate 1/3/12
O. Introductory Stuff
- Business: Syllabus etc.
- Informal Survey
- Some initial observations consideraitons

2. A quick survey … Is the global climate changing ? a) yes b) no c) IDK
2) If “yes”, are humans the cause ?
a) yes b) no c) IDK
3) How do you know?

3. Q#1: Average Global Temperature is Increasing

4. Sea level up - snow & ice melting…
What else is going on?
Sea level up - snow & ice melting…
IPCC, AR4, WG1, 2007
NOAA, CMDL, 2009

5. News Item: http://news. blogs. cnn

6. Svante Arrhenius: Global Warming Hypothesis
Q#2: Could it be us?
Svante Arrhenius: Global Warming Hypothesis
(Philosophical Magazine )
“Increased Levels of CO2 [and other greenhouse gases] will lead to an increase in global temperature”
“Other GHG’s” include: H2O, CH4, N2O, and Halocarbons …. (Stay tuned)

7. Are CO2 levels increasing?
C.D. Keeling and T.P. Whorf (October 2004).

8. Do human CO2 sources rival nature ?
Natural CO2 emissions:
Terrestrial Biosphere: Pg/year
Marine Biosphere: Pg/year
Anthropogenic CO2 emissions:
Fossil Fuels: 6.0 Pg/yr* (1.5 US!)
Deforestation: 1.5 Pg/yr
* (this is low – it is more like 7.0 now)

9. —> CO2 - ~35% increase —> CH4 - more than 2x!
Greenhouse gas concentrations:
the last 10,000 years
—> CO ~35% increase
—> CH more than 2x!
—> N2O - ~20% increase
Halocarbons —> ∞ increase

10. BUT DOES THIS PROOVE ANYTHING?
Are these observations related? …
BUT DOES THIS PROOVE ANYTHING?
Nature v. 412, p (2 August 2001)

11. Considerations (now that things ain’t so simple):
Scientific: What is Scientific Proof?
What Experiment can we do?
2) Ethical: Do we have the right to double the 4th most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
3) Economic: Are there solutions that will preserve a reasonable standard of living?
4) Media Bias: Who do you trust? What information is credible ?
(Peer Review is the standard in science …)