1. CLIMATE CHANGE

2. Some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, while
others result from human activities. Naturally occurring greenhouse gases
include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Certain human activities, however, add to the levels of most of these naturally occurring gases:
A. Carbon dioxide
B. Methane
Emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from the decomposition of organic
wastes in municipal solid waste landfills, and the raising of livestock.

3. Nitrous oxide
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's), perfluorocarbons (PFC's), and sulfur hexa-fluoride (SF6)
These compounds are potent greenhouse gases. In addition to having high global warming potentials, SF6 and many HFC's and PFC's have extremely long atmospheric lifetimes, resulting in their essentially irreversible accumulation in the atmosphere. Sulfur hexafluoride, itself is the most potent greenhouse gas the IPCC has evaluated.
Generated in a variety of industrial processes.

5. 2. CO2 levels in the atmosphere have risen substantially.

6. What Do We Know?
According to an ongoing temperature analysis conducted by scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the average global temperature on Earth has increased by about 0.8° Celsius (1.4° Fahrenheit) since 1880.
The 2015 average global temperature ranked as the warmest on record. The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2005 except 1998.
1998 was the only, and the warmest year, of the last century based on proxy temperature data to be included in this list.

7. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in their
2014 release contained several
Summaries for Policy Makers (SPM’s)
SPM 1 – Observed Changes and their Causes
“Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems.”
SPM 1.1 Observed changes in the climate system
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen.

8. SPM 1.2 Causes of climate change
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have increased since the pre-industrial era, driven largely by economic and population growth, and are now higher than ever. This has led to atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that are unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years. Their effects, together with those of other anthropogenic drivers, have been detected throughout the climate system and are extremely likely to have been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.
SPM 1.3 Impacts of climate change
In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans. Impacts are due to observed climate change, irrespective of its cause, indicating the sensitivity of natural and human systems to changing climate.
SPM 1.4 Extreme events
Changes in many extreme weather and climate events have been observed since about 1950.
Some of these changes have been linked to human influences, including a decrease in cold temperature extremes, an increase in warm temperature extremes, an increase in extreme high sea
levels and an increase in the number of heavy precipitation events in a number of regions.

9. SPM 2. Future Climate Changes, Risks and Impacts
Continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting
changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe,
pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems. Limiting climate change would
require substantial and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions which, together
with adaptation, can limit climate change risks.
SPM 2.1 Key drivers of future climate
Cumulative emissions of CO2 largely determine global mean surface warming by the late
21st century and beyond. Projections of greenhouse gas emissions vary over a wide range,
depending on both socio-economic development and climate policy.
SPM 2.2 Projected changes in the climate system
Surface temperature is projected to rise over the 21st century under all assessed emission
scenarios. It is very likely that heat waves will occur more often and last longer, and that
extreme precipitation events will become more intense and frequent in many regions. The
ocean will continue to warm and acidify, and global mean sea level to rise.
SPM 2.3 Future risks and impacts caused by a changing climate
Climate change will amplify existing risks and create new risks for natural and human systems.
Risks are unevenly distributed and are generally greater for disadvantaged people and
communities in countries at all levels of development.

10. SPM 2.4 Climate change beyond 2100, irreversibility and abrupt changes
Many aspects of climate change and associated impacts will continue for centuries, even if anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are stopped. The risks of abrupt or irreversible changes increase as the magnitude of the warming increases.
SPM 3. Future Pathways for Adaptation, Mitigation and Sustainable Development
Adaptation and mitigation are complementary strategies for reducing and managing the risks
of climate change. Substantial emissions reductions over the next few decades can reduce climate
risks in the 21st century and beyond, increase prospects for effective adaptation, reduce
the costs and challenges of mitigation in the longer term and contribute to climate-resilient
pathways for sustainable development.
SPM 3.2 Climate change risks reduced by mitigation and adaptation
Without additional mitigation efforts beyond those in place today, and even with adaptation,
warming by the end of the 21st century will lead to high to very high risk of severe, widespread
and irreversible impacts globally (high confidence). Mitigation involves some level
of co-benefits and of risks due to adverse side effects, but these risks do not involve the
same possibility of severe, widespread and irreversible impacts as risks from climate change,
increasing the benefits from near-term mitigation efforts.

11. SPM 3.3 Characteristics of adaptation pathways
Adaptation can reduce the risks of climate change impacts, but there are limits to its effectiveness,
especially with greater magnitudes and rates of climate change. Taking a longer-term
perspective, in the context of sustainable development, increases the likelihood that
more immediate adaptation actions will also enhance future options and preparedness.
SPM 3.4 Characteristics of mitigation pathways
There are multiple mitigation pathways that are likely to limit warming to below 2°C relative
to pre-industrial levels. These pathways would require substantial emissions reductions over
the next few decades and near zero emissions of CO2 and other long-lived greenhouse gases
by the end of the century. Implementing such reductions poses substantial technological, economic,
social and institutional challenges, which increase with delays in additional mitigation
and if key technologies are not available. Limiting warming to lower or higher levels involves
similar challenges but on different timescales.
SPM 4. Adaptation and Mitigation
Many adaptation and mitigation options can help address climate change, but no single
option is sufficient by itself. Effective implementation depends on policies and cooperation at
all scales and can be enhanced through integrated responses that link adaptation and mitigation
with other societal objectives.

12. SPM 2 -Possible Effects of a Warmer World Changes in Food Production

13. SPM 2 -Reductions in Biodiversity
A. Plants and animals generally react to consistently warmer
temperatures by moving to higher latitudes and elevations.
Recent studies reveal that some species have already started to
shift their ranges, consistent with warming trends.
B. Many populations and species may become more vulnerable to
declining numbers or extinction if warming occurs faster than
they can respond or if human development presents barriers to
their migration.

14. Reductions in Biodiversity (cont.)
Spring events such as the unfolding of leaves, laying of eggs, and
migration are happening earlier.
There are poleward and upward (to higher altitude) shifts in
ranges of plant and animal species.

15. 1.7 [1.5 to 1.9] mm/yr between 1901 and 2010 and 3.2 [2.8 to 3.6]
SPM -1 Rise in Sea Level
“Mountain glaciers and snow cover have declined on average in
both hemispheres."
Losses from the land-based ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica have
very likely (>90%) contributed to sea level rise between 1993 and 2003.
Ocean warming causes seawater to expand, which contributes to sea
level rising.
Based on multiple models that all exclude ice sheet flow due to a lack of
basis in published literature, it is estimated that sea levels rose:
It is very likely that the mean rate of global averaged sea level rise was
1.7 [1.5 to 1.9] mm/yr between 1901 and 2010 and 3.2 [2.8 to 3.6]
mm/yr between 1993 and 2010.

16. SPM 1.4 - More Extreme Weather
There has been an increase in hurricane intensity in the North Atlantic
since the 1970s, and that increase correlates with increases in sea
surface temperature.
It is very likely that there will be an increase in frequency of warm
spells, heat waves and events of heavy rainfall.
It is likely that there will be an increase in areas affected by droughts,
intensity of tropical cyclones (which include hurricanes and typhoons)
and the occurrence of extreme high tides.

17. SPM 2.3 - Threats to Human Health
Weather and climate play a significant role in people's health. Changes
in climate affect the average weather conditions that we are
accustomed to. Warmer average temperatures will likely lead to hotter
days and more frequent and longer heat waves. This could increase the
number of heat-related illnesses and deaths. Increases in the frequency
or severity of extreme weather events such as storms could increase
the risk of dangerous flooding, high winds, and other direct threats to
people and property. Warmer temperatures could increase the
concentrations of unhealthy air and water pollutants. Changes in
temperature, precipitation patterns, and extreme events could enhance
the spread of some diseases.

18. SPM 3 - Slowing Global Warming
1. Cut fossil fuel use
Car makers could dramatically increase the fuel economy of their cars
and trucks.
B. Most electric utilities still use coal to produce electricity, spewing
millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other pollution into the
atmosphere every year. Part of the problem could be solved by
converting these plants to burn cleaner natural gas.

19. 2. Improve energy efficiency
Our cars and light trucks, home appliances and power plants could be
made much more efficient by simply installing the best current
technology. Energy efficiency is the cleanest, safest, most economical
way to begin to curb global warming.
B. We could do much more to save energy in our homes and office
buildings. More energy efficient lighting, heating and air-conditioning
could keep millions of tons of carbon dioxide out of our air each year.

20. 3. Reduce deforestation & plant trees
Because global vegetation and soils contain about three
times as much carbon as the planet's atmosphere, terrestrial
ecosystems offer an opportunity to absorb and store
(sequester) a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere. By planting trees, preserving forests, and
changing cultivation practices to increase soil carbon, for
example, it is possible to increase the size of carbon sinks.

21. 4. Slow human population growth