1. Global Climate Change

2. Overview Introduction to Climate Change
Causes of Global Climate Change
Effects of Climate Change
Melting Ice and Rising Sea Level
Changes in Precipitation Patterns
Effects on Organisms
Effects on Human Health
Effects on Agriculture
Dealing with Global Climate Change

3. Climate Change Mean Annual Global Temperature

4. Climate Change Terminology
Greenhouse Gas
Gas that absorbs infrared radiation
Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFC’s
Infrared Radiation
Radiation that has a wavelength that is longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of radio waves
Greenhouse Effect
Increase of heat in a system where energy enters (often as light), is absorbed as heat, and released sometime later

5. Climate Change Evidence for Climate Change
12 of the 15 years between 2002 and 2017 were among the twelve warmest years since the mid-1800s
Spring in N. hemisphere now comes 6 days earlier
Warming is not due to natural causes
Human produced greenhouse gases are the most plausible explanation

6. Causes Increased concentration of CO2
Burning fossil fuels in cars, industry and homes
Deforestation
Burning of forests

7. Other Pollutants Cool the Atmosphere
Atmospheric aerosols tend to cool the atmosphere
They have both human and natural sources
Tiny particles that remain in troposphere for weeks or months
Contain many chemicals, but often contain sulfur
Complicates models of climate change

8. Climate Models Climate affected by: winds, clouds, ocean currents.
Models are used to explore past climate events
Advanced models can project future warming events
Models are only as good as the data and law used to program them.

9. Climate Models

10. Effects of Global Climate Change
The ocean acts as a CO2 sink - excess CO2 is starting to harm ocean life

11. Effects of Global Climate Change Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels
Sea level rise caused in 2 ways
Thermal Expansion
Water expands as it warms
Melting of land ice
Retreat of glacier and thinning of ice at the poles
Melting has positive feedback
Increased melting decreases ice, which decreases albedo leading to further warming

12. Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels

13. Case-In-Point Impacts in Fragile Areas
Eskimo Inuit live traditional life dictated by freezing climate
Climate change is altering their existence
Wildlife are smaller or displaced
Reduced snow cover and shorter river ice seasons
Thawing of permafrost

14. Effects of Global Climate Change Changing Precipitation Patterns
Some areas will get more water, some areas will have greater droughts
Hurricanes will likely get stronger

15. Effects of Global Climate Change Effects on Organisms
Zooplankton in parts of California have decreased by 80% since 1951
Effecting entire food chain
Decline in krill around Antarctica
Caused decrease in penguin populations
Species have shifted their geographic range
Migrating birds are returning to summer homes earlier, where food is not available at this time

16. Effects on Organisms Coral Reefs
Coral reefs can be bleached due to increase in water temperature
Affects coral symbiotes and makes them more susceptible to diseases to which they would otherwise be immune

17. Effects on Human Health