1. EPA Site Covers almost entire climate change topic!
Global Issues
Global Warming
Ozone Depletion
EPA Site Covers almost entire climate change topic!

2. The Atmosphere Four distinct zones Troposphere: 75% of total mass
Temperature
Relative gas concentrations
Pressure
Troposphere: 75% of total mass
5 to 10 miles
What happens to temperature?
Stratosphere: to about 31 miles
Low water vapor; ozone 1000x higher than troposphere
What is source and importance of ozone?
Ionosphere

4. Solar Radiation How much reaches the earth’s surface?
Selective absorption in the atmosphere
Visible light
Ultraviolet
Infrared
Albedo
Snow vs. a dark surface
Average earth’s is 5% (due to oceans)

6. Earth’s Radiation All energy absorbed by surface is reradiated
But… how is this different than incoming?
Reradiated as infrared vs. incoming visible light
So What? What gasses absorb infrared?

7. Climate and Climatic Catastrophes
Climate vs. weather
Gradual climatic change: adaptation, evolution
Abrupt climatic change: mass extinctions
65 million years ago (end of Cretaceous)
Up to dozen such great climatic changes
What is the evidence of past climatic changes?
Developing models for future changes

8. Some Numbers -
Global temperature increase, : 1.25° F or about 0.8 degrees C, most in the last 40 years
Rate of temperature increase since 1990: 0.72° F or 0.5 degrees C.
IPCC's estimate of global temperature increase by 2100: 2.5° F ° F ( deg C)
Temperature increase in the Arctic since 1970: 4° F
Data source: IPCC report (over 2000 leading climatologists)– and, US National Academy of Sciences
Videos with some data
NOAA data and graphs

10. Some Numbers - Carbon Twice pre-industrial concentrations by 2100
Quantity of CO2 in the atmosphere before the industrial revolution: 288 parts per million
Quantity of CO2 in the atmosphere in 2000: 370 parts per million Years since Earth's CO2 level was last this high: 20 million
Annual increase of 0.5%
% of the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by CO2 52.5% % of the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by methane: 17.3% % of the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by ozone: 12.5%

14. A Carbon Video
Take a look at a creative look at at carbon atom – enjoy

15. Evidence of Climate Change
Ice cores
Tree rings
Historical records
Slideshow
Short Videos – (use these_
Discovery Channel
A Picture Gallery
Some Graphs
Copenhagen and REDD

19. Other Greenhouse Gasses
Methane - s
Absorbs 20x to 30x as much heat as CO2
At this point not as large piece of the pie
Sources: Ruminant animals, coal mines, pipeline leaks, landfills
As earth warms: released from tundra (example of positive feedback system)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Nitrous oxides and ozone – air pollution from burning fossil fuels

21. Effects of Climatic Change
Temperatures
Middle and high latitudes much indrease
Precipitation
High latitudes wetter
Mid latitudes drier
Rising sea levels (appear to be increasing 2mm/year)
Continental glaciers may melt - coastlines inundated
Videos with several changes on our earth

22. Source is NOAA

25. Can CO2 Emissions be Reduced?
Kyoto Protocol : industrialized nations
Average 5.2% below 1990 by 2012
Has this been ratified?
What was U.S. opposition
How to enforce? No penalties
IPCC Report: summary of the report

26. Can CO2 Emissions be Reduced?
IPCC Report: summary of the report
Cap and Trade –( trading emission allowances)

27. Some Scenerios
Link to this graph at NOAA

28. Critical Thinking - What To Do?
How certain should we be before acting?
What are the potential economic consequences (of taking or not taking action)?
Are there potential positives if we cut emissions even if the models are overly pessimistic?
What will happen if we don’t act?
Think of precautionary principle

29. Global Warming Quiz
Take the Quiz

30. What Can You Do? Calculate your carbon savings at this EPA website
Change starts with your stomach
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

31. El Nino La Nina- Trade winds move ocean surface currents westward
Thermocline
Upwelling of waters west of S.A.
El Nino
Indonesian Low Collapses; warm water moves east
Jet stream drawn south- moist air drawn from Gulf and Pacific
Are El Nino years becoming more frequent?

35. Ozone Depletion First detected “ozone hole” over Antarctica in 1985
1997: all ozone over Antarctica between 14 and 20 km destroyed
Danger: more UV rays
1% decrease in ozone results in 2% increase in UV equals 1 million more skin cancers

37. Why is Ozone Being Depleted
Antarctica - unique weather conditions
CFC - Freon- a great refrigerant - Why?
Propellants in aerosols - A What??
No longer propellants
Helsinki Agreement (1989) - phasing out of all uses of CFC’s