Climate Change Pre-Quiz

1. What is the “greenhouse effect”?

2. What are examples of greenhouse gases?

3. Is climate change natural or human-made? How do we know?

4. What are the effects of climate change?

5. Are climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer related?

Is this evidence of global warming?

Groundhog Day Predictions

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2

Year

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shad

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w

No shadow = early spring

Shadow = 6 more weeks of winter

Is this evidence of global warming?

Greenhouse Gases

• Water vapor (H2O)

• Carbon dioxide (CO2)

• Methane (CH4)

• Nitrous oxide (N2O)

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

• Ozone (O3)

Do all greenhouse gases have the same effect on atmospheric

temperature?

Global Warming Potential

• Certain GHGs are more effective at warming the Earth than others

• 2 most important factors:– How well the gas absorbs energy– How long the gas stays in the atmosphere

• Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a measure of the total energy that a gas absorbs over a particular period of time (usually 100 years), compared to CO2

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2011

The Great Recession

Natural Sources of Greenhouse Gases

• Carbon dioxide and PM from volcanic eruptions

• Methane from decomposition in low-oxygen environments

• Nitrous oxide from denitrification• Water vapor from evaporation

and evapotranspiration

Anthropogenic Sources of Greenhouse Gases

• Burning fossil fuels releases CO2

• Agricultural practices release methane, nitrous oxide, and CO2

• Deforestation increases CO2

• Landfills release methane• Industrial production releases

CFCs

Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector in 2011

Greenhouse Effect

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzCA60WnoMk&list=PLi_1unC2AWvBgO2QcF9pfnWlyg4MemHAw

Comparing Emissions

• Which country emits the most CO2?

• Which country emits the most CO2 per capita?

Comparing Emissions

CO2 Emissions Per Capita

• http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=en_atm_co2e_pc&idim=country:CHN&dl=en&hl=en&q=china%20co2%20emissions

CO2 Heat Trapping

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RTLU4VTZ9o&list=PLi_1unC2AWvBgO2QcF9pfnWlyg4MemHAw

Global Temperature Change

• Since 1880, temperatures have increased 0.8°C

Global Temperature Change

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF5FxpedVlw&list=PLi_1unC2AWvBgO2QcF9pfnWlyg4MemHAw

CO2 Concentration Throughout History

How do we know what the climate was like thousands of years ago?

Ice Cores

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NENZ6TSc1fo&feature=player_embedded

Melting Ice Caps

Melting Arctic Ice Cap

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8bHufxbxc8

Ice Sheets Losing Mass

Rising Sea Levels

Rising Sea Levels

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKoch_iEos8

What problems will climate change cause?

What do you think?

• Should developing countries be held to the same CO2 emissions standards as developed countries?

• Things to consider:– How did developed countries become so wealthy?– Which countries are to blame for climate change?

– Will strict CO2 standards inhibit growth in developing countries?

– Will developing countries be able to afford costly new technology?

Kyoto Protocol

• In 1997, representatives of the nations of the world went to Kyoto, Japan to discuss how best to control the emissions contributing to global warming

• The agreement was that emissions of greenhouse gases from all industrialized countries will be reduced to 5.2% below their 1990 levels by 2012

• Developed nations agreed to different levels of emissions restrictions (U.S. – 7%, European Union – 8%, Russia – 0%)

• Developing nations did not have emission limits imposed by the protocol

Kyoto Protocol

• Though the U.S. signed the protocol, it was never ratified by the Senate

• Therefore, the protocol is not legally binding in the U.S. and we do not need to abide by it

• The U.S. is the only developed country that has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol

• http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/12/20/pol-kyoto-protocol-part-one-ends.html

Climate Change Awareness

• In 2007, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Al Gore "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change"