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Global WarmingJakob Manning

Mauricio de Vries

Corriene Garabedian

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A Problem As globalizations increases our

capacity to impact our environment we must face the serious consequences of our industrialized society.

We wish to clarify, the fast approaching penalties of our everyday actions.

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But First…

A brief explanation of how global warming works.

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A Natural Occurrence? Natural greenhouse gases create a

natural greenhouse effect that we cannot live without.

If we did not have the greenhouse effect this world would be about 30 degrees Celsius colder.

That means that without the greenhouse effect our world would be uninhabitable.

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Our climate is altered by natural causes and by human causes. Some natural causes include solar activity, volcanic

emissions, changes in earths orbit and natural greenhouse gasses.

Human causes mostly include burning fossil fuels and exerting harmful gasses into the atmosphere.

Human activities have the biggest influence on the increase of greenhouse gasses. In the past 50 years this has been the clearest.

Responsible

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Gases The primary greenhouse gases are water vapor carbon

dioxide and methane. Water is the most common greenhouse gas.

Water is a short-term greenhouse gas. Lots of water can be added to the atmosphere by evaporation or removed by precipitation in a period of a few weeks.

Methane is an intermediate-term greenhouse gas. Once in the atmosphere methane is converted into carbon dioxide in a period of a few months to a few years.

Carbon dioxide is a long-term greenhouse gas. Once it is added to the atmosphere it can remain there for hundreds of years. Can you imagine that we still have pollution from World War 2 in our atmosphere?

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"Unfortunately, my generation has been somewhat careless in looking after our one and only planet."

Left-a graph of global temperature trends in the past fifty years.

Evidence of global warming is apparent all over earth.

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Interesting evidence of global warming

This phenomena is an example of how little we know about the possible implications of global warming

In far northern Canada the Native Inuit have noticed the sun rise significantly earlier in the year (2 months)

This has been caused by the warming of the layer of air above the snow. This distorts the sun’s light, literally causing it to rise earlier.

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Temperatures Between the years 1860-1900

average temperatures have increased by 0.75 degrees Celsius.

Over the past 100 years global temperatures have risen by 1.3 degrees.

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Temperatures (Cont.)

This recent winter was the warmest winter on record of ever happening( in the history of our humble planet!)

10 out of the past 14 years are the warmest on record

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Glacier and Ice Cap Melting

Evidence of global warming is very apparent in the recent melting of ice sheets.

Two places were melting has become extremely visible are Antarctica and Greenland.

One problem with this is that much less heat is absorbed by snow than by water, thus worsening the effect as the ice retreats.

left- predicted artic melting

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Unnaturally altered It’s impacting every notch

of our delicately balanced ecological system, such as Animals Viruses Migration habits

279 species of plants and animals have responded to global warming, migrating closer to the poles.

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The WWF recently released their expectations, according to their research, a raise of 2-3C will transform 60% of the Amazon forest (home to 2/3 of the worlds plant species) into a arid savanna.

Plant life

The number of problems that will erupt from such an event are endless.

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Dangerous consequences?

Higher temperatures and melting ice caps are nice and all, but what’s this going to mean for us?

"It determines the ferocity and frequency of natural disasters. It can prompt water shortages, degrade land and lead to the loss of biodiversity.” “-is likely to become a major driver of war and conflict .”

"Global warming has profound implications for jobs, growth and poverty. It affects agricultural output, the spread of disease and migration patterns,"

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"It is the poor -- in Africa, small-island developing states and elsewhere -- who will suffer most, even though they are the least responsible for global warming."

As earth is altered by our actions, what will become of humanity as it adopts to our “new earth”?

The worlds top climate scientists met a week ago to summarize a massive report that “predicts dire consequences from global warming”

These scientists concluded that before the year 2080, 3.2 billion people will experience

water scarcity 400 to 600 will be threatened by

hunger generated by global warming

Each year an additional 2 to 7 million people will be victims of coastal flooding

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Melting Glaciers

One area of particular concern is the Himalayans. 1/3 of the worlds fresh drinking water comes from the run off from this glacier system.

A direct consequence from our polluting actions will be the disappearance of these vital glaciers.

What will happen to those couple billion who depend on this previously reliable water source?

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Sea level rising

Possibly the biggest threat brought by global warming is rapid sea level changes

Two years ago the entire Larsen B ice shelf broke away into pieces in less than a month. Scientists thought it would be at least a decade before this shelf melted, even with global warming.

Both Greenland and Western Antarctica are depleting at shocking rates.

Not all of global Warming's effects are unprecedented.

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An interesting thought to consider is that this phenomenon of temperature changes has happened before, just never to this level.

The last time the Arctic’s were significantly warmer was 125,000 years ago.

At this time sea levels raised between 4-6 meters. These last sea level fluctuations were naturally

caused, but the effects of our current global warming have already succeeded the rates of any temperatures earth has experienced thus.

Obviously it can be assumed that sea level rising will surpass 4-6 meters.

Sea level rising (cont)

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Ending Slide The decision to change this situation

must be one that is made individually and globally.

There has never been a better time to act. Go plant a tree, buy a florescent light bulb

(this is where you clap)