The Basics of Global Climate

Change

What is Climate?Climate is multi-year pattern of temperature, wind and precipitation…weather is day-t0-day conditions, climate is simply long-term weather.

Climate varies with geography.

Climate happens in the atmosphere.

Overview of the Earth's atmosphere

Climate affects the land masses, the oceans, and all the organisms.

The Greenhouse Effect

Earth’s atmosphere acts as a blanket to keep heat from radiating away into space.

This natural process modulates temperatures and minimizes extremes, making the Earth habitable for life as we know it.

It is the composition of the atmosphere which produces this effect.

Dry air is composed of: Nitrogen 78.1 %, Oxygen 20.9 %, Argon 0.9%, Carbon Dioxide 0.03%, Others (Ne, CH4, He, Kr, H2, Xe, O3) 0.07 % The amount of water vapor in the air is variable.

Only some of these gases are responsible for the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse Effect

http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com

Greenhouse EffectWhat is albedo and how does it affect the warming trend?

Polar Ice Caps vs. Open Ocean

Equilibrium?

Positive Feedback LoopsMelting IceDissolved CO2

Greenhouse Gases

The primary greenhouse gases are:

Water VaporCarbon DioxideMethaneNitrous Oxides

The Carbon Cycle

What are carbon sinks?

Global Carbon Cycle (Billion Metric Tons Carbon)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Carbon Dioxide EmissionsU.S. Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas, 2006 (Million

Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent)

Carbon FootprintA carbon footprint is a measure of the impact

our activities have on the environment and climate change. It describes the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.

http://www.carbonfootprint.com

Emission Mitigation & Carbon Offsets

We can reduce our carbon footprint by two methods:

Reduce our direct or indirect emitting activities

Purchase or invest in Carbon OffsetsReforestation projects (i.e. planting trees)

Investing in clean, renewable energy sources (wind, water, solar, geothermal, biomass)

The Goal is CARBON NEUTRALITY