Global Warming

of Mt. St. Ursula

changes in the natural environment
Caused by too much carbon

dioxide

atmosphere
The surface of the Earth absorbs most of the short-rayed

insolation and later releases this heat in the form of infrared radiation into the atmosphere.
Some of the heat is absorbed by particles known as “greenhouse gases.”
The heat retained by the gases acts as a “heat blanket.”

With

dioxide in the atmosphere.

In the past 150 years, burning fossil fuels has caused a 25 % increase in Carbon dioxide emissions.

increased 17%.

Methane has increased 150%!!

has caused higher levels of phytoplankton in the ocean.
While living,

phytoplankton release oxygen into the atmosphere and use Carbon for photosynthesis
When they die, their decay releases large amounts of methane and the poisonous gas, hydrogen sulfide. It also uses large amounts of oxygen.

than carbon dioxide in maintaining heat in the atmosphere.
This

results in the deaths of numerous marine animals.

plant growth.
The increase in temperature -> rise in sea level

from melting glaciers and polar ice caps (adds 0.2 mm annually)
Rising temperatures will also cause drier conditions in many important agricultural regions.

Bleaching—
Change in temperature and elevated sea level cause loss

of algae in the coral.
Coral appears white, or “bleached.”
Result is mass death of sea animals, which are dependent on the coral reef.
The penguin population near Antarctica has been declining as the distance between them and their food has increased.

degrees, could lead to the melting of ice shelves that

hold back glaciers. This results in rising sea levels
The Larsen area of North Antarctic, South of Chili and Argentina have lost more than 5,200 sq miles of area.

disrupt the migration, hibernation and reproductive cycles of certain types

of animals.
Plants and animals will find it hard to escape or adjust to the effects of warming because humans occupy so much land.
Farmland or cities interrupt the movement of species between habitats.

of life (ex: 35,000 people died during heat wave in

Europe, Aug‘03.)
Warmer weather provides an ideal breeding environment for mosquitoes. Diseases such as West Nile will be more common.

.

water and air, which harms the human body.

.

clean drinking water.
Cholera

It increases temperature providing an ideal breeding

environment for mosquitoes.
Dengue fever
Malaria
Yellow fever

 increase in cloud cover

How High Will the Clouds Be?

It makes a difference!
Clouds close to the earth reflect sunlight  cooling effect.
Clouds high in the atmosphere trap heat  warmingeffect.

Generally:
Cloud cover increases
Levels of the greenhouse gas methane may increase
Hurricanes range farther north, south on warmer water

every 7-14 yrs (“the child”)
Warm surface waters

suppress cold, nutrient-rich upwelling of the Humboldt Current
 Fall in the number of plankton
Wreaks havoc upon the entire ocean food chain
Devastates the fishing industry

the trade winds: torrential rain, flooding, and mudslides to the

usually dry coastal areas of Peru and Ecuador.

monsoons in Asia  severe drought to Indonesia and northern

Australia.
Severe weather disturbances in other parts of the world, such as droughts in areas of Africa and central North America.

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
UNFCCC, an international

treaty on global warming
Countries which ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases
A total of 141 countries have ratified the agreement. Notable exceptions include the United States and Australia

for signature on March 16, 1998, and closed on March

15, 1999
Current estimates are that even if successfully and completely implemented, the Kyoto Protocol is predicted to reduce the average global temperature by somewhere between 0.02°C and 0.28°C by the year 2050

Continued..

Climate Change
Article 2 (iv) Research on, and

promotion, development and increased use of, new and renewable forms of energy, of carbon dioxide sequestration technologies and of advanced and innovative environmentally sound technologies
(vi) Encouragement of appropriate reforms in relevant sectors aimed at promoting policies and measures which limit or reduce emissions of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol;
(viii) Limitation and/or reduction of methane emissions through recovery and use in waste management, as well as in the production, transport and distribution of energy

and reintroduced in February 2005
It would reduce carbon dioxide, methane,

nitrous oxide, hydroflurocarbon and perfuorocarbons which are released by power plants to 2000 levels by 2010.
The bill reduces the risk of global warming without hurting the economy.

low-water-use washing machines, 2. use a solar heated system for

hot water, 3. use an electric or push mower for gasoline powered mower)
Buy energy efficient products
Buy products that have reusable or recyclable packaging
Reduce use of car (walk instead)