Climate Change (and You) UF, School of Building Construction Feb 3, 2004 Mark van Soestbergen ICBE

Carbon Dioxide Intercepts infrared waves going into space

Gasoline is 85.5% carbon 1 gallon of conventional gasoline becomes 172 cubic feet / 4.87 cubic meters of CO 2

125 gallon makes one ton CO 2 1 ton of CO 2 easily fills up a 19,866 cubic feet / 556 cubic meters container

Humans add about 25 billion tonne carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year

Copyright 2002 IPS-Inter Press Service Asian Brown Haze

Image courtesy SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE SeaWiFS Project,

Image courtesy SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE SeaWiFS Project,

Global Climate Change changes everything CO2 changes plant behavior Increases temperature of the atmosphere, the earths crust and the oceans Affects global hydro cycle

Summers will be scorchers These maps show the projected increase in average daily July heat index relative to the present. The largest increases are in the southeastern states, where the Canadian model projects increases of more than 25°F. For example, a July day in Atlanta that now reaches a heat index of 105°F would reach 115°F in the Hadley model, and 130°F in the Canadian model.

Florida - Reversal of summer-wet, winter-dry - Brand new animal, plant and human disease vectors - Sea level rise - Storms

Expected sea level increase 21 st Century: meter Florida + 5 meter, unavoidable w/out action Courtesy: PBS

Much reduction is needed to reach stability Human emission rate in billion tC/yr t Equilibrium Latent atmospheric C is about 188 billion ton Emissions the earth absorbs in billion tC/yr

Climate Change: A hundred year problem Achieving carbon neutrality (the switch to clean energy) = 30 years? Absorption of latent carbon (sequestration) = 7% of planet surface & 150 years?

U.S. commitment under Kyoto

- Nice meeting all of you! Mark van Soestbergen tel fax Toward Climate Stability

The atmosphere now holds 30% more carbon than a century ago Human emission rate in billion tC/yr time equilibrium Latent atmospheric Carbon is about 188 billion ton Earth absorption rate in billion tC/yr