1. Global Warming
GOALS:
Explain how the greenhouse effect works
Describe why carbon dioxide is important in the atmosphere, but why scientists find it troubling that levels are rising
Analyze what a warmer world might look like
GLOBAL WARMING AND OZONE DEPLETION ARE VERY DIFFERENT!!!

2. Has Earth’s Climate Always Been Like Today’s?
How is it possible that you can find shark teeth 20 miles from the beach in NJ?
How is it possible that you find fossils of palm trees in parts of Canada?
Today Global Average Temp = 59oF (2015)

3. Has Earth’s Climate Always Been Like Today’s?
Over past 4.7 billion years climate has changed by
Volcanic eruptions
Changes in solar output
Continents moving
Meteorites
Natural variations in CO2
Some changes slow, some quickly

5. Why does a greenhouse stay warm in the winter?
Why does the inside of the car heat up quickly on a sunny day?

6. Greenhouse Effect
Naturally occurring process in the atmosphere where gases trap in heat.
Like a blanket covering planet
Known about for over a century
Without it Earth would be COLD

7. Greenhouse Gases Major greenhouse gases include
Carbon Dioxide
Water Vapor
Methane
CFCs
All act to trap in heat

8. It’s All About Carbon
When Carbon Falls in Love the World Heats Up

9. From the past we know that CO2 levels are tied closely to temperature

11. We know from the past that CO2 levels tied closely to temperature

12. Measuring CO2 Since 1958 in Mauna Loa Hawaii
What does this data show?
What trends does it show?
Why does it go up and down each year?

13. CO2 rates rising quickly
ppm
ppm
ppm
ppm
Chemist Charles Keeling’s CO2 measurements
Why measure here?

14. Rising CO2 Levels
Never 390 ppm in last 420,000 years (possibly 20 million years)
Continue to rise rapidly
Most CO2 in atmosphere is coming from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE?

16. Where is the CO2 Coming From?
42% coal power plants
24% transportation
20% industrial processes
14% residential and commercial usages
Exhale, drive, turn on light, burn log in fire
1 gallon of gas burned equals 20 pounds of CO2

17. What do higher CO2 levels mean for our future climate?

18. Global Warming
Earth’s global average temperature continues to rise due to the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

20. How Can You Predict The Future?
Very Complex Computer Models
Those models are saying…
It is likely that the world will warm 1.4oC to 5.8oC (2.5oF to 10.4oF) between 2000 and 2100

21. WHY CARE? It’s not like I can do anything. Plus, I Love my car.
Some potential benefits of global warming

22. Consequences of a Warmer Earth
1) A Grand Experiment With Potentially Major Changes
2) Melting Ice = Higher Seas
3) Change in Weather Patterns
4) Human Health Problems
5) Agriculture Changes
6) Effects to plants and animals

23. Maple Trees in VT and NH have been producing less and less maple syrup over last few decades.

24. Both photos show Sperry Glacier in Montana’s Glacier National Park
Both photos show Sperry Glacier in Montana’s Glacier National Park. Top: 1913:
Bottom: 2008

25. Many major cities in the world are below, near or just above sea level.

26. Florida after sea level rise of 5 meters

27. Impacts on Organisms
Habitats shift, usually toward the poles or to higher altitudes.
Migrations start earlier in the spring.
Loss of ice makes hunting seals difficult for polar bears

28. Impacts on the Oceans
An increase in ocean temperature is associated with a process called coral bleaching.
Changes in ocean acidity, resulting from an increase in dissolved carbon dioxide, can harm organisms.

29. Improve Efficiency of Cars

32. International Agreements
What makes Global Warming a difficult issue for political leaders to deal with?
1) Complex issue
2) Consequences in future
3) Need behavior changes
4) International

33. Kyoto Protocol
1997 International Treaty accepted by 192 countries to limit CO2 pollution
1990 levels by 2012
U.S. did not ratify
New treaties trying to negotiate

34. Global Warming: What does the future hold?