Global Warming

Stratospheric Ozone and Global Warming

Lesson 2

None Like It Hot

How Does Global Warming Occur?

Solar radiation passes through the Earths atmosphere

Most radiation is absorbed by the Earths surface
Some infrared radiation is reflected back into space by the Earth and the atmosphere
[INSERT GREENHOUSE GASES]
Some of the infrared radiation is reabsorbed and remitted in all directions back to the
Earths surface
The Earths surface and lower atmosphere (troposphere) get warmer

Greenhouse Gases
Some examples are
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chlorofluorocarbons
Halons
Hydrochloroflurocarbons
Hydrofluorocarbons
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Sulfur Hexafluoride
Tropospheric Ozone

Impacts and Consequences of Global

Warming

Ocean Acidification

The ocean currently absorbs 1 metric ton of CO2 per person per year
Increased absorption of CO2 in the oceans leads to a lower pH of seawater
Adversely affects corals, plankton, organisms with shells, and marine reproduction

Changes in Weather

Air temps today are about 5-9 degrees F warmer than they were before the Industrial
Revolution
Higher temps lead to more rainfall because of higher rates of evaporation
Category 4 and 5 hurricanes worldwide have increased by 20% since the 1970s
More rainfall leads to more erosion
Which leads to higher rates of desertification due to deforestation
Which leads to a loss in biodiversity as some species are forced out of their habitats

Displacement of People

The United Nations has projected that by 2050, 150 million people will need to be
relocated worldwide due to the effects of coastal flooding, shoreline erosion, and
agricultural disruption

Ecological Productivity

Productivity in the Northern Hemisphere has increased since 1982, but the increases in
biomass will trigger limiting factors to curb future productivity
Plants in the tropics increase productivity more than trees (the carbon sinks)
This will cause the rate of decomposition to increase, because plants are shorter lived,
which will cause more carbon to enter the carbon cycle

Forest Fires

Boreal forest fires in North America used to average 2.5 million acres
Now, they average 7 million acres

Glacier Melting

The total surface area of glaciers worldwide has decreased by 50% since the end of
the 19th century
The melting of glaciers causes landslides, flash floods, glacial lake overflow, and
increased variation in water flows into rivers
Eventually, glacial melting will affect hydroelectric production

Health and Behavior

Higher temperatures result in higher incidents of heat-related deaths

A temperature increase of just 2 degrees F will result in approximately 25,000 more
homicides in the United States simply due to stress and resulting rage

Disease

Rates of malaria (increase in mosquitoes), cholera, and other waterborne diseases will
increase
Remediation and mitigation efforts will end up costing more
Thoughts on the Zika virus?

Property Loss

Weather-related disasters have

increases 3-fold since the 1960s
Insurance payouts have increased
15-fold during the same period of
time
Much of this can be attributed to
people moving to vulnerable
coastal areas

Economic Development

Money that was earmarked (set

aside) for education, improved
healthcare reduced hunger, and
improved sanitation and freshwater
supplies, will instead be spent on
mitigating the effects of global
warming

Side Effect of Global Warming:

Fire Breathing Polar Bears

Biodiversity

Arctic fauna (animals) will be most affected

The food webs of polar bears depend on ice flows
Birds and marine mammals will be negatively impacted
Bird migrations are averaging 2 days earlier per decade
Grasses have begun to grow in Antarctica for the first time
Species of fish and krill that require cooler waters will be negatively impacted
Decreased glacier melt will impact migratory fish, such as salmon, which require
sufficient water flow

Loss of Biodiversity

Salmon Cannons with John Oliver

Methane Release
Coastal Sediments-methane hydrate
is a form of water ice that contains
methane in its crystal structure.
Large deposits of this have been
discovered in ocean sediment
Permafrost-thawing permafrost
would increase bacterial levels in
the soil and eventually lead to
higher releases of methane
Estimates of melting permafrost in
Siberia could release as much as
70,000 million metric tons of
methane within the next few
decades

Rise in Sea Level

Sea levels have risen 400 feet since the peak of the last ice age (18,000 years ago)
From 3,000 years ago to the start of the Industrial Revolution, the rate of sea level rise
averaged 0.1 to 0.2 mm per year
Since 1900, sea level has risen abut 3 mm per year (over a 10-fold increase)
An increase in global temperatures of 3-8 degrees F is estimated to lead to an increase
of 6 to 37 inches in sea level

Slowing of Thermohaline
Circulation

Melting of glaciers in Greenland would shift the

saltwater-freshwater balance in the North
Atlantic. This would result in a decrease of
heavier saline waters sinking than in traditional
ocean circulation patterns
This would have significant effects on the fishing
industry
Localized cooling in the North Atlantic would
result in an decrease of thermohaline circulation
currents, which could result in much colder
temperatures in Great Britain and Scandinavia

How Can We Reduce the Impacts of

Climate Change?

Reducing Climate Change

World carbon dioxide emissions are expected to increase by 2% annually between

2001 and 2025
Much of these increases are expected to occur in the developing world (China & India)
The United States surpassed China in 2007 by being the largest emitter of greenhouse
gases

United States Emissions

The US produces about 25% of global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil
fuels
The US meets about 85% of its energy needs by burning fossil fuels
Stabilization of the current global warming crisis would require:
A decrease in methane emissions by 8%
A decrease in nitrous oxide emission by 50%
A decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%

Methods to Reduce Dramatic

Climate Changes

Increase the efficiency of cars

Moe to more renewable sources of energy (wind, solar, geothermal, etc)
Fin chemical substitutes that do not impact global warming
Slow down the rate of deforestation and encourage reforestation
Reduce dependence on inorganic, nitrogen-based fertilizers and utilize conservation
tillage techniques
Support treaties and protocols that require reductions in greenhouse gas emissions