Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Who is it?
Governments
Members of the UN
Participate by naming
experts and reviewing the
reports before they’re
published
Scientists
Close to 1000 scientists
Climatologists, ecologists,
atmospheric physicists, and
others
Dr. Susan Solomon, a NOAA atmospheric chemist,
an IPCC member and one author of IPCC summary
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC)
What do they do?
Review current scientific and technical
literature relevant to global climate change
Provide reports on their findings at regular
intervals
Reports are designed to be politically
neutral and of high scientific and technical
standards
How do they create their
reports?
1880-1884
1886-1890
1880-1884
1896-1900
1906-1910
1916-1920
1926-1930
1936-1940
1946-1950
1956-1960
1966-1970
1976-1980
1986-1990
1996-2000
2003-2007
Other Observed Changes and Effects
• 89% of current changes in ecosystems are
consistent with changes expected due to global
climate change
• Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide
levels in atmosphere have increased greatly
due to human activities since 1750 and now far
exceed previous levels
• Carbon dioxide has increased by
approximately 80% since 1970
Other Observed Changes and Effects
• 89% of current changes in ecosystems are
consistent with changes expected due to global
climate change
• Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide
levels in atmosphere have increased greatly
due to human activities since 1750 and now far
exceed previous levels
• Carbon dioxide has increased by
approximately 80% since 1970
Human-Produced Greenhouse Gas Levels
Causes of Change
Most of the observed
increase in global average
temperature since the mid-
20th century is very likely
due to the observed
increase in human-caused
greenhouse gas
concentrations and human
influences have very likely
contributed to sea level
rise, too.
• Warming and sea level rise will
continue and will probably occur more
quickly than what we’ve already seen
• Even if greenhouse gases are
stabilized, this will probably continue
to occur for centuries
• Some effects may be permanent
• Effects on Ecosystems
– Coral systems cannot handle higher
temperatures well
– Wildfires will increase
– Up to 30% of species will be at
increased risk for extinction due to the
rapid changes in their ecosystems
• Effects in North America
– Warming in western mountains: several
effects
– Increased rain: will actually help some crops
– Heat waves will increase in number, length,
and intensity
– Coastal communities will be affected by
increased flooding and storms
There are several types of options…