The Devastating Impact of Climate Change Worldwide

THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE WORLDWIDE Climate change is already beginning to transform life on Earth. Around the globe, seasons are shifting, temperatures are climbing and sea levels are rising. With rapid climate change, one-fourth of Earth's species could be headed for extinction by 2050. How are we letting this happen and what can we do to stop it? CLIMATE CHANGE EXPLAINED Global Warming is the increase of Earth's A natural carbon dioxide cycle keeps the amount of CO2 in average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is the most significant of the gases in our atmosphere which keep the Earth warm. our atmosphere in balance. 4 billion years ago its concentration in the atmosphere was much higher than today - 80% compared to today's 0.03%. Even small changes caused by human activities can have a significant impact on this balance. CLIMATE CHANGE: THE EVIDENCE HIGHER TEMPERATURES Global temperatures in 2014 shattered earlier records, making 2014 the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880. Carbon dioxide levels are now 27% (M) higher than at any point in the last 650,000 years. If this continues, the average temperature around the world could increase by about 4 to 12°F by the year 2100. Most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years. WARMING OCEANS SSSS Since 1961, the average temperature of the global ocean has increased to depths of at least 3000m. The ocean has taken up over 80% of the heat being added to the climate system. SEA LEVEL RISE Over the past 100 years, the average sea level around the world rose by nearly 7 inches. By the end of this century it could be anywhere from 7 to 23 inches higher than it was in 1990. SHRINKING SEA ICE The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass. Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometres of ice per year between 2002 and 2006. Since 1978, the Arctic sea ice extent has shrunk by 2.7 % per decade, with larger decreases in summer of 7.4% per decade. Mountain glaciers and snow cover have declined in both hemispheres. Snow cover has decreased by about 7% in the Northern Hemisphere since 1900, with decreases in spring of up to 15%. MELTING GLACIERS Summer ice in the Arctic Ocean is the smallest it's been since satellites began measuring the area covered by ice back in the 1970s. The ice is also getting thinner. Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world - including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa with 90% of glaciers shrinking worldwide. INCREASED OCEAN ACIDIFICATION Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30%. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per year. THE WORLD IS CHANGING BEFORE OUR EYES HIGHER TEMPERATURES Rate of temperature change in The United States (1901-2012) Temperature change (F) per country -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3. 4 Gray interval: -0.1 to 0.1'f WARMING OCEANS Average Ocean Surface Temperature Worldwide 0.5 1971-2000 average -0.5 -1 -1.5 -2.0 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 Year SEA LEVEL RISE Average Sea Level Worldwide 10 8. -2 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 year SHRINKING SEA ICE Extent of arctic sea ice 3.5 million 3 million 2.5 million 2 million 1.5 million 1 million 500,000 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 year MELTING GLACIERS 1958 2003 QUOTES FROM THE EXPERTS People tend to focus on the here and now. The problem is that, once global warming is something that most people can feel in the course of their daily lives, it will be too late to prevent much larger, potentially catastrophic changes. ELIZABETH KOLBERT Journalist and Author The warnings about global warming have been extremely clear for a long time. We are facing a global climate crisis. It is deepening. We are entering a period of consequences. AL GORE Politician, Advocate and Philanthropist "The most important thing about global warming is this. Whether humans are responsible for the bulk of climate change is going to be left to the scientists, but it's all of our responsibility to leave this planet in better shape for the future generations than we found it." MIKE HUCKAВЕЕ Politician "/ would like nuclear fusion to become a practical power source. It would provide an inexhaustible supply of energy, without pollution or global warming. STEPHEN HAWKING Theoretical physicist, Cosmologist, Author "Global warming is controversial, of course, but the controversy is mainly over whether human activity is driving it." MICHIO KAKU Communicator and Popularizer of Science, Futurist, Theoretical Physicist "Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it's common sense." RONALD REAGAN Politician HOW CAN THE WORLD CHANGE? What YOU can do? LESS EFFECTIVE, BUT HELPFUL, ACTIONS. MOST EFFECTIVE ACTIONS Insulate your home or apartment. Turn off lights and appliances when not needed. Plant trees. When you buy a car, choose one that gets good mileage. Carpool or drive less. Replace old, worn-out appliances with the most efficient new models. Set the thermostat Recycle. lower in winter and higher in summer. This will reduce carbon dioxide emissions This will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 25%, which equals about 5 tons of carbon dioxide per year. by about 3%, which equals just over half a ton of carbon dioxide per year. YOU CAN INFLUENCE OTHERS Become informed and help your family and friends to learn about climate change. Actively support the government policies that focus on the issue of climate change. WHAT CAN NATIONS DO? IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY REDUCE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE Improving energy efficiency is one of the most constructive and cost-effective New varieties of crops can be developed to grow in changed climates. ways to address the challenge of global climate change. Aqueducts can carry water to regions affected by drought. In the longer run, even larger savings may be possible through structural changes, such as being able to work closer to home or redesigning the way houses and cities are built. Coastal settlements and water supplies can be protected from rising sea level with dikes and sea walls. DEVELOP AND USE ENERGY SOURCES THAT EMIT LITTLE OR NO CARBON DIOXIDE Hydro power, solar power and windmills, as well as other "renewable energy" sources, emit no carbon dioxide. Neither does nuclear power. Burning natural gas emits less carbon dioxide than burning coal or oil. In the future, hydrogen, which emits no carbon dioxide when it is burned, may become a practical fuel. Ways of capturing and storing carbon dioxide might also be developed. HOW CAN GOVERNMENT HELP DO THESE THINGS? GOVERNMENT REGULATION PRICES AND MARKETS Government can require desired behaviours such as force auto companies to build more efficient cars. Higher prices for fossil fuels encourage people to save energy by promoting energy efficient devices. An advantage of using prices is that they present a constant incentive to innovate. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT i INFORMATION AND EDUCATION Government can support research to demonstrate and improve existing technology, and to develop new technologies that use less energy or emit no carbon dioxide such as People often do not know how to improve efficiency or reduce emissions. Governments can provide them with the information they need to make better choices. 4 Refrigerators that use less electricity 4 Cheap practical solar water heaters { Inexpensive solar/hydrogen technology References www.gcrio.org/gwcc/part3.html www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/global-warming-climate-change/threats-impacts www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/mains1.html www.epa.gov www.epa.gov/climatestudents/impacts/signs/acidity.html wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/how_cc_works www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/global_warming.html www.epa.gov/lclimatestudents/images/2-1-9-mccall.jpg www.epa.gov/climatestudents/images/2-1-9-mccall.jpg www.epa.gov/climatestudents/images/2-1-5-level.gif www.epa.gov/climatestudents/images/2-1-4-surface.gif www.epa.gov/climatestudents/impacts/signs/temperature.html SHALF PRICE SHUTTERS AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED & OWNED www.halfpriceshutters.com.au square miles of sea ice change in sea level (inches) Temperature Change (F) Co