All About Climate Change Memorie Yasuda TeacherTECH 2005

A. Vocabulary Related words are grouped together Coming soon...

B. Related Resources General Earthguide An interactive and easy-to-use educational resource about Earth, oceans and the environment. Many of the links found below are listed in the resources section of Earthguide. Earthguide Global Change Text from Scripps scientist Dr. Wolf Berger. Wolf Berger, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Virtual Museum An interactive and easy-to-use educational resource about Earth, oceans and the environment. Earthguide Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Keeling Curve Observation of key atmospheric parameter over the last 50 years by Scripps scientists C. David Keeling. Data and graph in Excel format. This is an example of the kinds of basic datasets that will be available in Excel format on Earthguide. Earthguide < Online Data & Books Ice Cores Unlock Climate Secrets News article BBC CDIAC Observation of key atmospheric parameter over the last 50 years by Scripps scientists C. David Keeling. Data and graph in Excel format. This is an example of the kinds of basic datasets that will be available in Excel format on Earthguide. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) Earth Fact Sheet Composition of the Earth's atmosphere and other basic information about the planet Earth. Lunar and Planetary Science, NASA Global warming and its impacts Global Warming About global warming U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA) Global Warming General and related information. CNN.com U.S. National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change - Region: California U.S. Global Change Research Program The Discovery of Global Warming Online text. by Spencer Weart, American Institute of Physics Carbon cycle The Carbon Cycle An overview. NASA Photosynthesis and Respiration & Decomposition SeaWIFS Project SeaWIFS measures biological productivity at the Earth's surface including the oceans using satellite imagery. Goddard Flight Center, NASA Greenhouse gases Greenhouse gases General information. Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy Statistics related to energy supplies OECD Factbook 2005: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development United States Energy and World Energy Production and Consumption Statistics U.S. Geological Survey Carbon dioxide emissions per capita UN Statistics Division World and U.S. population U.S. Census Bureau U.S. Census Bureau U.S. Census Bureau Trying to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (Mitigation) The Iron Hypothesis A concept for mitigating atmospheric carbon dioxide involving the productivity of the ocean. Includes information on the concept of the biological pump. by Sallie W. Chishom for the American Geophysical Union The Iron Hypothesis About the idea proposed by scientist John Martin. Excerpted from an article by Caroline Dopyera, Earth, October 1996; Palomar College Societal issues Kyoto Protocol Link to text of the Kyoto Protocol. Earthguide < Teaching Tools < Legislation and more Off beat stories and more "The Day After Tomorrow" Q&A Response Comments about the major premise of the movie. NASA and The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Earth at Night Digital copies of the image and information. NASA Planetary Photo Journal What Happened at Nyos? CO2 naturally leaks from the Earth's interior from volcanic areas. In Cameroon, the sudden release of accumulated gas killed more than 1,700 people. Michel Halbwachs and others Capsule air and plutonium concerns for Apollo 13 The story of how Apollo 13 astronauts used their ingenuity to avoid disaster when their CO2 scrubber failed during their mission to the Moon. Spaceflight Now

C. Notes and diagrams Carbon Cycle NASA Global Energy Budget Earthguide < Diagrams < Interconnections < Global Change Photosynthesis Earthguide < Diagrams < Biosphere < Photosynthesis Photosynthesis Equation Earthguide < Diagrams < Biosphere < Photosynthesis Respiration and Decomposition Equation Earthguide < Diagrams < Biosphere < Photosynthesis Combusion of Gasoline Equation Earthguide < Diagrams < Biosphere < Photosynthesis

D. Summary of Concepts 1. Climate change is an important topic today because human activity is adding to natural variations in climate. 2. Negative impacts of human-induced climate change have been measured and projected. 2. To some extent, humans can alter their environment to meet their needs and avoid negative consequences. However, it is generally not feasible to control large-scale climate although it might be inadvertently altered. 4. The part of climate change caused by humans seems the most likely portion that might be controlled by altering human activity. 5. There are many aspects of climate change so the remainder of this presentation focuses on a single central issue - global warming. 6. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide and methane influence the temperature of the Earth. By itself, the greater the concentration of greenhouse gases, the warmer the temperature. 7. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been steadily increasing over the last 50 years. Keeling's measurements show this clearly. 8. By comparing these measurements with ancient concentrations taken from ice cores, it is clear that modern values are well outside of natural variation over the last million years. 9. Thus humans have substantially increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The timing and amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are consistent with input from human activity. 10. Living things on Earth have relied on natural levels of carbon dioxide to maintain the Earth's temperature within the very narrow range over which water vapor, liquid water, and ice coexists, over geologically long periods of time. 11. Does increasing carbon dioxide actually cause warming? The rise in carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere is clear. Whether the Earth has actually warmed is a different question and much more difficult to define. Thus the answer to this question was unclear for a while, until enough time had passed to collect enough temperature observations to see a more definite pattern. Now, the current state of knowledge shows that the Earth is warmer and that some of the projected impacts are taking place - rising sea level, greater ice melt, and changes in the geographic range of species. 11. Climate is a representative description of the totality of environmental conditions such as temperature, water availability, windiness, etc., over a specified geographic region and time span. It is difficult to describe with just one parameter. Typically temperature and precipitation are key indices of climate on land; and temperature and salinity are key indices in the ocean. 12. Concentrating on temperature - How would you measure the Earth's representative so that you could track it over time to see if it's changing? Since temperature varies over different time periods and regions, it is a difficult and time-consuming task. What has been done shows that overall global temperature is rising. 13. Global warming is an overall, global effect. On a warmer Earth, there will be more places that end up warmer than cooler. However some places will probably be cooler because of natural variations by region. 14. Since people live in particular regions, not only do they want to know about the Earth's overall climate change, but they want to know exactly how it will change in very specific places such as southern California. Since people rely on many imported resources such as water, conditions outside a particular region are also important too. In any case, people want the best predictions in order to make plans. That is a complex task. 15. The compartmentalized view of the carbon cycle helps to focus thinking on possible solutions. Of the reservoirs of carbon on Earth, there are only so many processes that move carbon dioxide in and out of the carbon reservoir in the atmosphere. The two general solutions are to reduce emissions into the box or to increase transfer out of the box (to sink material into other reservoirs). Of the natural processes, photosynthesis, decomposition, respiration, and solution in seawater are important processes of material exchange with the reservoir. Of the anthropogenic processes, burning carbon-based fuels is the greatest input. Fuels such as oil, coal, gas, wood, peat, etc. all produce carbon dioxide as a result of the combustion process. Respiration, decomposition and combustion all break down organic matter. 16. By harnessing fossil fuels, it has allowed humans to combust a great slug of carbon nearly instantaneously, although it took millions of years to accumulate organic matter into that reservoir. The fastest possible rates at which carbon can move from most reservoirs to the next is limited. Thus it is difficult to find a way to sink carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere as fast as humans put it in. It also means that reductions in emissions are not likely to result in a quick fix. Once the fossil fuel reservoirs is fully tapped out, it will not be possible to renew it over human lifespans. Thus fossil fuels are a nonrenewable energy source. 17. Thus the conflict: Temperature (and warming) is a key aspect of weather, it influences precipitation and water supply, ice melting and sea level, the migration and existence of some living things, and more. The consequences of temperature change are potentially great so it seems prudent to take action. At the same time, the greatest cause of the increase in greenhouse gases is energy production from carbon-based fuels - a key necessity for economic growth and developing quality of life around the world. Although alternative fuels are being developed, they are not ready to replace the bulk of carbon-based fuel uses. Electricity seems like a clean energy source, but electricity is often produced by combusting carbon-based fuels. The consequences of reducing energy consumption are also potentially great so it seems prudent to be cautious. 18. There are several general solutions - live with the higher atmospheric CO2 and adapt to changes in climate, reduce emissions, or sink more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere - or some combination of the three. In practice how each of these three net results might be achieved are the great creative challenges to be solved by the current and next generation. 19. As well as think of ways to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, it is useful to understand the net result of natural and human systems so that the expeceted change in climate that can be known. Scientific researcg and models help to produce estimates. 19. Since the atmosphere is well-mixed and moves around the world, and even regional climates are affected by global conditions, solutions require cooperative efforts and negotiation. That is as difficult and important task as the science behind the issue. 20. The potential impacts of global warming filter down to the small details of life in San Diego - which way are windows in houses going to face in new homes? - should I plant a tree to provide shade even though water is scarce? - will the cost of energy be so high that it will impact daily life? - will sea level rise enough so that sandy beaches are difficult to maintain? - should I vacation on coral reefs today because most will be gone by the end of the century? - how much does the average citizen need to know within the practical constraints of their lives?

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