Climate Change

• Weather


  Everyday tempuratures and conditions.
• Climate


  Average weather over a period of 30 years.
• Methods to see what climate used to be like: 


  1. Weather recordings
  2. Ice cores
  3. Fossils
• Method 1 : Weather recordings



  Recordings of previous conditions experience. Can use the data to compare with current climate. This method is only effective for years of recent past.
• Method 2 : Ice cores



  Drill through the ice sheet. Can show data froom 20,000+ years ago. Uses bubbles trapped in ice to measure greenhouse gases to work out tempurature.
• Method 3 : Fossils



  Can study shells to measure light, oxygen.

  more = warmer, less = cooler
• Why is climate change a problem?

  This is because Climate change would effect our world and the world for future generations, such as loss of habitat.
• Greenhouse Effect



  The greenhouse effect is the name given to the natural process that causes the Earth to be warmer than it would be in the absence of an atmosphere. The surface of the Earth is heated by the Sun. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap this heat, keeping the planet warm.

  
• Greenhouse gases Examples



  • water vapour
  • carbon dioxide
  • methane
  • nitrous oxide
• Enhanced Greenhouse Effect



  The increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to the actions of humans. As concentrations of these gases build up, they are more effective at preventing heat being lost into space. The amount of heat being lost from the atmosphere is less than the energy entering the atmosphere. As a result the temperature of the atmosphere increases.

  
• Main causes of the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect:


  • burning fossil fuels for heat and electricity
  • fossil fuel use in transport
  • agriculture
  • deforestation
  • cement manufacture
• Possible effects of climate change: 1℃ temperature change

  • Artic ice free for half a year
  • thosands of homes flooded in the Bay of Bengal
  • Droughts in western US
  • Hurricanes
• Possible effects of climate change: 2℃ temperature change

  • Greenland glaciers melting
  • Polar bears struggle to survive
  • Insects migrating in new directions
  • New forests in Canada's melting tundra
  • Coral reefs disappearing
• Possible effects of climate change: 3℃ temperature change

  • Artic is ice free all summer
  • Heat waves are the norm
  • Amazon rainforest drying out
  • Snow caps melting in the Alps
• Possible effects of climate change: 4℃ temperature change

  • Ocean rise
  • Glaciers disappears
  • Antartic ice sheet could collapse
  • Rivers in India & Africa drying up
  • Bangladesh, Venice washed away
• Possible effects of climate change: 5℃ temperature change

  • Climate refugees numbers millions
  • LA, Lima dryout
  • Conflict for water
  • 2 unhabitatble zones on Earth
• Possible effects of climate change: 6℃ temperature change

  • Ocean becames marine wastelands
  • Deserts expand
  • Natural disasters become common
  • Some major cities flooded
  • Could lead to mass extinction
• Tropical storms 



  They are also known as Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons. They are a low pressure area (warm rising air) with winds moving in a spiral motion. Air is heated and rises. As it rises, it cools and condenses to form clouds. The rising air start to anti-clockwise. The centre is know as the eye (calm), the outside is known as the eye wall (viiolent). Upon reaching land, energy supply is cut off so it gets weaker.They genrally occur between the tropics of cancer and capricorn.
• Climate change effects on tropical storms: Frequency

  There could be a decrease in the number of storms.
• Climate change effects on tropical storms: Intensity

  Stronger storms because of higher energy from warmer oceans.
• Climate change effects on tropical storms: Location


  They can appear in areas further from the equator, more areas of the world will be at risk as a result.
• Carbon Footprint



  The amount of carbon dioxide released as a result of your actions.
• Climate change effects on tropical storms: Effects

  More storm surges would lead to more flooding, more rainfall.
• Responses to climate change - Reducing carbon footprint:

  • Fewer flights
  • Use less disel or petrol cars
  • Eat less red meat
  • Eat locally sourced food
  • Recycling
  • Use sustainable energy
• Responses to climate change - Food choices


  Reduce your food miles (Distance food travels from where produced to where consumed) by buying local, seasonal foods or growing food yourself.
• Responses to climate change - Energy efficient homes


  • Double glazed windows
  • Insulation
  • Solar panels
  • Smart metres
  • Recycling
  • Turn lights off when not in room
• Responses to climate change - Transport choices


  • Reaclocating road space - bus lanes
  • New cycle roads
  • Prioratise active travel
  • Increasing parking cost
• Responses to climate change - Protests


  School protests to make a point about climate change, to encourage people & the government to take action.