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MAYURNHANJ SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

SUBJECT- ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

FACULTY NAME- ER. SUCHISMITA PARIDA

SEMESTER- 3^RD

TOPIC- ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

CLIMATE CHANGE

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What are greenhouse gases?

Any gases that cause the “greenhouse effect!”

Imagine… a car on a cool but sunny day…

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Global Climate Change

Identifiable change in the climate of Earth as a whole that lasts for an extended period of time (decades or longer)

When due to natural processes, it is usually referred to as global climate variability
Usually refers to changes forced by human activities that change the atmosphere

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Climate Changes Currently Happening

Ask students to examine the graphs and explain their meaning – you might assign different groups different parts and then discuss as a whole.

Shows the combined land and ocean temperature increase over time in the past 162 years. Bottom shows the averages for an entire decade, so there’s less “noise” – also makes the recent rapid increase more evidence – the boxes aren’t even touching the temperature has increased so much.
Shows the overall surface temperature increase over 100 years. In almost all areas, it has increased by at least a few degrees.
Sea ice is dropping, partially in the Arctic ocean – the temperatures are warmer and so there is less ice in those regions.
Sea level changes in past 110 years – also increasing.
Changes in precipitation over land in past 59 years – this is a more variable change. Some areas are the same, while other areas are getting significally more rain and others significantly less.

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What causes Earth’s climate to change?

Changes in the atmosphere
Natural processes

Volcanoes
Tectonic plate movement
Changes in the sun
Shifts in Earth’s orbit

Human activities – any activity that releases “greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere

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Meet an Ice Core Scientist

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What does this graph mean?

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What about those natural processes that can cause climate change?

Click to explore these natural processes at the EPA website!

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^{“Their effects [those of human-caused greenhouse gases], together with those of other anthropogenic drivers, have been detected throughout the climate system and are extremely likely to have been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.”}

IPCC Conclusion:

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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

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Effects on Ecosystems

Coral systems and other unique ecosystems 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

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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

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Source: Climate Analysis Indicators Tool, World Resources Institute

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References

IPCC Summary Report for Policy Makers. 2014
IPCC Summary Report graphics. 2014
"About IPCC." IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 20 Apr. 2009 <http://www.ipcc.ch/about/index.htm>.
"Climate Change | U.S. EPA." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 20 Apr. 2009 <http://epa.gov/climatechange/index.html>.
Rischard, J. F. High Noon: Twenty Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them. New York: Basic Books, 2002.

Presentation created by Cindy Barnes, 2015