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Climate Change 2009
Climate Change2009
Climate Change vs. Global Warming
Global Warming Long-term rise in Earth’s
temperature (a few degrees)
Increase in greenhouse effect
Anthropogenic= caused by people & their activities
Climate Change Overall change due to GW Melting ice caps, glaciers Tundra thawing Sea level rise Biomes changing
Sea changes http://news.yahoo.com/video/environment-15749659/low-lying-maldives-face-uncertain-future-17035962
Greenhouse Gases H20 Water vapor CO2 Carbon dioxide CH4 Methane N2O Nitrous oxide O3 Ozone CFC’s Chlorofluorocarbons (man-made) Without them, Earth’s temperature would be
an average of 59 degrees F colder
Anthropogenic IncreasesCO2
Burning fossil fuels Deforestation
CFC’s Refrigerants Propellants
CH4 Livestock and manure Landfill emissions Paddy rice farming
N2O Fertilizer use
Regulations of GHG Kyoto Protocol
International environmental treaty Dec 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan Goal: Achieving “stabilization of greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.”
Kyoto Protocol signed=green, undecided=gray, not signed=red
UN Climate Change Conference Occurring 12/7-12/18, 2009 in Copenhagen,
Denmark Essentials for an international agreement:1. How much are industrialized countries
willing to reduce GHG emissions?2. How much are major developing countries
like China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their GHG emissions?
3. How is the help for developing countries going to be financed?
4. How will that money be managed?
http://news.yahoo.com/video/environment-15749659/historic-climate-conference-opens-to-dire-warnings-16987791
Article- EPA and GHG’s
1. What announcement did the EPA make?2. What pollutants will this now allow the EPA
to regulate under the Clean Air Act?3. How is the Clean Air Act different from Cap-
and-Trade bill before Congress?4. How will this affect the auto industry?5. Why did the EPA need to make this
announcement to regulate GHG’s?
