Climate Change

Human Causes
We know that an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere changes the climate.
What are the consequences?
Melting polar ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica, melting of many glaciers around
the world, melting permafrost, rising sea levels due to the melting of glaciers and
ice sheet and as water warms it expands, heat waves, cold spills, change in
precipitation, increase in storm intensity, shift in ocean currents.
Consequences on living organisms
Wild plants and animals can be affected. Plants growing season has changed and
animals have the potential to be harmed if they cant move to better climates.
Humans may have to relocate, some diseases like those carried by mosquitos could
increase and there could be economic consequences.
What have we done to stop this?
The Kyoto Protocol
In 1997, representatives of the nations of the world went to Kyoto, Japan to discuss
how best to control the emissions contributing to global warming. USA did not sign
this. Carbon Sequestration: an approach involving taking CO2 out of the
atmosphere.
Natural Causes
El Nino: surface current reversed, pushing warm water toward the Eastern Pacific.
Upwelling repressed> unusually warm water across Equatorial Pacific.
La Nina: stronger trade winds than normal, causing a strong upwelling of cold water
in the Eastern Pacific.
Volcanos= cooling
What are sunspots?
Darker spots on the Sun due to radiation
Earths movement in tilt
The wobble