GLOBAL

CLIMATE CHANGE

What is it?

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

What causes Earths climate to

change?

Greenhouse Effect
&
Global warming

Changes in the atmosphere

Natural processes
Volcanoes
Tectonic plate movement
Changes in the sun

Human activities any activity that releases

greenhouse gases into the atmosphere

What are greenhouse gases?

methane

water vapor

nitrous oxide

carbon dioxide

GLOBAL WARMING IS CAUSED BY:

THE GREENHOUSE
EFFECT!

So what is a
greenhouse? How
does it work?
What has this got
to do with global
warming then??

REMEMBER....
The greenhouse effect is
NATURAL! It is supposed to
happen! It would happen
even if there was not a
human being on the planet!
In fact if there was no
greenhouse effect then
humans could not live here
as the planet would be 33c
colder and would look like
and be as cold as Mars!

So it's us that turns the

GREENHOUSE EFFECT
into
GLOBAL WARMING!!!

But HOW!?!?!

Think about the greenhouse as if it was the planet and this is.

GLOBAL WARMING

So what is
GLOBAL WARMING
then?
Unfortunately human activity is adding
more gas to the layer than there should
be. It is therefore getting thicker and
thicker. It is still able to let the suns
heat through but even less heat is
escaping back into the atmosphere. This
means that the earths temperature is
rising.

Human activity is adding more gases to the naturally occurring layer of

greenhouse gases. This thickens it so it cannot let as much heat return to
space and so the temperature of the earth gradually increases
GLOBAL WARMING!
What are greenhouse gases?
Name of gas

Contribution

Source(s)

Carbon dioxide
(CO2)

50%

From burning coal and oil, and the removal of vegetation

Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)

20%

From air conditioners, refrigerators and aerosols

Methane
(CH4)

16%

From rice growing, animal waste, swamps and landfills

Ozone
(O3)

8%

From air pollution

Nitrous oxide
(N2O)

6%

From fertilizers and burning of coal and oil

As you can see the main culprit is

CARBON DIOXIDE

So where are these gases

coming from?

Power stations release huge

amounts of carbon dioxide as
they burn coal (a fossil fuel) in
order to produce electricity.
Just think for a moment about
how much electricity we all
use..!

ELECTRICITY

But who are the main

culprits.?

Its many LEDCs

They are currently experiencing their
industrial revolution and are becoming
the greatest users and producers of
electricity and are burning huge
quantities of fossil fuels to keep their
booming industries going. This is
creating masses of pollution and
contributing greatly to global warming.
China and India are particular bad
contributors to global warming.

Observed
Changes and Effects

Warming of Climate
Warming of the climate is definitely
occurring and can be observed by the:
Increases in global sea and air temperatures
Widespread melting of snow and ice
Rising global sea level

Temperature Change Data

1880-1884

1886-1890
1880-1884

1896-1900

1906-1910

1916-1920

1926-1930

1936-1940

1946-1950

1956-1960

1966-1970

1976-1980

1986-1990

1996-2000

2003-2007

Other Observed Changes and Effects

89% of current changes in ecosystems are
consistent with changes expected due to global
climate change
Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide
levels in atmosphere have increased greatly
due to human activities since 1750 and now far
exceed previous levels
Carbon dioxide has increased by
approximately 80% since 1970

But what are the real consequences of global warming

for us all?

ICE CAPS MELTING

AND SEA LEVEL
RISE

Global warming causes the polar ice sheets melt. It

increases the sea-level. It will possibly rise 18 cm by
2030 and 58 cm by 2090. Flooding will probably occur
in lowlands. Many cities along the coast may be under
sea water.

The loss of polar ice

will have a profound
effect on nature in
particular animal
habitats.

7 METRE RISE

13 METRE RISE

84 METRE RISE

Sea level rise around the world is going to leave many

people homeless!

Many of the worlds islands are already disappearing

beneath the sea.

The tiny island nation of the Maldives is in trouble. If global warming

continues, say scientists, the country could sink beneath the ocean
within 100 years. The average height of the islands above sea level is
1.5 metres and the rate of sea level rise is currently 59cm per century.

Tuvalu is found in the ocean

near Australia. Most of
Tuvalu is less than one metre
above seal level.

Most of the observed

increase in global average
temperature since the mid20th century is very likely
due to the observed
increase in human-caused
greenhouse gas
concentrations and human
influences have very likely
contributed to sea level
rise, too.