h graham bsc pgce 1 evidence of global warming. h graham bsc pgce2 index of sad facts carbon dioxide...

H Graham BSc PGCEH Graham BSc PGCE 11

Evidence of Global Evidence of Global WarmingWarming


INDEX OF SAD FACTSINDEX OF SAD FACTS

• Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide Increasing in Increasing in AtmosphereAtmosphere

• Methane Also IncreasingMethane Also Increasing

• More Frequent Extreme WeatherMore Frequent Extreme Weather

• Disappearing GlaciersDisappearing Glaciers

• Melting Arctic Sea IceMelting Arctic Sea Ice

• Greenland's Ice Sheet MeltingGreenland's Ice Sheet Melting

• Tropical Diseases SpreadingTropical Diseases Spreading


Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide Increasing in Increasing in

AtmosphereAtmosphere • The atmospheric levels of the The atmospheric levels of the

greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, have greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, have increased since pre-industrial times increased since pre-industrial times from 280 part per million (ppm) to 360 from 280 part per million (ppm) to 360 ppm, a 30% increase. Carbon dioxide ppm, a 30% increase. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are concentrations in the atmosphere are the highest in 160,000 years. Carbon the highest in 160,000 years. Carbon dioxide is a by-product of the burning of dioxide is a by-product of the burning of fossil fuels, such as gasoline in an fossil fuels, such as gasoline in an automobile or coal in a power plant automobile or coal in a power plant generating electricity. generating electricity.


Methane Also IncreasingMethane Also Increasing

• Levels of atmospheric Levels of atmospheric methane, a powerful methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, greenhouse gas, have risen 145% in have risen 145% in the last 100 the last 100 years. Methane is years. Methane is derived from sources derived from sources such as rice paddies, such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel production fossil fuel production


More Frequent More Frequent Extreme WeatherExtreme Weather • The potential for floods and droughts is The potential for floods and droughts is

increasing."....... the heating from increased increasing."....... the heating from increased greenhouse gases enhances the hydrological greenhouse gases enhances the hydrological cycle and increases the risk for stronger, longer-cycle and increases the risk for stronger, longer-lasting or more intense droughts, and heavier lasting or more intense droughts, and heavier rainfall events and flooding, even if these rainfall events and flooding, even if these phenomena occur for natural reasons. Evidence, phenomena occur for natural reasons. Evidence, although circumstantial, is widespread across the although circumstantial, is widespread across the

United StatesUnited States


Disappearing GlaciersDisappearing Glaciers

• Ice is melting all over the planet. Glaciers are melting Ice is melting all over the planet. Glaciers are melting on six continents. If present warming trends continue, on six continents. If present warming trends continue, all glaciers in Glacier National Park could be gone by all glaciers in Glacier National Park could be gone by 2030. The park's Grinnell Glacier is already 90% gone. 2030. The park's Grinnell Glacier is already 90% gone. Pictured here is the glacier prior to its meltdown. Pictured here is the glacier prior to its meltdown.

• Because of global warming, the glaciers of the Because of global warming, the glaciers of the Ruwenzori range in Uganda are in massive retreat. The Ruwenzori range in Uganda are in massive retreat. The Bering Glacier, North America's largest glacier, has lost Bering Glacier, North America's largest glacier, has lost 7 miles of its length, while losing 20-25% of parts of the 7 miles of its length, while losing 20-25% of parts of the glacier. Ice cores taken from the Dunde Ice Cap in the glacier. Ice cores taken from the Dunde Ice Cap in the Qilian Mountains on the northeastern margin of the Qilian Mountains on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau indicate that the years since Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau indicate that the years since 1938 have been the warmest in the last 12,000 years. 1938 have been the warmest in the last 12,000 years. The melting is accelerating. The Lewis Glacier on Mt. The melting is accelerating. The Lewis Glacier on Mt. Kenya (In Kenya) has lost 40% of its mass during the Kenya (In Kenya) has lost 40% of its mass during the period 1963-1987 or at a much faster clip than during period 1963-1987 or at a much faster clip than during 1899-1963. 1899-1963.


Melting Arctic Sea IceMelting Arctic Sea Ice

• According to a report by According to a report by Norwegian scientists, the arctic Norwegian scientists, the arctic sea ice in about 50 years could sea ice in about 50 years could disappear entirely each disappear entirely each summer. Researchers at the summer. Researchers at the Nansen Environmental and Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center based Remote Sensing Center based their predictions on satellite their predictions on satellite pictures. These pictures pictures. These pictures showed that the Arctic winter showed that the Arctic winter icescapes decreased by 6% (a icescapes decreased by 6% (a Texas-size area) during the last Texas-size area) during the last 20 years 20 years


Greenland's Ice Greenland's Ice Sheet MeltingSheet Melting

• A NASA high-tech A NASA high-tech aerial survey shows aerial survey shows that more than 11 that more than 11 cubic miles of ice is cubic miles of ice is melting along melting along Greenland's coasts Greenland's coasts yearly, accounting yearly, accounting for 7% of the annual for 7% of the annual global sea level global sea level rise. rise.


Tropical Diseases Tropical Diseases SpreadingSpreading • A recent study by New A recent study by New

Zealand doctors, Zealand doctors, researchers at the researchers at the Wellington School of Wellington School of Medicine's public health Medicine's public health department said outbreaks department said outbreaks of dengue fever in South of dengue fever in South Pacific islands are directly Pacific islands are directly related to global warming. related to global warming. Global warming is projected Global warming is projected to significantly increase the to significantly increase the range conducive to the range conducive to the transmission of both transmission of both dengue and dengue and yellow feversyellow fevers


Pacific Island ThreatPacific Island Threat

• Present research has suggested that there Present research has suggested that there will be an will be an 0.5 - 0.8 degrees C0.5 - 0.8 degrees C rise in regional rise in regional surface temperatures during the 20th surface temperatures during the 20th century with less warming in the northern century with less warming in the northern hemisphere. As a consequence of this, hemisphere. As a consequence of this, Pacific Island countriesPacific Island countries are experiencing are experiencing certain effects which are consistent with the certain effects which are consistent with the anticipated impacts of global climate anticipated impacts of global climate change such as adverse effects on change such as adverse effects on human human health, drought and the subsequent decline health, drought and the subsequent decline of agricultural productions.of agricultural productions.


Pacific Island ThreatPacific Island Threat

• This will adversely affect many Pacific Islands, This will adversely affect many Pacific Islands, particularly those comprising low-lying coral particularly those comprising low-lying coral atolls such as in atolls such as in KiribatiKiribati, the , the Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands, , TokelauTokelau and and TuvaluTuvalu. Indeed, the effects of . Indeed, the effects of global warming are already becoming global warming are already becoming apparent in many of the outer islands of apparent in many of the outer islands of Papua New Guinea where the rising sea water Papua New Guinea where the rising sea water level has spilled inland with a resultant level has spilled inland with a resultant detrimental effect on food gardens and crops. detrimental effect on food gardens and crops. Indeed, when the tide subsides, pools of salt Indeed, when the tide subsides, pools of salt water remain causing the root crops such as water remain causing the root crops such as banana, breadfruit trees and other foods to banana, breadfruit trees and other foods to die from an excessive intake of salty waterdie from an excessive intake of salty water

http://www.janeresture.com/kirihome/index.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/marshalls/marshalls.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/tokelau_islands/index.htm

http://www.janeresture.com/tuvalu2/tuvalu_home_page.htm


Pacific Island solution 1Pacific Island solution 1

• The two obvious options are firstly to The two obvious options are firstly to construct sea wallsconstruct sea walls around the low-lying around the low-lying atolls and secondary to progressively atolls and secondary to progressively relocate the people on these atolls to relocate the people on these atolls to higher safer ground. The first of these higher safer ground. The first of these options appears not to be economically options appears not to be economically viable as the cost of constructing a sea viable as the cost of constructing a sea wall for one Marshall Island atoll alone has wall for one Marshall Island atoll alone has been estimated at been estimated at one hundred million US one hundred million US dollarsdollars. This is more than twice the wealth . This is more than twice the wealth that the country produces each year.that the country produces each year.


Pacific Island solution 2Pacific Island solution 2

• The option of The option of resettling peopleresettling people who who lose their island atolls as a result of lose their island atolls as a result of global warming appears to be the only global warming appears to be the only viable one. In some cases, this may viable one. In some cases, this may eventually result in the resettlement eventually result in the resettlement of virtually all the population of many of virtually all the population of many of our atoll island nations....they will of our atoll island nations....they will simply disappear. In other cases, this simply disappear. In other cases, this may involve the may involve the relocation of people relocation of people from an outer island to the main from an outer island to the main island.island.

h graham bsc pgce 1 evidence of global warming. h graham bsc pgce2 index of sad facts carbon dioxide...

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