L2 Global Warming

Sustainability and
Engineering Profession
(CON4433)
Lecture 2 - Global Warming &
Greenhouse Effect
VTC 2013
Aim:
Understanding the definition of
greenhouse effect (GF)
Understanding the problem of global
warming
Discuss the solutions to stop global
warming
Weather & climate
Physical properties of the troposphere like

Temp., pressure, humidity, precipitation,
sunlight, cloud cover, wind direction &
speed at a given place & time weather
Long-term average weather of an area
climate
Climate is a regions general pattern of
weather conditions, seasonal variations &
weather extremes over a long period
Temp. & precipitation are 2 important
factors of climate
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What is Greenhouse?
Greenhouse Effect
CO2, water vapour, ozone, methane,

nitrous oxide, CFCs in the troposphere
greenhouse gases
They allow light, IR radiation & some UV
radiation from the sun to pass through but
prevent the escape of the IR radiation
emitted by the Earth
The trapping of heat in the troposphere
is known as Greenhouse effect
6
Greenhouse Effect
Is greenhouse effect good or bad for living

organisms on Earth?
Without the greenhouse gases,

the
earth would have an average

surface temp of -18C instead of its
current 15C
The earth would be cold and lifeless
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is an important
Greenhouse gas.
It is a minor component of the atmosphere
(0.03%) but it plays a major part in the
carbon cycle
CO2 is produced in respiration,
fermentation and combustion. It is used by
plants in photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide
CO2 is unreactive and is not considered as
a pollutant
CO2 has a large share of the responsibility
for the greenhouse effect of the Earth
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Carbon dioxide
In the past century, human activity has added

~360 billion tons of CO2 to the atmosphere, its
conc. in the atmosphere by 25% 0.6C rise in
the earths temp.
Average CO2 content of the atmosphere by
>9% since 1958. The current rate of is 1 ppm
per year
There will be 660 ppm of CO2 by mid 21st
Century (twice that in 1900)
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Global Warming
Global warming is the in the earths
average temp & changes in the climate
Debate over whether human activities are
intensifying the natural GH effect & cause
global warming
Controversy over
How
much the temp rise

How this temp rise affect the climate in
different areas
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Global Warming Findings by

IPCC
Water vapour remained fairly constant in
the troposphere over the past 160,000
years.
CO2 have fluctuated.
Levels of CO2 correlate closely with mean
surface temp of the Earth.
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IPCC
Atmospheric levels of GH gases have
risen in recent decades
It include:
CO2,
methane,
nitrous
oxide and
CFCs
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IPCC
Most of the in these GH gases have

been caused by human activities:
burning
fossil fuels,
use of CFCs,
agriculture &
deforestation
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IPCC
So far, any temp changes is too small and

do not exceed normal short-term
variations in mean atmospheric temp
caused by volcanic eruptions, air pollution
& other climatic factors
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IPCC
Recent IPCC report mentioned that >90%

probable of fossil fuel burning explained
the warming
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IPCC
Warming or cooling by >2C over a few decades

would be disastrous.
Such rapid climate change would alter
conditions faster than some species could adapt
or migrate.
Some areas might become uninhabitable.
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IPCC
Accurate projections about the possible effects

of our inputs of GH gases on climates of
biosphere cannot be made
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Modelling Greenhouse Warming

Mathematical models have been
developed by scientist to simulate the
behaviour of climatic & other complex
systems. They are run on computers
The accuracy of the results depends on
the
design of the model

accuracy of the input data & the assumptions
used
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main projections of climatic models
The Earths mean surface temp will 1.84C in 21st Century. The Earth would be
warmer than it has been for 10,000 years
The Northern Hemisphere will warm more
& faster than the Southern Hemisphere
Temp at middle & high latitudes should
rise 2-3 times the global average
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main projections of climatic models
More areas will have extreme heat waves
& more forest fires
Average sea level will rise 2-4 cm per
decade
More droughts, heatwaves and sea level
could continue for >1000 years even
greenhouse gases emissions were
chopped
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Possible Effects of Global Warming
Whats the problem of a possible rise of

only a few degrees in the mean surface
temp of the Earth?
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The rise in temp is NOT normal swings in
local weather, but a global change in
average climate
A warmer troposphere would have diff.
consequences for diff. people & species.
Some places would get drier, some wetter.
Some would be hotter, others cooler
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Changes in food production. Projected
drops in yields of key food crops ~30%70%
Reduction in water supplies. Lakes,
streams & aquifers could shrink or dry up
Changes in forests. Forests in temperate
& subarctic regions would die out
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Reduction in biodiversity. Large-scale
forest diebacks would cause mass
extinction of species. Shifts in regional
climate would result in huge loss of
biodiversity.
Rising sea level. It is caused by thermal
expansion of water & melting of glaciers at
the poles.
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~ 1/3 of worlds population & >1/3 of the

worlds economic infrastructure are
concentrated in coastal regions. Hence, a
moderate rise in sea level will have
destroying effects on our population and
economics
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Weather extremes. Prolonged heat

waves & droughts would occur more
frequently. Hurricanes & typhoons
would occur more frequently
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Threats to human health. Supplies of food

& fresh water would be disrupted.
Diseases patterns would be altered
spread of diseases like malaria,
encephalitis, yellow fever, dengue fever &
other insect-borne diseases to temperate
areas
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Solutions to slow Global

Warming
Use energy more efficiently. Natural gas is
a more efficient & cleaner fuel (emits
CO2 as coal)
Halting deforestation
Switching to Earth-sustaining agriculture
Slowing population growth
Removing CO2 from exhaust gases
Planting & tending trees
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Warming
Available methods can remove only ~30%
of the CO2 from exhaust gas & would
double the cost of electricity
Each of us need to plant & tend 1,000
trees every year to absorb CO2 we put into
the atmosphere
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Warming - International Efforts
The UNEP and WMO set up the IPCC
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change) in 1988 for assessing the
effects of climatic change & evaluating
strategies to deal with global warming
Kyoto Protocol in December 1997 called
for the industrialized nations to reduce
average CO2 emission over the period
2008-2012 to ~5% below 1990 levels
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Warming - International Efforts
The Kyoto Protocol initially covers 3 GH
gases: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide.
It also contains the elements of
international trading of GH gas emissions
(which help ensure the lowest-cost way for
reduction of GH gases emission).
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Solution
Slow down
Global Warming
- International
Efforts
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Sustainability and

Weather & climate

Physical properties of the troposphere like

CO2, water vapour, ozone, methane,

Is greenhouse effect good or bad for living

Without the greenhouse gases,

earth would have an average

In the past century, human activity has added

much the temp rise

Global Warming Findings by

Global Warming Findings by

Global Warming Findings by

Most of the in these GH gases have

Global Warming Findings by

So far, any temp changes is too small and

Global Warming Findings by

Recent IPCC report mentioned that >90%

Global Warming Findings by

Warming or cooling by >2C over a few decades

Global Warming Findings by

Accurate projections about the possible effects

Modelling Greenhouse Warming

design of the model

Modelling Greenhouse Warming

Modelling Greenhouse Warming

Possible Effects of Global Warming

Whats the problem of a possible rise of

Possible Effects of Global Warming

Possible Effects of Global Warming

Possible Effects of Global Warming

Possible Effects of Global Warming

~ 1/3 of worlds population & >1/3 of the

Possible Effects of Global Warming

Weather extremes. Prolonged heat

Possible Effects of Global Warming

Threats to human health. Supplies of food

Solutions to slow Global

Solutions to slow Global

Solutions to slow Global

Solutions to slow Global

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