Opening Prayer

Let us now pause for a moment and feel the presence

of God in our midst.
In the name of the Father …
Heavenly Father, we praise and thank you for the gift of
life, for all the blessings we receive everyday.
Thank you Lord for keeping us safe and healthy and
bringing us together in this class. We pray that You will
send forth the Holy Spirit to guide, enlighten and to
focus our attention to our discussion in order to
understand fully and learn the lesson well.
As we pray … Hail Mary … Holy Mary Mother of God …
In the name of the Father …
Good Day Everyone …
1
 Subject: Environmental Science
Date: November 20, 2024

Module 7

Content: GLOBAL CHANGE

Topics:
Loss of Biodiversity
The Future
Environmental Policy
Changes in Land Use
Climate Change
Stratospheric Ozone
INPUT
 GLOBAL WARMING

Our Responsibility Toward

Climate Change
 Global Warming
“Not only is it real, it's here, and its effects are
giving rise to a frighteningly new global
phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster.
– Barack Obama
 Outline and Objectives
• Global Warming
– The scientific research
– Effects of global warming
– Examples of global warming
• Helping the problem
– Ways to contribute to solving the problem
 Global Warming
• Global warming refers to an average increase in
the Earth's temperature
• A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall
patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of
impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.
• The main cause of global warming is human
activities.
 Global Warming

The earth is getting warmer. The average temperature has

risen about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the last century and the
rate at which the temperature is rising is accelerating.
 The Green House Effect
• Greenhouse gases:
– prevent some heat from escaping
the atmosphere
– allow incoming radiation to pass
through the Earth’s atmosphere.
• This is a natural process
and has kept the Earth's
temperature about 60 F°
warmer than it would
otherwise be.
• Current life on Earth could not
be sustained without the
natural greenhouse effect.
 Lets think about it…
• A green house is used to grow
plants and help in the winter.
• Greenhouses trap heat from the
sun, and the glass panels keep
heat from escaping.
• Thus, the greenhouse can keep
plants warm during the winter.
• Greenhouse gases trapped in
the Earth’s atmosphere have
the same effect.
 Greenhouse Gases
Earth’s greenhouse gases:
• Water vapor (most abundant)
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Nitrous oxide
• Ozone
• CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) (least abundant)
Diagram representing the green house effect
 Goldilocks Principle
• It is used to state that a planet must neither be
too far away nor too close to the sun to support
life.

Venus is too hot,

Mars is too cold,
but Earth is just right.
Chemical Composition of the Atmospheres
 Climate Change

• Climate change is the

LONG term average of the
weather patterns in a
specific region.

• Climate can either get

warmer or cooler.
 People’s Effect on the Climate
People began altering the climate during the Industrial
Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th century.

Now through population growth, fossil fuel burning, and

deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases in the
atmosphere.
 Carbon Dioxide
• Carbon Dioxide is one of the most abundant greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere.

Deforestation in Brazil has earned it a

spot as one of the leading carbon dioxide
emitting countries.

• The main source of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels

 Methane Gas
Trash in landfills, animals, and deforestation all
produce methane gas.

60% of global methane emissions are related to human-

related activities
 Nitrous Oxide
Sources include:
• Nitric acid in fertilizers
• Animal manure management
• Sewage treatment
• Adipic acid for the production of nylon
 Ozone
Fuel combustion is the main source of Ozone.
Fossil fuel combustion is a primary pollution source for
tropospheric ozone production.
 CFCs
CFC’s were once widely used
in aerosols and refrigerators

The use of CFC’s as a coolant

has been discontinued, but
the effects of the damage
done will persist for
thousands of years
 Effects of Global Warming

Argentina's Upsala Glacier was once the biggest in South America, but
it is now disappearing at a rate of 200 meters per year.
Effects of Global Warming

The common lawn weed

deadnettle, photographed
at the National
Arboretum, is blooming
an average of 39 days
earlier than in 1970.
Effects of Global Warming
A study showed the egg
laying date of North
American tree swallows
advanced by up to nine days
during the period from 1959
to 1991.

Tree swallows across North

America are breeding earlier,
the most likely cause is a
long term increase in spring
temperature.
 Effects of Global Warming
– Rising sea levels
– An increase in extreme weather occurrences
(hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods,
tsunamis etc.)
– An increase in the occurrence of fires
– An increase in droughts
– Melting of the polar ice caps
– Greater variation in the fluctuation of
temperature
– The list goes on and on…
 Effects of Global Warming
• Environmental changes can lead to
– Appearance of new diseases
– Old diseases in new places
• Diseases carried by insects (or other vectors) are
especially likely to be affected
– Some affected diseases are:
• Malaria
• Plague
• Dengue
• Flu
 Help Prevent Climate Change
Be energy efficient.
• Use fluorescent light
bulbs.
• Drive less: walk, carpool
• Recycle and buy recycled
products
• Turn off electronic
devices when not in use
• Plant a tree
 International Responsibility
Climate change is a global
problem.

• The United Nations is taking an

increasing role in its involvement
in climate change.

• The United Nations Environment

Program provides governments
with tools to promote climate
change awareness.
 National Responsibility
Congress has passed:
• Clean Air Act in 1963
• Air Quality Act in 1967
• Clean Air Act Extension of 1970
• Clean Air Act Amendments in
1977 and 1990.
Numerous state and local
governments have enacted President Bush signs the Clean
Air Act Amendments - Nov. 15,
similar legislation, either 1990 (Source: White House,
implementing federal programs photo by Carol T. Powers)
or filling in locally important
gaps in federal programs.
 References
• http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/cc.html
• http://www.darlington.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2091F156-
0B6A-456B-B5FA-24579F372F36/0/greenhouseeffect.jpg
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/sc
i_nat_how_the_world_is_changing/html/1.stm
• http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc/caus
es01.jsp
• http://www.edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/climate/causes.htm
• http://www.unfoundation.org/SEG/
 RA 8749
•Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749)
The law aims to formulate a holistic national
program of air pollution management and
encourage cooperation and self-regulation
among citizens and industries through market-
based instruments.
Loss of Biodiversity
What is the difference betw
een deforestation, reforestat
ion and afforestation?

BBA3(Gajaseni) 54
• Deforestation = the act/process of ch
anging forest land to non-forest land.
• Reforestation = the act/process of ch
anging previously deforested lands b
ack to forest land.
• Afforestation = the act/process of cre
ating forest land where it ‘historically
’ did not exist.

BBA3(Gajaseni) 55