4.

4 Climate change
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Which gases are in the atmosphere?
Which gases are greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gases
CO2 concentrations and global temperature

2007 383 C
300,000 200,000 100,000 O
years ago years ago years ago
2

c
o
n
–60 300 c
e
n
t
–64 280 r
a
t
i
o
–68 260 n
(
p
–72 240 a
r
t
s
–76 220
p
e
r
–80 200 m
i
l
l
Temperature (in
Antarctica, ºF) –84 180 i
o
Temperature CO2 concentration n
)

CO2 concentrations and global average temperature are correlated, but not
exactly proportional as other factors affect temperature
Global warming and climate change

Scientists predict that greenhouse gas emissions will change global climate
patterns, including:
Increasing average global temperatures
More frequent extreme weather conditions (e.g. heat waves, cyclones,
tropical storms)
Changes to circulating ocean currents, causing longer El Nino (warm)
and La Nina (cool) events
Ocean acidification

CO2 Levels Ocean pH

The ocean is a major carbon sink that 8

.
380 1
absorbs ~30% of all human carbon 4

dioxide emissions
8
Some of the CO2 remains dissolved in 360
.
1
2
the water but most is converted into
carbonic acid (H2CO3), which lowers 8
.
340 1
the pH (acidification) 0

8
.
320 0
8

8
.
300 0
1990 2000 1990 2000 6
 Coral bleaching

Ocean acidification impacts marine organisms

NORMAL CORAL
(such as coral) in a number of significant ways:
Increased acidity can stress coral survival
It also lowers oceanic carbonate levels, which
is needed for shell / exoskeleton development
BLEACHED CORAL
These conditions collectively cause the coral to
expel their mutualistic algae (i.e. coral bleaching)
Global warming debate

While there is clear evidence supporting a link between greenhouse gas

emissions and changing global conditions, correlation does not
automatically equal causation
Many claims relating to climate change are not supported by clear data or
are made by entities with vested interests