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The debate continues over how to address climate change in political and economic arenas. There is sometimes discourse among scientists, economists, business leaders, policymakers, and others over these issues because some critics of global climate change have a vested interest in continuing the widespread use of fossil fuels, and they may purposely cast doubt on scientific findings. Furthermore, some greenhouse skeptics and scientists are funded by industries such as the coal, petroleum and auto industries that benefit from fossil fuel use. Some of these "skeptics for hire" have considerable sway over policymakers, particularly in the United States. Finally, there is continuing confusion, often in popular media, between short term "weather" events and the long-term processes of climate change. So, for example, an unusually cold winter in some areas is often reported as a contradiction to scientific evidence for anthropogenic factors contributing to global climate change.
How we
know that carbon dioxide levels are rising
Why carbon dioxide levels are rising
Natural causes of warming/cooling
Physical observations of climate change (temperature, sea level, acidity of ocean)
Regional impacts of climate change (droughts, severe storms)
What climate models predict: temperature rise, sea level rise, maxing out of carbon uptake by ecosystems, drought, severe storms, crop failures, loss of fresh water, impact on human health, extinction of species
GDP will
decrease by 1-5% for each 7.2 degree F rise in temperature
Why scientists think we are responsible for climate change
Why many people in U.S. deny climate change
Solutions to problem: mitigate, adapt
Why best solutions in U.S. may include economic incentives and consumer driven change, rather than regulation
Rank in order of contribution to historic CO2 emissions (1751-2010)
a) United States, China, Russia, India
b) China, United States, India, Russia
c) China, India, Russia, United States
d) United States, Russia, China, India
In a warming world, permafrost melting releases ______, which leads to_____. This is a _____.
a) nitrogen, additional warming, positive feedback
b) methane,
additional warming, positive feedback
c) oxygen, additional warming, negative feedback
d) methane, cooling, positive feedback
water vapor (H2O)-also the most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Heat radiated from Earth's surface is absorbed by water vapor molecules in the lower atmosphere. ... Some of the heat returns to the Earth's surface.
carbon dioxide (CO2)-is an atmospheric constituent that plays several vital roles in the environment. It is a greenhouse gas that traps infrared radiation heat in the atmosphere. It plays a crucial role in the weathering of rocks. ... It is stored in biomass, organic matter in sediments, and in carbonate rocks like limestone.
methane (CH4)-is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas. Methane is also a greenhouse gas (GHG), so its presence in the atmosphere affects the earth's temperature and climate system. If methane leaks into the air before being used - from a leaky pipe, for instance - it absorbs the sun's heat, warming the atmosphere. For this reason, it's considered a greenhouse gas, like carbon dioxide.
nitrous oxide (N2O)-is an important atmospheric trace gas. Changes in the concentration of N2O in the atmosphere have evoked considerable interest because of its role in (i) regulating stratospheric ozone levels, and (ii) contributing to the atmospheric greenhouse phenomenon.
ozone (O3)- is a gas in the atmosphere that protects everything living on the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the Sun. ... The ozone layer acts as a shield to absorb the UV rays, and keep them from doing damage at the Earth's surface.