This document discusses climate change and its causes. It explains that climate refers to long term atmospheric conditions over decades, while weather refers to short term conditions over days or weeks. It then outlines several key greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane and their natural and human sources. It notes that human sources of these gases are increasing and driving global warming, and that this will lead to hazards like more severe storms, droughts, sea level rise, and desertification. The document ends by discussing efforts to mitigate climate change through agreements like Kyoto and domestic policies.

1. CLIMATE CHANGE

2. CLIMATE CHANGE
– Climate- atmospheric conditions of a region
over long periods of time- years, decades

3. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Weather- atmospheric conditions of a region
over short periods, days, weeks

4. Climate Change
• Carbon Dioxide- Major Greenhouse gas
– Naturally produced- volcanic activity, plant and animal
respiration, decay
– Anthropogenic Sources- Human sources, burning of
fossil fuels

5. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Carbon Dioxide
– Amounts from human sources- on the rise
– Rate of CO2 release exceeds removal rate-
increasing concentrations

6. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Atmospheric Ozone- Not a greenhouse gas
– Acts as a shield to UV radiation from the sun
– Ground level ozone- air pollutant

7. CLIMATE CHANGEW
• Methane- Important
Greenhouse gas
– Naturally produced-
bacterial decay from
swamps etc.
– Anthropogenic
Sources- coal mines,
leaking gas pipelines,
rice, landfills, livestock

8. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Nitrogen Oxides
– Natural sources- forest fires, lightening strikes
– Human- burning of fossil fuels

9. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Changes in the atmosphere
– Glacial intervals- colder periods, more glaciation
– Interglacial Intervals- warmer periods, less glaciation

10. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Currently- Interglacial interval
– But, average global temperatures increasing, global
warming
– Due to human activities- More CO2 and methane

11. CLAIMATE CHANGE
• Greenhouse Effect- temperature
factors
–Sunlight
–Reflection
–Retention of heat

12. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Greenhouse Effect- natural
phenomenon
–Sunlight- UV radiation
–Radiated back as infrared radiation
–Infrared either radiates into space
or absorbed by atmosphere

13. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Problem- Anthropogenic sources of
greenhouse gases on the rise
–CO2- 280 ppm in 1860
• 375 ppm in 2005
• 450 ppm by 2050

14. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Conclusions
– Humans influencing climate
– Warming is occurring
– Surface temps will increase 2.4 to 10.4 F
during the 21st
century

15. CLIAMTE CHANGE
• Forcing-
– Solar
– Volcanic
– Anthropogenic

16. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Hazards
– More violent storms, tornados, hurricanes
– El Nino- more frequent- droughts and heavier
rainstorms, more floods
– Sea level rise, melting glaciers- coastal erosion,
flooding

17. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Other Impacts
– Desertification- Human induced degradation of land,
conversion to desert- long term

18. CLIMATE CHANGE
• More frequent and severe droughts- GA

19. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Wildfires- more frequent and severe- CA

20. CLIMATE CHANGE
• CA wildfires

21. CLIMATE CHANGE
• Mitigation

22. Roots of Kyoto
• 1992- U.N Framework Convention on
Climate Change- 154 Nations
–Laid the groundwork for Kyoto
–1990 levels by 2000
–Non-binding

23. Climate Change Policy
• Kyoto Protocols- 1997 Treaty
–Framework- Binding Emissions
reductions targets- Developed
Nations only:
• U.S. 6% below 1990 levels by 2008-
2112;EU 8%;Japan 6%;

24. Climate Change Policy
• Kyoto 1997: Objective
– "stabilization of greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere at a level
that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic
interference with the climate system"

25. Kyoto
• Developing Nations- No mandatory
reductions.

26. Kyoto
• Enforcement-
– Failure to meet targets- Targets reduced by
30% in next round.

27. Climate Change Policy
• Kyoto- Implementation
–Emissions Trading
–Joint Implementation
–CDM’s- Clean Development Mechanism
• Emissions bought and sold-

28. Climate Change Policy
• Kyoto Issues:
–U.S.- Cannot exempt developing
nations

29. Kyoto
• Status- 55 Parties Required
–In force 2/2005 after ratification by
Russia
–8/06- 166 Parties

30. Kyoto
• Who has not signed on?
–U.S.- Bush 2001 “fatally flawed”

31. Climate Change Policy
• CA- Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
– 25% cut in the CA’s greenhouse gas
emissions by 2020 to reduce them to 1990
levels.

32. Climate Change Policy
"We simply must do everything we can in
our power to slow down global warming
before it is too late... The science is clear.
The global warming debate is over."

33. Climate Change Policy
• Global Warming Solutions Act of
2006
–Limits on CO2 start in 2012
• Regulation
• New technology
• Emissions trading

34. Climate Change Policy
• Lawsuits
– 2005 Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and 4
cities, including Boulder;
– V. Export-Import Bank and Oversees Private
Investment Bank

35. Lawsuit
• Basis: Illegally providing $32 billion in
financing without assessing contributions
to global warming
– 8/05 Plaintiff’s have standing to sue

36. Lawsuits
• 4/06 12 states and
cities, NRDC,
Sierra Club et. Al.
v. EPA
– Challenge refusal
to regulate carbon
dioxide emissions
under CAA

37. Lawsuits
• Plaintiff’s Claim:
– EPA has authority under CAA to limit carbon
dioxide emissions

38. Lawsuits
• Bush Admin and EPA Claim:
– EPA has no authority to regulate carbon
dioxide emissions
– Back up- Science uncertain

39. Lawsuits
• CAA “Air Pollutant” is any physical,
chemical, biological, or radioactive
substance or matter which is emitted into
or otherwise enters the ambient air.

40. Lawsuits
• April 2, 2007
–U.S. Sup Ct. rules CAA gives U.S.
E.P.A.authority to regulate
Greenhouse emissions

41. Lawsuit
• Hurricane Katrina Suits
–Filed against oil companies
–Eskimo’s sue over loss of lifestyle

42. LOCAL ACTIONS
• U.S. MAYOR’S CLIMATE PROTECTION
AGREEMENT- Implement Kyoto
• SEATTLE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
– Climate Protection Partnership