David Alexander NNU: Global warming becomes more and more a topic for (car) industry and insurrance companies. The number of storms and even whirlwind in central Europe is increasing.

1. GLOBAL
WARMING

2. Global WarmingGlobal Warming
• an average increase in thean average increase in the
temperature of thetemperature of the
atmosphere near the Earthatmosphere near the Earth’’ss
surface and in thesurface and in the
troposphere1, which cantroposphere1, which can
contribute tocontribute to changes inchanges in
global climate patternsglobal climate patterns

3. CausesCauses
• Burning of fossil fuels (Coal/Crude oil)Burning of fossil fuels (Coal/Crude oil)
– Power plantsPower plants generate electricitygenerate electricity
– Transportation-----fuels for transports (E.g. LPG,Transportation-----fuels for transports (E.g. LPG,
kerosene, fuel oil)kerosene, fuel oil)
– Industrial processes (E.g. manufacture ofIndustrial processes (E.g. manufacture of
cement, steel, aluminium)cement, steel, aluminium)

4. CausesCauses
• Other greenhouseOther greenhouse
gases emissiongases emission
– AgricultureAgriculture
– ForestryForestry
– Other land usesOther land uses
– Waste managementWaste management

5. Besides carbon dioxide, other
gases such as methane,
chlorofluorocarbons, nitrogen
oxides and ozone also
contribute to the greenhouse
effect.
Example : Using natural gas to cookExample : Using natural gas to cook
CHCH44 + 2O+ 2O22  COCO22 + 2H+ 2H22OO

6. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphereGreenhouse gases in the atmosphere
↓↓
Some infrared radiation is trappedSome infrared radiation is trapped
↓↓
Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effect
Serious greenhouse effect
Global WarmingGlobal Warming

7. How serious the problem is?...How serious the problem is?...

8. Increase in greenhouseIncrease in greenhouse
gasesgases
• Concentration of greenhouse gases inConcentration of greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere is highly increasing bythe atmosphere is highly increasing by
human activitieshuman activities
→→ Leads to the increasing seriousness of globalLeads to the increasing seriousness of global
warmingwarming

10. Global surfaceGlobal surface
temperaturestemperatures
– increased about 0.6°C/century since theincreased about 0.6°C/century since the
late19th centurylate19th century
– increased to 2°C/century over the pastincreased to 2°C/century over the past
25 years25 years

11. Increase in GlobalIncrease in Global
temperaturestemperatures

12. Temperature differenceTemperature difference
between different parts ofbetween different parts of
atmosphereatmosphere
• troposphere temperatures (the lowest 8troposphere temperatures (the lowest 8
kilometers of the Earth's atmosphere)kilometers of the Earth's atmosphere)
collected since 1979 also indicatecollected since 1979 also indicate
warmingwarming
• Cooling effect in higher parts of theCooling effect in higher parts of the
atmosphere: stratospheric temperaturesatmosphere: stratospheric temperatures
have been decreasinghave been decreasing

15. NOT globally uniformNOT globally uniform
warmingwarming
• Warming parts:Warming parts:
– North AmericaNorth America
– EurasiaEurasia
• Cooling parts:Cooling parts:
– parts of the southeastern U.S.parts of the southeastern U.S.

17. Increasing temperatureIncreasing temperature
extremesextremes
• Regions that have temperatures (1-3°C)Regions that have temperatures (1-3°C)
warmer than the average:warmer than the average:
– United StatesUnited States
– Most of the EuropeMost of the Europe
• Regions that have temperatures (1-3°C)Regions that have temperatures (1-3°C)
cooler than the average:cooler than the average:
– AustraliaAustralia

18. Regional TemperaturesRegional Temperatures

19. Sea level risingSea level rising
• rising at an average rate of 1 - 2rising at an average rate of 1 - 2
mm/year over the past 100 yearsmm/year over the past 100 years

20. EnvironmentalEnvironmental
and Humanand Human
EffectsEffects

22. Direct TemperatureDirect Temperature
EffectsEffects
Increase in average temperatureIncrease in average temperature
More extreme heat waves during theMore extreme heat waves during the
summer; Less extreme cold spells duringsummer; Less extreme cold spells during
the winterthe winter
Harmful to those with heart problems,Harmful to those with heart problems,
asthma, the elderly, the very young andasthma, the elderly, the very young and
the homelessthe homeless

23. Extreme EventsExtreme Events
• Extreme Events:Extreme Events:
• Heat waves; Cold waves; Storms; Floods andHeat waves; Cold waves; Storms; Floods and
DroughtsDroughts
Global warmingGlobal warming
An increase in the frequency of extreme eventsAn increase in the frequency of extreme events
More event-related deaths, injuries, infectiousMore event-related deaths, injuries, infectious
diseases, and stress-related disordersdiseases, and stress-related disorders

24. Climate-sensitive diseasesClimate-sensitive diseases
• Increase the risk of some infectious diseasesIncrease the risk of some infectious diseases
– [particularly that appear in warm areas; are[particularly that appear in warm areas; are
spread by mosquitoes and other insects]spread by mosquitoes and other insects]
– E.g. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever,E.g. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever,
encephalitisencephalitis
• Algal blooms occur more frequently asAlgal blooms occur more frequently as
temperatures warm (particularly in areas withtemperatures warm (particularly in areas with
polluted waters)polluted waters)
Diseases (e.g. cholera) accompanying algalDiseases (e.g. cholera) accompanying algal
blooms become more frequentblooms become more frequent

25. Air QualityAir Quality
An increase in the concentration ofAn increase in the concentration of
ground-level ozoneground-level ozone
Damage lung tissueDamage lung tissue
Harmful for those with asthma andHarmful for those with asthma and
other chronic lung diseasesother chronic lung diseases

26. Food supplyFood supply
Rising temperatures and variableRising temperatures and variable
precipitationprecipitation
Decrease the production of staple foodsDecrease the production of staple foods
in many of the poorest regionsin many of the poorest regions
Increasing risks of malnutritionIncreasing risks of malnutrition

27. Population displacementPopulation displacement
Rising sea levelsRising sea levels
Increase the risk of coastal floodingIncrease the risk of coastal flooding
(Necessitate population displacement)(Necessitate population displacement)
• More than halfMore than half of the world's population now livesof the world's population now lives
within 60km of the sea.within 60km of the sea.
• Most vulnerable regions: Nile delta in Egypt, theMost vulnerable regions: Nile delta in Egypt, the
Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh, many smallGanges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh, many small
islands, such as the Maldives, the Marshall Islands andislands, such as the Maldives, the Marshall Islands and

28. UV Exposure (Australia)UV Exposure (Australia)
• Skin CancerSkin Cancer
– an abnormal growth of skin tissues.an abnormal growth of skin tissues.
• Premature agingPremature aging
– make the skin thick, wrinkled, and leathery make the skin thick, wrinkled, and leathery
• CataractsCataracts
– No longer have transparent lenses in their eyesNo longer have transparent lenses in their eyes

29. UV Exposure (Australia)UV Exposure (Australia)
• Other Eye DamagesOther Eye Damages
– Skin cancer around the eyesSkin cancer around the eyes
– Degeneration of the yellow spotDegeneration of the yellow spot
• Suppression of ImmunitySuppression of Immunity
– Overexposure to UV radiationOverexposure to UV radiation  suppress propersuppress proper
functioning of the body's immune system and naturalfunctioning of the body's immune system and natural
defenses of skindefenses of skin
– UV-B radiation weakens the immune systemUV-B radiation weakens the immune system 
increases the chance of infection and diseaseincreases the chance of infection and disease

30. Measures on controlling theMeasures on controlling the
problemproblem
• GovernmentGovernment
** set someset some lawslaws to limit the amount ofto limit the amount of
pollutants produced by factoriespollutants produced by factories
** develop thedevelop the skills of usingskills of using
renewable fuelsrenewable fuels, e.g. solar energy,, e.g. solar energy,
wind energywind energy

31. ** encourage the factories toencourage the factories to replace fossilreplace fossil
fuelsfuels by renewable fuels, which would notby renewable fuels, which would not
cause environmental pollutioncause environmental pollution
** carry outcarry out energy saving scheme →energy saving scheme → reducereduce
the pollution produced by burning fossil fuelsthe pollution produced by burning fossil fuels
** build morebuild more plantsplants → reduce the pollutants e.g.→ reduce the pollutants e.g.
COCO22
Measures on controlling theMeasures on controlling the
problemproblem

32. Measures on controlling theMeasures on controlling the
problemproblem
• CitizensCitizens
** reduce the use of plastic bags → as burningreduce the use of plastic bags → as burning
plastic emit CH4plastic emit CH4
** recycle the resources, e.g. plasticrecycle the resources, e.g. plastic
** reduce the use of sprays → as CFCs wouldreduce the use of sprays → as CFCs would
be emitted outbe emitted out

33. Measures on controlling theMeasures on controlling the
problemproblem
** reduce the use of air-conditioner, which will emitreduce the use of air-conditioner, which will emit
CFCsCFCs
** use public transportation instead of private carsuse public transportation instead of private cars
→ reduce the pollutants emitted by cars→ reduce the pollutants emitted by cars

34. SourcesSources
• http://www.who.int/globalchange/climate/en/http://www.who.int/globalchange/climate/en/
• http://resources.emb.gov.hk/envir-http://resources.emb.gov.hk/envir-
ed/text/globalissue/e_m2_2_6.htmed/text/globalissue/e_m2_2_6.htm
• http://epa.gov/climatechange/effects/index.htmlhttp://epa.gov/climatechange/effects/index.html
• http://www.tchps.edu.hk/greenweb/greenMaindGhttp://www.tchps.edu.hk/greenweb/greenMaindG
Msg5.htmMsg5.htm
• http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarhttp://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwar
ming.htmlming.html

35. THE
END