A training module to introduce College Lecturers and School Teachers to the subject of Climate Education and Live Projects that they can do in their institution and elsewhere

3. Weather and Climate:
Not same

4. WEATHER IS:
• Short term
• Limited area
• Can change rapidly
• Difficult to predict
WEATHER is what’s
happening outside your
window right now.

5. CLIMATE IS:
• Long term
• Wide area
• Seasonal
changes
• Measured over
long spans of
time
CLIMATE is average of
many years of weather
observation 30yrs or so
atleast

6. Climate is affected by many factors
ABIOTIC FACTORS:
Latitude
Altitude
Ocean Currents
Topography
Solar Radiation
Evaporation
Orbital Variations
Volcanic Activity
BIOTIC FACTORS:
Transpiration
Respiration
Photosynthesis
Decomposition
Digestion

8. Greenhouse Gases are essential to our climate
http://www.larryjzimmerman.com/wproblems/warming/greenhouse.gif

10. Planets with very little
greenhouse effect are either very
cold…
Pluto’s average temperature is –370° F
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/pluto/statistics.html

11. On Mars, there is about a 300 degree F difference between
high and low temperatures
…or they have huge temperature
swings from day to night.
(http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/planetary/mars.html )

12. Planets with abundant greenhouse
gases are very hot
Average temperature on Venus is about 855° F!

13. …which is just right…
…for the moment, anyway.
…and then there’s Earth….

14. •Water vapor
•Carbon dioxide
•Methane
•Nitrous oxide
Greenhouse gases in Atmosphere

15. With no greenhouse gases at all in its
atmosphere, scientists estimate that Earth’s
average atmospheric temperature would be
about -18° C, or about 0°F
http://plaza.ufl.edu/knhuang/project2/cause.html

16. Greenhouse gas content of
atmosphere is being altered
by human activity.
Result of this change is global
warming.

17. Evidence of Climate
Change comes from many
different sources.

18. Glaciers are melting away
worldwide
Agassiz Glacier,
Montana, in
1913…
Pasterze Glacier,
Austria, in
1875…
…and in 2005
…and in 2004

19. Ice cores yield information and
actual samples of Earth’s past
atmosphere
www.daviesand.com/

20. Tree ring data show a warming
trend
www.accesstoenergy.com

21. Climate Change seems to be
accelerating
Each of the 48 continental states experienced above-normal
annual temperatures in 2006. For majority of states, 2006 ranked
among 10 hottest years since 1895. ( NOAA)

22. More Greenhouse Gases Mean Warmer Earth

23. Who creates Greenhouse Gases?

24. Carbon Dioxide
Earth earlier much
warmer.
High levels of Carbon
Dioxide in atmosphere
fueled lush growth
Some CO2 stored as fossil
fuels.

25. Carbon Dioxide in Earth’s
atmosphere risen by 30%
since industrial revolution.
Most of increase is due to
combustion of fossil fuels
This releases long-stored
CO2 back into atmosphere.

26. Methane
Methane is released by
Coal mining
Landfills
Agriculture
Digestive processes of milk
cows

27. Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide produced by
fossil fuels used
1. Transport vehicles
2. Heating and electricity
3. Agriculture.

28. Climate Change

29. Climate Change

30. What is Happening
• More heat than required
• Unnatural increase in gas
composition

44. Earth System
It has:
• Water Cycle
• Carbon Cycle
• CO2 Sources and Sinks
Activity
• Nitrogen Cycle
–Travelling Nitrogen Activity

45. Earth System
Air Water Life Land Ice
Parts of Earth System
• Atmosphere (air) extends from the Earth surface for several hundred km.
• Hydrosphere (water) includes the ocean, rivers, lakes, groundwater, vapor.
• Biosphere (life) includes bacteria, plants, and animals.
• Geosphere (land) includes minerals, rocks, molten rock, sediments, soils.
• Cryosphere (ice) includes snow, glaciers, and sea ice.

46. Earth System: All connected
Air
Water
Life
Land
Ice

47. Climate change affects the
Earth system.
Changes in the Earth system affect
climate too.

48. Cycles of Earth system in which elements
and molecules cycle between living and
nonliving parts of planet.
These are called biogeochemical cycles.
We will explore:
• Water cycle
• Carbon cycle
• Nitrogen cycle

49. WATER CYCLE
& CLIMATE CHANGE

50. Water Cycle?
Movement and storage of water
within Earth System.
Water cycle:
•Water at surface
•Water underground
•Water vapor in atmosphere
•Snow and ice (Water System)
Courtesy of UCAR

51. Evidence:
•Changes in
Climate cause
changes in
Water Cycle.
•Changes in
Water Cycle
can cause
further change
in Climate.

52. Warming Evaporation Increase  Warming
• Warming climate leads
to increased
evaporation rate.
• More water vapor in
atmosphere.
• Water vapor is
greenhouse gas it
causes even more
warming.
(This is known as a
positive feedback loop)
Still from a NASA visualization of water vapor distribution.
http://www.nasa.gov/mov/291251main_L3_H2O_Final_576.mov

53. Clouds  Complicated Climate …
Warming clouds:
High cirrus clouds
keep sunlight from
radiating away from
Earth into space.
Cooling clouds:
Low level stratocumulus
clouds block sunlight from
getting to Earth’s surface

54. Projected precipitation change by 2100
• Blue/green: wetter
• Yellow/red: drier
• Top image -
precipitation change
during December,
January, and
February.
• Bottom -
precipitation change
during June, July, and
August.
IPCC 2007

55. Where will there be more precipitation?

56. Where will there be less precipitation?

57. Climate Change 
more rain in some places, less rain in others
• Precipitation patterns
are changing in
response to climate
change.
• Areas prone to
drought are expected
to become drier.
• Wet areas will receive
more precipitation.
Sandbags contain a Midwest flood (top).
Arid region of North Africa is expected to
become more arid (bottom). Images: UCAR

58. Carbon Cycle?
• Movement and storage of
carbon (C) through
atmosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere and geosphere
of Earth system
• Carbon cycle is divided into
“fast carbon cycle” and
“slow carbon cycle”.

59. Carbon Cycle  Climate?
• Greenhouse gases
– Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Released from burning fossil fuels, from respiration,
and volcanoes
• Taken out of atmosphere by plants during
photosynthesis
– Methane (CH4)
• Released from farm animals, manure, landfills, and part
of natural gas deposits
• Methane is about 25 times more powerful greenhouse
gas than CO2
• Used as an energy source: burning it releases CO2

60. Fast and Slow Carbon Cycles
• “Fast carbon cycle” includes primarily carbon
moving between the atmosphere, biosphere,
and hydrosphere.
• Most carbon is in deep storage (as limestone,
coal, oil, and gas) moving through Earth System
on long period – “slow carbon cycle”.
• Today, burning fossil fuels releases deep storage
carbon into “fast carbon cycle”.

61. Recent Changes in Carbon Cycle:
Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere
Image: NASA http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

62. Recent Changes to Carbon
Cycle:
Deforestation
• Forests act as carbon
sinks, taking carbon
out of atmosphere via
photosynthesis
• In Brazil, population
boom created by
inexpensive land for
farming caused land
use change
Landsat images 1975-2001 showing clear cutting
of tropical forests in Rondonia, Brazil.
Image: NASA/GSFC

63. • Plant productivity (uptake of carbon by plants) increased by 6%
worldwide from 1982-1999 (increase=green, decrease=orange)
• Higher productivity in areas where climate became warmer, wetter,
and/or sunnier (less clouds).
Recent Changes to the Carbon Cycle:
Increase in Plant Productivity
Image:NASA/RobertSimmon

64. • Carbon dioxide, dissolved into ocean,
forms carbonic acid, lowering the pH of
seawater.
• Since start of Industrial Revolution, pH of
seawater has dropped about 0.1. In next
century it is expected to drop another
0.1-0.35.
• More acidic waters make it difficult for
marine life such as corals to build their
CaCO3 skeletons.
• This can impact marine ecosystems.
Recent Changes to the Carbon Cycle:
Ocean Acidification
NOAA sensor collecting data
about ocean acidification in
coral reef environments.
Image: Bernadette Charpentier

65. Are plants a source or sink of
carbon dioxide?
A. Source
B. Sink
C. Both
D. Neither
Image: L.Gardiner

66. NITROGEN CYCLE
& CLIMATE CHANGE

67. Nitrogen Cycle?
• Movement and storage of
Nitrogen (N) through
atmosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere and geosphere
of Earth System.

68. Nitrogen in Air
• Nitrogen (N2)
– 80% of the atmosphere is nitrogen gas.
• Nitric oxide (NO)
– Pollutant released from burning fossil fuels that is
part of smog and contributes to acid rain.
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
– Pollutant released from fossil fuels, part of smog
and contributes to ground level ozone.
• Nitrous oxide (N2O)
– Greenhouse gas from burning fossil fuels, from
farm animals, and fertilizers.
– There is less N2O in the atmosphere but it has
nearly 300 times the warming effect as CO2.

69. Question:
Which is a greenhouse gas?
A. Nitric oxide (NO)
B. Nitrous oxide (N2O)
C. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
D. Nitrogen (N2)

70. Where does Nitrous Oxide come from?
US DOE Pub. DOE/EIA-0573(2008)

71. Another Global Challenge:
Nitrogen Fertilizers and Waterways
Image:NOAA

72. Climate change is everyone’s
problem.
No agency, government, or
scientist can “fix it” for us. We are
all in this together.
We got here because of our lifestyle.
So our lifestyle has to change.
Here’s what you can do…
What can be done?

74. •Install programmable thermostats.
•Check and repair weather stripping on doors and
windows.
•Adjust your clothing instead of thermostat.
•Keep furnace and AC filters clean.
•Consider closing off unused rooms.
•Install insulated drapes.
•Plant deciduous trees on sunny side of home.
Heating and Cooling
What other ways can you conserve heat and AC?

75. Conserve Hot Water
•Take shorter showers/baths.
•Install low flow shower heads.
•Insulate hot water pipes.
•Wash laundry in cold water.
•Fix leaky faucets
What other ways can you cut down on hot water use?
In the average home, 17% of energy is used to heat water.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/uses/residence.html

76. •Plan ahead – do several errands in a single trip.
•Walk or bike. It’s healthier anyway.
•Clean out the junk in the trunk. Lighter cars get better
mileage.
•Make sure your engine is properly tuned.
• Keep your tires properly inflated.
•Carpool or ride school bus.
•Support public transportation.
•Consider a smaller car or a hybrid for your next vehicle.
Conserve in the Car
What other ways can you use less gas?

77. •Unplug chargers for cell phones and
other appliances when not in use.
•Habituate turning lights and
appliances off.
•Clean coils on back of fridge monthly.
•Change to LEDs.
•Make your next computer a laptop.
•Install timers or motion sensors on
outdoor lights.
Conserve Electricity
What other ways can you conserve electricity?

78. •Recycle and buy recycled products.
•Choose products that have less packaging.
•Reuse, repair, or donate.
•Don’t buy it unless you really need it.
•Carry cloth bags when shopping.
•Use a refillable travel mug or water bottle.
•Give your time instead of material gifts, or
donate to a charity in recipient’s name.
Reduce waste
What other ways can you cut down on waste?

79. There’s no place like home…
…and there may never be again. Do your part.