3. • What is Global Warming
• Why is this warming
bad?!
• Impacts
• What We Can Do
4. What is Global Warming?
Global Warming is the theory that we as
humans are increasing greenhouse gases
(the layer of gases that catches the sun’s
rays and heats the earth) through
industrialization causing more gases and
increasing the amount of sunlight that gets
caught and heats the Earth.
5.
6. General Viewpoint
The general viewpoint is that global
warming and pollution from CO2
emissions are adding to greenhouse
gases so significantly that the Earth is
warming up and will continue to warm.
7. Why is this warming bad?!
We believe that this increase in
temperature will eventually cause the
melting of the ice caps. This melting could
increase the oceans height by up to 2 feet
in only one century! This would mean
many heavily populated costal cities would
flood causing millions maybe billions of
dollars and damage and the potential loss
of life in these cities.
8. Other Effects from Global Warming
There are also other effects to global
warming such as natural disasters have
been increasing, disease have been
spreading more rapidly, and animals have
been found migrating towards the poles
due to the increase in heat.
9. Effects on Wetlands and Forests
Over the last 5 decades, in areas
of the Kenai NWR:
Open areas decreased by
34%
Wet areas decreased by
88%
USFWS photo
Water and lakes decreased by
14%
USFWS photo courtesy Ed Berg
10.
11.
12. Disappearing & Shrinking Ponds
Disappearance of Ponds since 1950’s
Study Area
% Decrease in
Number of Ponds
% Decrease in
Area of Ponds
Copper River Basin
Minto Flats SGR
Innoko Flats NWR
Yukon Flats NWR
54 %
36 %
30 %
10 %
28 %
25 %
31 %
18 %
Based on Inventory of 10,000 closed-basin ponds
13. Ocean Acidification
“The surface ocean currently absorbs about one-fourth of
the CO2 emitted to the atmosphere from human activities.”
Monaco
Declaration 2008
Remains in the
atmosphere
(greenhouse gas)
Dissolves in
sea water
CO2 + H20
HCO3- + H+
(ACID)
Water becomes
more acidic.
CO2
CO2
14. Facts
The number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes
have almost doubled in the last 30 years.
The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has
more than doubled in the past decade.
At least 279 species of plants and animals are
already responding to global warming, moving
closer to the poles.
15. Future Effects of Global Warming
Deaths from global warming will double in just
25 years, to 300,000 people a year.
Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet
with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and
Antarctica, devastating costal areas worldwide.
Heat waves will be more frequent and intense.
Droughts and wildfires will occur more often.
The Arctic Ocean could be ice free by 2050.
More than a million species could be driven to
extinction by 2050.
16. What We Can Do
Use Wind Energy
Reduce CO2
Emission
Action is essential
at every level
Individual
International
Plant & Save trees
Recycle the product