SUM-UP

CLIMATE C HA N G E
 What is the difference
between weather and climate?
WEATHER VS. CLIMATE
Another way to think about it…
Climate is what you expect…
 A very hot summer in July based on average of
weather over time and space.

Weather is what you get…

 A rainy afternoon.
 It’s how the atmosphere is behaving NOW or in
the short term of minutes-to-months.
 Climate Weather
Longer time scales Shorter time scales
Climate vs. Weather
Changes in the atmospheric condition over a brief
period of time such as a day or a week are weather.
These changes are part of a larger pattern of
atmospheric conditions called climate.
Climate is the general pattern of the weather that
occurs for a region over a number of years.
Climate determines what type of houses people build
in a particular region, the plants and animals that
inhabit in a location, and even the livelihood of the
people and community.
Factors that Affect Weather
TEMP
ERATU
RE
- it is the degrees of
hotness or coldness of a
place.
 Wind

- it is the movement of air

in the atmosphere.
 Air Pressure

-it is the force caused by

the weight of air in the
earth’s surface..
 Humidity

- it is the amount of water

vapour in the air.
 Precipitation

- it is the water falling

from the atmosphere, in
the forms of rain, snow or
hail.
 Let’s sum it up!

Factors affecting
Air
weather. Temperature
Pressure

Weather Humidity

Precipitation

Wind
FACTORS AFFECTING
CLIMATE
LATITUDE
 How does latitude
affect climate?
increases
As latitude ________, the average
decreases
annual temperature _________.

Temperature

0° Latitude 90°
 As latitude increases, the intensity of
solar energy decreases
Near the equator, the sun’s energy
strikes the planet at nearly right angles,
therefore the sun’s ray’s are more
intense here
 ALTITUDE
OR
ELEVATION
Altitude or Elevation
Air temperature decreases with elevation by
an average of ~6.5º every 1000 meters
The higher the elevation is, the colder the
climate.
The elevation of an area also determines the
amount of precipitation it receives
 How does elevation
affect climate?

increases the average

As elevation _________,
decreases
annual temperature __________.

Temperature

Elevation
BODIES OF
WATER
 How does closeness to a large
body of water affect climate?
moderates the temperature.
Water __________
Cooler summers. Warmer
_______ _______ winters.
Cities A & B are located
at the same latitude.

City B is closer to a large

body of water.

Its temperature line is

flatter (moderated).
 Closeness to Large Bodies of Water
Large bodies of water such as lakes and oceans have
an important effect on the temperature of an area
because the temperature of the water body influences
the temperature of the air above it.
Places downwind of a large body of water generally have
cooler summers and milder winters than places at the
same latitude that are farther inland
TOPOGRAPHY
Topography
 How does the
Topographic Effect
affect climate?
cool, moist
Windward Side: ___________
warm, dry
Leeward Side: _____________
Ocean
Current
Ocean currents – act much like a
conveyer belt, transporting warm
water and precipitation from the
equator toward the poles and cold
water from the poles back to the
tropics. Thus, currents regulate
global climate, helping to counteract
the uneven distribution of solar
radiation reaching Earth's surface
 How does the
Ocean currents
affect climate?
transporting warm
______ water and
precipitation from the equator
toward the poles and
cold
______ water from the poles
back to the tropics
•OCEAN CURRENTS EITHER WARM OR COOL THE AIR ABOVE
THEM. WHEN OCEAN CURRENTS THAT BRING COLD WATER
MOVE TOWARDS A COASTAL REGION, THE TEMPERATURE
OF THAT AREA DECREASES. WHEN THE OCEAN CURRENTS
THAT TAKE ALONG WARM AIR GO TO A LAND MASS, THE
TEMPERATURE OF THAT PLACE RISES.
factors that affects climate
Latitude

Ocean Altitude

Climate

Distance
Topography from the
Ocean
What is climate change?
 WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
•CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE CHANGE IN OUR WEATHER PATTERNS THAT
ARE OCCURRING BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN THE EARTH'S AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE.

•IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS GLOBAL WARMING.

•CLIMATE CHANGE MAY RESULT FROM BOTH NATURAL AND HUMAN
CAUSES THOUGH THE HUMAN CAUSES APPEAR TO BE INCREASINGLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES
 WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
•CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE CHANGE IN OUR WEATHER PATTERNS THAT
ARE OCCURRING BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN THE EARTH'S
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE.

•IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS GLOBAL WARMING.

•CLIMATE CHANGE MAY RESULT FROM BOTH NATURAL AND HUMAN
CAUSES THOUGH THE HUMAN CAUSES APPEAR TO BE INCREASINGLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES
 WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
 CLIMATE IS THE AVERAGE WEATHER AT A
GIVEN POINT AND TIME OF YEAR, OVER A
LONG PERIOD (TYPICALLY 30 YEARS).

 WE EXPECT THE WEATHER TO CHANGE A

LOT FROM DAY TO DAY, BUT WE EXPECT
THE CLIMATE TO REMAIN RELATIVELY
CONSTANT.

 IF THE CLIMATE DOESN’T REMAIN

CONSTANT, WE CALL IT CLIMATE CHANGE.
 DEFINITION OF CLIMATE CHANGE
“ IT IS A CHANGE WHICH IS
ATTRIBUTED DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY TO HUMAN
ACTIVITY THAT ALTERS THE
COMPOSITION OF THE GLOBAL
ATMOSPHERE AND WHICH IS IN
ADDITION TO NATURAL CLIMATE
VARIABILITY OBSERVED OVER
COMPARATIVE TIME PERIODS”
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE
ECOSYSTEMS ARE
CHANGING
GLACIERS ARE MELTING AWAY
WORLDWIDE
Agassiz Glacier,
Montana, in
1913…

…and in 2005

Pasterze Glacier,
Austria, in
1875…

…and in 2004
HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE GLOBE
Melting ice sheets  Sea level rise
RISE IN TEMPERATURE
EXTREME DROUGHT
DECLINE IN CROP PRODUCTIVITY
HURRICANES
 ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE IS
CHANGING

2/3 of European butterfly An analysis of the At Boston's Arnold

species studied have distributions of Arboretum, plants are
shifted their ranges British birds found flowering eight days
northward by as much as that many species earlier on average than
150 miles. (Parmesan, 1996; have moved north by they did from 1900 to
Parmesan et al., 1999) an average of 18.9 1920. (Primack et al,2004)
km. (Thomas et al, 1999)
 SOME EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE

•AN AVERAGE INCREASE IN EARTH’S

TEMPERATURE DURING THE LAST
CENTURY

•MELTING OF POLAR ICE—POLAR BEARS

AND OTHER ANIMALS ARE DROWNING
 SOME EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE
•MIGRATING BIRDS ARE FORCED TO CHANGE
THEIR TIME AND PLACE OF MIGRATION

•MELTING OF GLACIERS WILL LEAD TO HIGHER

SEA LEVEL, WHICH WILL CAUSE FLOODS AND PUT
MANY LOW-ELEVATION REGIONS AT RISK OF
DISAPPEARING UNDER WATER
 SOME EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE
•LONGER SUMMERS CAN DISRUPT ANIMAL
HABITATION

•NEW AND WIDESPREAD DISEASES BECAUSE

OF WARM CLIMATE

•DAMAGED CROPS DUE TO SUDDEN

CLIMATE CHANGE AND FLOODS
 SOME EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE

•AVERAGE PRECIPITATION INCREASE AROUND

THE WORLD

•DROUGHTS, HEAT WAVES, EXTREME WINTERS

AND STORMS, HURRICANES, TYPHOONS

•MORE WILDFIRES
CAUSES OF CLIMATE
CHANGE
 CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
 NATURAL CAUSES
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
OCEAN CURRENTS
EARTH ORBITAL CHANGES-
MORE TILT = WARMER SUMMERS & COLDER
WINTERS
LESS TILT = COOLER SUMMERS & MILDER
WINTERS
 SOLAR VARIATION
HUMAN CAUSES (ANTHROPOGENIC OR MAN-MADE CAUSES)

 GREENHOUSE GASES
 DEFORESTATION
 COAL MINING
 BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS
 INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES
 AGRICULTURE
Increasing greenhouse gases trap more heat
DEFORESTATION
 COAL MINING
 BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES
 AGRICULTURE
MAJOR CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
HUMAN CAUSES

 INCREASING GREEN HOUSE GAS

NATURAL CAUSES EMISSIONS FROM BURNING FOSSIL

 THE ARCTIC TUNDRA AND WETLANDS RELEASE FUELS-OIL, COAL, GAS

METHANE, A GREENHOUSE GAS  POLLUTION, SMOG FROM FACTORIES

 EARTH NATURALLY HAS A CYCLE OF CLIMATE CHANGE  LARGE FORESTS HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN
THAT OCCURS EVERY 40, 000 YEARS
(TREES ABSORB CO2 AND POLLUTION,
 THE SUN’S SOLAR ENERGY OUTPUT IS CHANGING AND DEFORESTATION CREATES ABOUT 6
NATURALLY INCREASES EARTH’S AVERAGE
BILLION TONS OF CO2 PER YEAR)
TEMPERATURE BY ABOUT 1ºC EVERY CENTURY

 EARTH’S ORBIT AND TILT ALTER IN RELATION TO THE  INCREASING WORLD POPULATION-MORE
PEOPLE REQUIRES MORE FOOD, ENERGY,
SUN, WHICH CHANGES SOLAR ENERGY OUTPUT
TRANSPORTATION, ETC. FARMS ANIMALS
• VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
RELEASE METHANE FROM THEIR
WASTES.

 MORE PEOPLE ALSO MEANS MORE CO 2

Smog and Pollution From Factories
FARM ANIMALS RELEASE METHANE
FROM THEIR WASTES
Methane is released by
coal mining, landfills, and
by agriculture, particularly
through the digestive
processes of beef and milk
cows.
El Niño
 El Niño is a lengthy warming in the eastern
part of the Pacific Ocean.
 This natural phenomenon occurs at irregular
intervals of two to seven years and lasts for
nine months or two years at most.
 Normally, as trade wind moves from east to
west, it collects warm air.
El Niño
 But when trade winds is weakened, it causes the piling
up of warm surface water and making the part of the
Pacific Ocean warmer leading to El Niño phenomenon.
 This happens when the upwelling of colder water is
blocked by the large quantities of warm surface water.
 El Niño will most likely bring severe drought.
 It is believed that it causes stronger thunderstorm
disturbance and massive storms.
 It also causes the decrease of the population of some
species.
El Niño
La Niña
 La Niña is the opposite climatic disturbance to El Niño.
 This natural phenomenon may but does not always
follow El Niño events.
 It may last for nine to twelve months but in some
cases, it lasts for two years.
 This event is triggered by the cooling of the eastern
part of the Pacific Ocean.
 Trade winds that move from east to west are
strengthened.
La Niña
 Moving air brings along too much water vapor.
 Areas that experienced severe drought which
was caused by El Niño may encounter above
normal rainfall.
 But in some cases, areas that experience dry
season will be drier than normal conditions.
 La Niña’s effects are the opposite of El Niño.
La Niña
 What can be done?
First we must admit that 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…

 Heating and Cooling
•Install programmable thermostats.
•Check and repair weather stripping on doors and
windows.
•Adjust your clothing instead of the thermostat.
•Keep furnace and AC filters clean.
•Consider closing off unused rooms.
•Install insulated drapes.
•Plant deciduous trees on the sunny side of your
home.
 CONSERVE HOT WATER
In the average home, 17% of energy is used to heat water.

•Take shorter showers.

•Install low flow shower heads.
•Install a blanket on your hot water
heater.
•Insulate hot water pipes.
•Wash laundry in cold water.
•Only run the dishwasher if it’s full.
•Fix leaky faucets
 Conserve in the Car
•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 the school bus.
•Support public transportation.
•Consider a smaller car or a hybrid for
your next vehicle.
Conserve Electricity
•Unplug chargers for cell phones and
other appliances when not in use.
•Get in the habit of turning lights and
appliances off.
•Vacuum the coils on the back of the
fridge monthly.
•Change to compact fluorescent
bulbs.
•Make your next computer a laptop.
•Install timers or motion sensors on
outdoor lights.
 Reduce waste
•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 the recipient’s name.

What other ways can you cut down on waste?

 STRATEGIES TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE
 WALK OR BIKE INSTEAD OF DRIVING A CAR
 USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS AS THESE
ENERGY-EFFICIENT
 REDUCE HEATING AND AIR-CONDITIONING IN YOUR
HOMES
 USE CAR POOLS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
 BUY LOCAL AND SEASONAL PRODUCE
 PUT A LID ON VESSELS WHEN COOKING
 TURN OFF ALL ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES INSTEAD OF
PUTTING THEM ON STANDBY WHEN NOT IN USE
 UNPLUG ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES WHEN FULLY CHARGED
 KEEP THE OPENING OF FRIDGE AND FREEZER DOORS TO THE
MINIMUM
 USE PRESSURE COOKERS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

RENEW, RECYCLE, REUSE

YOU HAVE A CHOICE
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO
SAVE THE EARTH
TAKE A PLEDGE TODAY TO ADOPT THE
STRATEGIES TO REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE
AND LET’S ALL JOIN IN THE EFFORT TO
MAKE THE
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME…

…and there may never be again. Do your part.

HELP SAVE EARTH