Climate Change

Climate Change

1. Evidence of Climate Change

   • Physical
     • Fossils
     • Landforms e.g. U shaped valleys from retreating glaciers
     • Samples from ice sheets
   • Human
     • Photos, drawings and paintings
     • Written records
     • Recorded dates of regular events

2. Climate Change Theories

   • Asteroid Theory
   • Human Theory
   • Eruption Theory
   • Orbital Theory
   • Sun Spot Theory

3. Case Studies

   • Megafauna
     • Megafauna - Big Animals
       • Wooly Mammoths + Sabre Tooth Tigers
     • 10,000 - 15,000 years ago
     • Two new stresses - Humans and Climate Change
     • They migrate to a new environment that suits them
       • Finding food in the new area was hard
         • Disrupted food chains
           • Climate change stress may have made the Megafauna weaker
   • Little Ice Age
     • "Frost Fairs" were held on the frozen river thames
     • Before the little ice age had begun, there was a warm period and Europe's population grew and land on the hillsides were given as farmland
       • In 1315, growth crashed to a halt as the little ice age took place
         • Cold and rain lashed Europe in the spring and summer
           • Wheat and oats did not ripen and the harvest failed
             • The cool, wet weather continued into 1316 and 1317
               • By 1917 the "Great Famine" had begun and it lasted till 1325
                 • 10-20% of peasant farmers may have died of hunger
           • The Black Death hit Europe in 1349.
             • Killed more people than the famine did.
             • Made worse by the weather conditions
             • Glaciers then grew and slide down the valleys, destroying villages
               • People adapted and started to grow potatoes which were suited to the environment

4. The Atmosphere

   • Atmospheric Gases
     • Nitrogen 78.1% Important nutrient for plant growth
     • Oxygen 20.9% Is breathed in by animals, which breath out CO2
     • Carbon Dioxide 0.03% Breathed in by plants
     • Water Vapour 1% Form clouds which are a vital part of the water cycle
   • Greenhouse Gases
     • Carbon Dioxide 89% GGP
       • Produced through burning fossil fuels
     • Methane 7% GGP
       • Produced through farming and gas pipeline leaks
     • Nitrous Oxide 3% GGP
       • Produced in car engines
     • Halocarbons 1% GGP
       • Used as a solvent and a coolent

5. Air Masses

   • Polar Maritime
     • An air mass that has traveled from the north over the sea, bringing cold, wet weather.
   • Arctic Maritime
     • An air mass originating from the Arctic area, bringing cold, snowy weather.
   • Polar Continental
     • An air mass that has traveled over Europe bringing the cold, dry weather from Russia and Siberia
   • Tropical Maritime
     • An air mass that has traveled from the north west bringing warm, wet weather.
   • Tropical Continental
     • An air mass that travels over southern Europe bringing warm, dry weather.

6. How to combat Climate Change?

   • Locally
     • Solar Panels
     • Using public transport
     • Reducing, Reusing, Recycling
     • Growing your own
     • Turn off appliances when not in use
   • Nationally
     • Improve public transport
     • Insentives to being green
     • Recycling scheme improvement
     • Change laws/ policies on car emissions
     • Introduce penalties for not using public transport
   • Globally
     • Bring in Protocals
       • Kyoto Protocal
         • Aim to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in each country

7. Ocean Currents

   • Movements of surface water set in motion by prevailing winds and affect the climate on coastal areas.
   • North Hemisphere - Clockwise
   • South Hemisphere - Anti-Clockwise
   • Warm currents carry water from the tropics to the poles
   • Cold currents carry water from the poles to the topics