backward forward home exit iii. how will global warming affect our environment? 1. what kinds of...

BackwardBackward ForwardForwardHomeHome ExitExit

III. How will global warming affect III. How will global warming affect our environment?our environment?

III. How will global warming affect III. How will global warming affect our environment?our environment?

1. What kinds of climatic change will 1. What kinds of climatic change will global warming bring about?global warming bring about?

According to predictions, regions in the According to predictions, regions in the high high latitudeslatitudes would suffer a greater increase in would suffer a greater increase in temperature than those near the equatortemperature than those near the equator

According to predictions, regions in the According to predictions, regions in the high high latitudeslatitudes would suffer a greater increase in would suffer a greater increase in temperature than those near the equatortemperature than those near the equator

a. Temperaturea. Temperature


Continental landmassesContinental landmasses are likely are likely to experience a greater temperature to experience a greater temperature

increase than the increase than the oceansoceans

Continental landmassesContinental landmasses are likely are likely to experience a greater temperature to experience a greater temperature

increase than the increase than the oceansoceans


Heat wavesHeat waves would come would come

more often and last longermore often and last longer

• August, 2003

• more than 11 000

people died in

France’s heat wave

• temperatures rose to

40°C


b. Precipitationb. Precipitation

Higher temperatures would Higher temperatures would result in significantly more result in significantly more water vapour in the air, and water vapour in the air, and increase the world’s precipitincrease the world’s precipitation by about 8%ation by about 8%


• More likely for higher latitudehigher latitude regionsregions to have wetter conditions

• Areas near the tropicstropics would be likely to have less rainfall


There are also predictions of There are also predictions of more more extreme weather conditionsextreme weather conditions if if global warming continuesglobal warming continues

c. Extreme weatherc. Extreme weather

Tornado

Typhoon

Cold spell

Heat wave

Drought

Heavy storm


TyphoonTyphoonTyphoonTyphoon

Click the Screen to Start


2. What is the relationship between global 2. What is the relationship between global warming and rising sea levels?warming and rising sea levels?

Sea levels will rise with Sea levels will rise with global warming because global warming because of thermal expansion of thermal expansion and melting of glacial and melting of glacial and polar iceand polar ice

Sea levels will rise with Sea levels will rise with global warming because global warming because of thermal expansion of thermal expansion and melting of glacial and melting of glacial and polar iceand polar ice


• Actually, sea levels are already rising Actually, sea levels are already rising at a rate of 2.5 (at a rate of 2.5 (±±0.9) mm per year 0.9) mm per year

• Predictions also indicate that there is Predictions also indicate that there is a 50% chance of a sea-level rise rate a 50% chance of a sea-level rise rate of 3.4 cm or more per year by 2010of 3.4 cm or more per year by 2010


• Climatic changes induced by global Climatic changes induced by global warming would lead to changes in warming would lead to changes in the hydrological environmentthe hydrological environment

• FloodingFlooding and and droughtsdroughts would be would be more frequent due to changes in more frequent due to changes in precipitation patternsprecipitation patterns

3. How will global warming affect the water cycle?3. How will global warming affect the water cycle?


Increased melting of ice and snow Increased melting of ice and snow

would affect would affect river flowsriver flows, , lake lake levelslevels and and groundwater storagegroundwater storage, ,

as well as as well as soil moisturesoil moisture

Increased melting of ice and snow Increased melting of ice and snow

would affect would affect river flowsriver flows, , lake lake levelslevels and and groundwater storagegroundwater storage, ,

as well as as well as soil moisturesoil moisture


4. What are the ecological impacts of 4. What are the ecological impacts of global warming?global warming?

• Global warming would change the distribution and abundance distribution and abundance of plant and animal speciesof plant and animal species

• To an extreme, it might increase risks of species extinctionextinction


• Polar bears in some arctic Polar bears in some arctic regions are having fewer regions are having fewer cubs (babies), possibly as a cubs (babies), possibly as a result of earlier spring ice result of earlier spring ice breakupbreakup

• Sea ice is now melting Sea ice is now melting earlier in spring and earlier in spring and forming later in autumnforming later in autumn


The time each year that polar

bears can hunt for food is

thus shortened

backward forward home exit iii. how will global warming affect our environment? 1. what kinds of...

Documents