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- Evidence: Defining the Problem
of Global Warming
- Global Warming:
- Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature,
which in turn causes changes in climate.
- Greenhouse effect:
- The greenhouse effect is the
rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in
the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane,
for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would
escape back into space and Earth’s average temperature would be about 60ºF
colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to
as greenhouse gases. (Global warming and greenhouse effect)
- Complete the following worksheet:
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- Any gas that absorbs infra-red radiation in the atmosphere
- Greenhouse gases include water vapor,
- Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4),
- Nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs) ,
- Ozone (O3),
- Perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), and
- Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
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- Global warming is caused whenever and wherever greenhouse gases are
produced.
- When Do You Send Greenhouse Gases into the Air?
- Whenever you ...
- * Watch TV *
Play a Video Game
- * Use Air Conditioner * Listen
to a Stereo
- * Turn on a Light *
Wash/Dry Clothes
- * Use a Hair Dryer * Use a
Dish Washer
- Ride in a Car * Microwave
a Meal
... you are helping to send greenhouse gas into the air.
- http://www.ecobridge.org/content/g_cse.htm
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- Human Health
* heath stress and other
heat related problems
- * air pollution
- * changes in food and water
supplies
- * coastal flooding
- Ecological Systems
- Fish Production
- Sea Level Rise
- Crops and Food Supply
- Negative effects on Forest Growth
- Effects of Global Warming
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- The problem of global cannot be solved by one country. Hence, it
requires the cooperation of all countries in the world. This is reason
behind the efforts and initiatives of various United Nations groups and
agencies. This include United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
- These agencies have organized international conferences to discuss the
problem of global warming. Such conferences have resulted in the
following international policies aimed at stopping global warming: the
UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the UNFCCC (United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), and the Kyoto Protocol.
- These Kyoto protocol is awaiting the ratification of the major countries
of the world that have contribute most to the problem of global warming.
Such countries include the U.S.A, Japan, and Canada.
- In additional the international efforts to reduce the emission of
greenhouse gases, individual countries are also are also making separate
policies and regulations aimed at cutting the emission of the dangerous
gases.
- UNFCCC Home page
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- The formation of a generally acceptable international policy to reduce
the gases that cause global warming has been a difficult task. Many
countries, particularly those who have contributed most to global
warming, have refused to accept and ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which is
the only international policy framework in place.
- Clean and renewable energy policies have helped many countries around
the world to cut their national emission of greenhouse gases. Fore
example, some countries in Europe have reduced their annual emission of
greenhouse gases through such policy measures.
- Complete the evaluating existing public policies worksheet
- http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/PPA/worksheet4gh.html
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- The best way to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases is by public
education, and the formulation of clean energy policies in individual
countries.
- Unfortunately the urgency of the climate change is overwhelmed by
economic of nations.
- The various United Nations agencies should also continue to put pressure
on the industrialized countries to accept and ratify the Kyoto Protocol
on climate change.
- Policies that cut emission will also create jobs in the field of
renewable energy.
- Industrial countries overall spend about $200 billion as subsidies for
coal and oil production. These are the major sources of greenhouse
gases. If those subsidies were
phased out and equivalent subsidies created for renewable energy sources
(example, fuel cell, wind farms, and solar systems), oil companies would
use them to retool and retrain their workers to become aggressive
developers of renewable energy systems.
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- What are the causes of Global Warming Use the TIPs worksheet.
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Notes
