IB Geography - Atmosphere

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

 http://www.bbc.com/news/scienceenvironment-34763036
http://www.bbc.com/news/scienceenvironment-35354579

Report Objective
To able to discuss [a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses - opinions or conclusions
should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence] the causes and environmental consequences of global climate change.
To develop some of the skills and understanding needed to produce a DP Geography IA.

Report Question
To what extent are the causes of global climate change natural? [15 Marks + 4 Marks]
Task
Produce a report (900 words maximum) that discusses to what extent the causes of global climate change are natural.

It should be text based but supported with diagrams, images and data visualizations.

Your report should include:

What is 'global climate change'?

Discussion of the predicted levels/amounts of global climate change.
What are the causes of global climate change?
Discussion of whether all the causes of global climate change are human-induced or not.
Don't just include images to make it look pretty - all images should be used and integrated into the reports discussion.

Note
Note44-the
-the yyaxis
axisdoes
does not
not show
show
Note
Note
1
Note
-22the
--since
3since
-temperature
There
1860
shows
have
this
a-also
temperature
been
the
actual
ititsteady
shows
Note
Note
3graph
-temperature
There
1860
have
this-also
temperature
beenrise in
the
actual
shows
cooler
has
global
than
only
temperature.
average
been
about
years.
1C
the
difference
from
the
average!
rise
cooler
has
than
only
average
been
about
years.
1C
therise
difference
from
the
average!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8400905.stm

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Physical Factors

Solar variation
Volcanic activity
Ocean currents
Milankovitch
cycles

Human Factors
Burning fossil fuels
Increased output of
methane etc.
Deforestation
Increase of CFCs

PHYSICAL 1-SOLAR VARIATION

The
Thesuns
sunsoutput
output varies
varies slightly
slightlyfrom
from time
timeto
totime
time
--its
itssize
sizeis
iseven
even known
knownto
tochange
changeby
byaafraction
fraction
as
asititexpands
expandsand
andcontracts.
contracts.

PHYSICAL 1 - SOLAR VARIATION

Sunspots:
Sunspots: an
anincrease
increase
in
insunspot
sunspot activity
activitymay
may
lead
leadto
to aa very
veryslight
slight
increase
increasein
in the
thesuns
suns
output
outputand
andaa temporary
temporary
warming
warming of
of the
theearth.
earth.
Sunspot
Sunspotactivity
activity
follows
follows11
11and
and 22
22 year
year
cycles.
cycles.
The
TheLittle
LittleIce
IceAge
Age of
of
1450-1700
1450-1700may
mayhave
have
been
been linked
linkedto
toperiods
periodsof
of
very
verylow
low sunspot
sunspot
activity.
activity.

PHYSICAL 2 - VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

Eruptions of volcanoes
can throw millions of
tonnes of ash,dust and
sulphur dioxide into
the atmosphere.
This produces aerosols
that can reduce the
amount of sunlight
reaching the earth.
This can lead to a
temporary cooling of
the earth.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS 2
Major eruptions in the past which
have been linked to short periods of
global cooling include
Tambora (1815),
(1883),
(1980) and
(1991)

Krakatoa
Mt. St Helens
Pinatubo

When
WhenMt.
Mt.
Pinatubo
Pinatubo
erupted
eruptedin
in1991
1991
an
anestimated
estimated22
22
million
milliontons
tonsof
of
ash
ashwas
wasthrown
thrown
into
into the
the
atmosphere,
atmosphere,
cooling
coolingthe
the
worlds
worldsclimate
climate
by
byabout
about 1C.
1C.

When
WhenTambora
Tambora
erupted
eruptedin
in1815
1815
ititled
ledto
to1816
1816
being
beingcalled
called the
the
year
year without
without
summer,
summer, when
when
summer
summerfrosts
frosts
and
and other
other major
major
weather
weather
problems
problemswere
were
experienced.
experienced. ItIt
cooled
cooledthe
the
global
global climate
climateby
by
3C.
3C.

PHYSICAL 3 - MILANKOVITCH CYCLES

Wobble!
Roll!
Stretch!

 Milankovitch
cycles are three
variations in the
earths orbit.
Although they
may be linked to
very long term
changes in the
climate, their
effect would not
be noticed on a
scale of a few
hundred years.

PHYSICAL 4 - OCEAN CURRENTS

Changes in the pattern and strength of ocean
currents may lead to changes in the
distribution of heat around the planet.
A short term example would be El Nio,
which appears every few years.
A longer term example would be the North
Atlantic Drift, which may change position
every few thousand years.

ENSO - the El Nio Southern Oscillation

The
Thenormal
normal
conditions,
conditions,with
withcool
cool
surface
surfacewater
wateroff
offthe
the
coast
coastof
ofPeru.
Peru.

AALa
LaNia
Niayear
year

Every
Every2-7
2-7years
yearsthe
thewestern
western
Pacific
Pacificbecomes
becomesmuch
much
warmer,
warmer,disrupting
disruptingweather
weather
patterns
patterns--possibly
possiblyon
onaa
global
globalscale.
scale.

An
AnEl
ElNio
Nioyear
year

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldn
ews/australiaandthepacific/australia/825
4976/Australia-floods-what-caused-theflooding.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/n
ewsid_9340000/9340513.stm

One
Onetheory
theory
suggests
suggests
that
thatglobal
global
warming
warmingwill
will
increase
increasethe
the
number
numberof
of
icebergs
icebergsin
in
the
theAtlantic,
Atlantic,
cooling
coolingthe
the
sea
seaand
and
switching
switchingoff
off
the
theNorth
North
Atlantic
Atlantic
Drift
Drift//
Atlantic
Atlantic
Conveyor
Conveyor
system.
system.This
This
would
wouldbe
bebad
bad
news
newsfor
forus!
us!

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Physical Factors

Solar variation
Volcanic activity
Ocean currents
Milankovitch
cycles

Human Factors
Burning fossil fuels
Increased output of
methane etc.
Deforestation
Increase of CFCs

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

- HUMAN FACTORS 1 - THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE
EFFECT.

HUMAN 1 - BURNING FOSSIL FUELS

The fossil fuels are: COAL
OIL
NATURAL GAS
They are called fossil
fuels because they are
formed from the
remains of ancient
plants (coal) and
marine animals (oil).

BURNING FOSSIL FUELS

When
Whenwe
we
burn
burnthese
these
fuels,
fuels,we
we
release
release
millions
millionsof
of
tonnes
tonnesof
of
Carbon
Carbon
Dioxide
Dioxide
(CO2)
(CO2)into
into
the
the
atmosphere.
atmosphere.

There
Therehas
has
been
been an
an
enormous
enormous
increase
increase in
in
these
these
greenhouse
greenhouse
gases
gases since
since
the
the
Industrial
Industrial
Revolution
Revolution
began
began
about
about200
200
years
yearsago.
ago.

BURNING FOSSIL FUELS

Power
Powerstations
stationsare
are one
oneof
of the
themain
main
producers
producersof
ofgreenhouse
greenhouse gases
gases
such
such as
asCarbon
Carbon Dioxide.
Dioxide.

Environmental
Environmental
campaigners
campaignersall
all
over
overthe
theworld
worldare
are
demanding
demandingcuts
cutsin
in
CO
CO22 emissions.
emissions.
Here
HereGreenpeace
Greenpeace
uses
usesaalight
light
display
displayto
toget
getits
its
message
messageacross.
across.

HUMAN 1 - VEHICLE EXHAUSTS

Vehicle
Vehicle
exhausts
exhausts
are
are the
the
main
main
source
source of
of
Nitrous
Nitrous
Oxides.
Oxides.

BURNING FOSSIL FUELS

Photo
Photochemical
chemicalsmog
smog in
in Beijing,
Beijing,China.
China.

HUMAN 2 - INCREASED METHANE

The
Thehuge
hugeincrease
increasein
inworld
worldpopulation
populationand
andin
inthe
thearea
areaof
of
land
landgiven
givenover
overto
tocrops
cropsin
ingeneral
generaland
andto
torice
rice
production
productionin
inparticular,
particular,has
hasled
ledto
toaarapid
rapidrise
risein
inglobal
global
methane
methaneproduction.
production.Farmland
Farmlandfor
forrice
ricehas
hasdoubled
doubledin
in
45
45years.
years.

When
When II digest
digest grass,
grass, II
produce
produce methane
methane -- lots
lots
of
of it!
it!

HUMAN 2 - INCREASED METHANE

A cow can burp / fart about a quarter of a kg.
of methane a day.
The number of cattle has doubled in the past 40
years. Sheep, goats and camels are also
ruminants.
There are now 1.3 billion cattle, each burping /
farting methane several times a minute!
The New Zealand government has a
flatulence tax on cattle farms.

HUMAN 3 - DEFORESTATION
Forests
Forestsabsorb
absorbCO
CO22 and
and
release
releaseoxygen:
oxygen:

...if
...if they
theyare
arecut
cutdown,
down, atmospheric
atmospheric levels
levelsof
of CO
CO22 must
must
rise
riseas
asaaconsequence.
consequence.

HUMAN 3 - DEFORESTATION
Clearing
forest by
burning
releases huge
amounts of
stored CO2
back into the
atmosphere.
The smoke
from the fires
also adds to
global air
pollution.

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE - REVIEW

OF MAIN POINTS

Physical Factors

Human Factors

Burning fossil fuels

Increased output of
methane
Deforestation

Solar variation
Volcanic activity
Ocean currents
Milankovitch
cycles

KEY TERMS TO REMEMBER

Solar variation / Sunspots

Volcanic eruptions /Sulphur dioxide /Aerosols
Milankovitch cycles
El Nio
Enhanced Greenhouse effect
Carbon Dioxide / Methane / Nitrous Oxides
The Industrial Revolution / burning fossil fuels
Paddy fields / cattle / methane production
Deforestation

Impact of climate change

What has happened already?
What could happen if temperatures continue to
rise?
Summarise these from pages 115-120 and add to
effects table
Read about The Kyoto Protocol and the ToK
box pgs 122-128.
Ensure you have completed research on Paris
2015
Qblock page 128