GEO 454 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Sea Level Rise, Thermal Expansion, Subsistence Agriculture
23 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
Carbon we use has been buried in earth until we extract and burn it into air. Summary of studies to reach consensus on climate change by scientists. Burning fossil fuels releases net new co2. Atmosphere co2 now 400 parts per million (pre-industrial level was 200 ppm) Co2 emissions are up 81% just since 1970. (because developing in asia, etc) Global average: temperature up 1. 5 degrees fahrenheit (1880- 2012) Oceans soak up carbon dioxide- carbonic acid- dissolving ocean species. Impacts on natural and human systems (on all continents and across oceans) Ghg emissions to increase 20-90% by 2030. Sea level rise 0. 2 to 0. 6 inches by 2100. Per capita, the u. s. has the 2nd most emission in world. Risks are distributed (but are greater for the already disadvantaged) Even droughts in syria caused probs leading up to political probs. Change is inevitable, but there are diverse scenarios. Research on relationship between transportation and co2 emissions.
