Why do we care about global warming? Karen Chan Jovita Chan Gody Chung Natalie Cheng

Why do we care about global Why do we care about global warming?warming?

Karen ChanKaren ChanJovita Chan Jovita Chan Gody ChungGody Chung

Natalie ChengNatalie Cheng

Why does global warming become alarming?

1. Sea Level Rise

• Sea level rise caused by the thermal expansion of sea water (climate warming and widespread melting of land ice)

• The chart on the left the historical sea level ground data the sea level raises 1.7mm per year

• The chart on the right the average sea level since 1993 derived from global satellite measurements

• Global sea level rose about 17 cm in the last century• The rate in the last decade nearly double that of the last century

Environmentally…

Why does global warming become alarming?Environmentally…

2. Global Temperature rise

• the change in global surface temperature relative to 1951-1980 average temperatures

• January 2000 to December 2009 the warmest decade increased from -0.3 oC in 1880 to 0.6 oC in 2010 (a 0.9 oC rise)

世界氣象組織：去年歷來最熱 ( 法新社 )2011 年 1 月 21 日星期五

聯合國世界氣象組織（World Meteorological Organization, WMO）今天表示， 2010 年是有紀錄以來最熱的 1 年，證實「顯著」的長期全球暖化趨勢。 WMO發布聲明指出，北極海冰層的高度在上個月融化到歷年 12 月份的最低紀錄，全球暖化趨勢是原因之一。自人類開始保留以儀器測得的天氣紀錄以來，過去 10 年的全球氣溫已創下歷來最熱 10 年的紀錄。

Global Temperature rises 2010 = hottest year on record

2000-2010 = hottest decade ever



3. Declining arctic sea ice & shrinking of ice sheets

Arctic ice in September 2009

Arctic ice in September 2010

Arctic ice in 1979-2010:Arctic ice in 1979-2010:

• Overall decrease

•1979 about 6.4 million km2 sea ice

• 2010 about 4 million km2 sea ice

• Highest= 1980 about 7 million km2

• Lowest = 2007 about 3.6million km2

• The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased a lot

• Greenland lost 150 to 250 km3 of ice per year between 2002 and 2006

• Antarctica lost about 152 km3 of ice between 2002 and 2005.

Flowing melt water from the Flowing melt water from the Greenland ice sheetGreenland ice sheet


Average Glacier thickness is decreasing from 1960 to 2000s


Glacial retreats

Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world — including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa.

Retreat of Greenland's Glacier from 2001 to 2005


4. Extinction of species

全球暖化，不僅威脅北極熊的生存，就連北極熊的「極地鄰居」—企鵝，也因為棲息地不斷縮小而受到牽連。在全球暖化下，受冰川溶化和捕獵者數目增加的影響，企鵝的棲息地正不斷縮小。根據世界自然基金會 (WWF)報告顯示，一旦全球氣溫上升攝氏 2度，其中 50% 的帝皇企鵝便會面臨棲息地縮減甚至消失的危機。

(2011 年 01 月 21 日 , 星期五都市日報 )

Sea ice shrinkage Emperor Penguins’ lives are threatened (lost of habitat)

• Sea ice shrinkage Polar bears’ lives are threatened

• estimated that by the early 2010s, female bears will be too thin to reproduce


“暖化殺珊瑚泰關數十潛水區” (明報 )2011 年 1 月 21日星期五去年 4月至 5月底，安達曼海的海平面溫度上升至 34℃ 印尼亞齊省一些珊瑚品種在去年 5月至 8月之間有 80% 死亡。港人熱門潛水地點泰國南部遭遇生態環境危機將關閉數十個位於該國西南安達曼海（ Andaman Sea）的潛水區，原因是當地珊瑚礁由於海平面溫度異常升高而嚴重白化。

Warmer water bleaching of coral in Andaman Sea in Thailand80% coral died in India

5. Bleaching of coral

Why does global warming become alarming?Socially…

• rise in sea level• low-lying coastal areas are threatened• Over the last century sea

levels risen about 20 cm• further rises of the ocean threaten the

existence of Maldives • lowest country in the world• maximum natural ground level =2.3 m • average 1.5 m above sea level• People’s lives threatened • need to consider of leaving Republic of Maldives: threatened

by a rise in sea level

1. Low-lying areas will be flooded

Why does global warming become alarming?Socially…

2003 European heat waveJune 2003 to August 2003Mostly in western Europe More than 40,000Europeans diede.g. France 14,802 heat-related deaths seven days with temperatures of more than 40 °C

e.g. 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat wave cause 2010 Russian wildfires 56,000 people died from smog & heat wave

2. Health Risks

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Canicule_Europe_2003.jpg

Why does global warming become alarming?Economically…

1. Crops failure due to heat waves

• 2003 European heat wave shortfalls in wheat harvest occurred as a result of the long drought

France - 20%Italy - 13%United Kingdom - 12%Moldova - 80%

• European total production down by 10 million tonnes, or 10%

Why does global warming become alarming?Economically…

2.Recreation & tourism

Vanishing Bolivian Glacier Ends Highest Ski Run – Bloomburg (By Jonathan J. Levin and Jose Orozco - August 5, 2009 10:59 EDT)

“It’s regrettable for the children, the youth of the city,” said the Club Andino’s (ski resort) president. “Tourists will prefer the ski centers in Chile and Argentina.” Chacaltaya glacier, range of the Bolivian Andes in South America an area of 0.22 km² reduced to 0.01 km² in 2007 completely gone by 2009 Bolivia lost its only ski resort no more ski industry less tourists affect tourism

Why does global warming become alarming?Global Warming is currently affecting us…

-There was a rapid rise of the sea level from 1990 to 1999

- a moderate decline thereafter

- On average, the mean sea level in the Victoria Harbour has risen at a rate of 2.6 mm per year during the period 1954 to 2009.

1. Temperature Rise in HK- An average rise of 0.12°C per decade from 1885 to 2009

- The rate of increase in average temperature faster in the latter half of the 20th century

- From 1947 to 2009, the average rise amounted to 0.16°C per decade, accelerating to 0.28°C per decade during 1980-2009

Annual mean sea level at Victoria Harbour (1954-2009)

Therefore, global warming is also affecting us alarming

2. Rise in sea level in HK

What actions can be taken to tackle global warming?Government

1. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

• Since 1997 Government banned the construction of new coal-fired generating units in favor of natural gas • emits around 50% less greenhouse gas for the same amount of electricity produced

• Power companies take measures to maximize the use of natural gas in electricity generation• May 2005Government set a target of having 1-2% of Hong Kong’s total electricity supply met by renewable by 2012.


2. Raising public awareness

Encourage the Public to Set Air-conditioning Encourage the Public to Set Air-conditioning Temperature at 25.5°CTemperature at 25.5°C

• 1/3 of the electricity consumed in HK air conditioning• Setting room temperature at 25.5°C• dress lightly in the summer time reasonable level of thermal comfort while consuming less electricity for air-conditioning

Assist the Public to Choose Energy Efficient Assist the Public to Choose Energy Efficient ProductsProducts

• voluntary Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme (EELS) for appliances, equipment and vehicles • aims = inform product's level of energy consumption and efficiency rating choose more energy efficient products • mandatory EELS • first phase :room air conditioners, refrigerating, compact fluorescent lamps


3. Improving transport systems

Extend Public Transport SystemExtend Public Transport System• Extensive and energy-efficient public transport system in HK control greenhouse gas emissions at a low level• 90% of the 11 million commuter trips each day public transport system• Further expanding and upgrading our public transport infrastructure + emphasis on railwayse.g. Development of South Island Line in MTRC

Promote Cleaner VehiclesPromote Cleaner Vehicles• Encourage the use of cleaner vehicles tax incentive schemes(environment-friendly petrol private cars and commercial vehicles)• Vehicles meeting the energy efficiency and exhaust emission criteria the First Registration Tax reduced

Government

Promote the Use of Biodiesel as Motor Promote the Use of Biodiesel as Motor Vehicle FuelVehicle Fuel

• Biodiesel is a kind of renewable energy • Promote the use of biodiesel for motor uses the duty-free arrangement for use of biodiesel as motor vehicle fuel• Specifications on the use of biodiesel in motor vehicles promote development of the biodiesel market

What actions can be taken to tackle global warming?

What actions can be taken to tackle global warming?Individuals

• Carbon footprint = total amount of carbon dioxide emissions resulting directly or indirectly from an individuals’ lifestyle

• The bigger the footprint the more greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere

1. Reducing the size of carbon footprint

Take shorter hot showers less electricity is used

Turn off electrical appliances when they are not in use/ switch off standby (lights, television, DVD player, Hi Fi, computer etc. ) save energy

Fill your washing machine with full load save water, electricity, and washing powder

Use energy-saving electrical appliances (e.g compact florescent lamps) reduce the use of electricity and emit less pollutant

Consume hybrid electric vehicles since petrol and batteries are used as their fuels save half of the fuel

Eat less beef since cattle ranching release more methane

Use mass transport system (e.g. MTR) less vehicles are used and emit less pollutants( e.g. CO2)

Individuals

What actions can be taken to tackle global warming?

Why would people oppose the belief of global warming?

Individuals

• It won’t help a lot even if people in a small city became environmentally friendly why should we change our lifestyle if it doesn’t help the globe?• inconvenient to change our lifestyle e.g. to take public transport instead of private cars e.g. reduce the use of air-conditioner in short term, I feel uncomfortable with the sudden change of my lifestyle in long term, it may not be affecting me when problems go more serious

• Electric companies renewable energy e.g. solar energy is very costly - import of solar panelsMay not be able to use renewable energy - due to insufficient land

• Business sector the reduce of the use of coal may reduce the income made by power generation from coal-fired power plantcostly energy-saving appliances may not be supported in office (e.g. light bulb)

• Individualthe energy-saving appliances (light bulbs, refrigerators, vehicles) are very expensivemay not be affordable

Cost

-END-Thank you for watching!

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Why do we care about global warming? Karen Chan Jovita Chan Gody Chung Natalie Cheng