Hernandez 1

Brian Hernandez
Dr. Berland
PHYS 190
January 15, y
Global Climate Change

Introduction
Global climate change is a pressing issue nowadays. It has been the cause of
heated debate among politicians, scientists, and ordinary citizens alike. The issue was
formerly known as global warming, but climate change was adopted so that the
emphasis was on all of the effects of climate change, not just a rise in temperatures.
The first concerns regarding climate change surfaced in the late-1950s, when Hans
Seusss carbon-14 isotope analysis showed that the CO released from fossil fuels was
not being immediately absorbed by the ocean. This lead scientists to look further into
the issue, and they came to the conclusion that carbon dioxide emissions could
potentially be a problem [1]. Sixty years later, we have come a long way in learning
about the climate and the environment, but we still have lots to learn. Plenty of
questions posed sixty years ago have been left unanswered.
The importance of studying climate change cannot be overstated. Climate
change can have an immense effect on the Earth and all its inhabitants, so the
importance of studying the causes and effects of climate change is obivous. However,
while climate change has an huge effect on us, action taken to prevent and/or reduce

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the effects of climate change can be equally as damaging despite the good intentions of
said policies and/or publications. There are political, economic, and environmental
consequences for inadequate action being taken.
An example of a dangerous publication with good intentions is Al Gores An
Inconvenient Truth. The book is more of a tear-jerker than a scientific book. The book
appeals to the pathos of readers by including pictures of polar bears and penguins next
to large text about how they are both losing their habitats. It also includes computer
simulation models of what major coastal cities around the world will look like with
projected sea level rises. The book is also geared toward a child audience, targeting the
the next generation of policymakers and decision makers at a young age so that the
book is sure to have an impact on them that will carry into their adulthood.
An example of a flawed section in Gores book is the section about Mt.
Kilimanjaro. The first page of the chapter entitled Cold, Hard Evidence features a
picture of Dr. Lonnie Thompson - a climate scientist who claims that the snowcaps of
Mt. Kilimanjaro are shrinking, and attributes this to global warming. The next page
contains a large picture of the summit of the Tanzanian mountain in 2005 with barely
any snow on the top. In an outset on the same page, there is the same picture taken in
1970 with the mountain sporting a beautiful white cap. [2] After a bit of research, it is
easy to see that the pictures featured were very carefully selected. I found pictures
taken of the same mountain in 1970 with barely any snow; likewise, I found pictures of
the mountain in 2005 with a snow-covered peak. The pictures featured in the book
could very well have been taken during the winter months of 1970 and summer months

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of 2005 just to stress the point being made. In fact, the lack of glaciers at the summit at
any point in time can be attributed mostly to sublimation (the change of a solid directly
to a gas without reaching the liquid phase), and very little to melting. [3]
Misinformation can lead people to believe claims that may not necessarily be
true. This can be devastating from a political perspective. Misinformation can lead
politicians to be convinced to take action on a certain issue even though any action may
be unnecessary or maybe even counterproductive.
One good political example of this is the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was
a legally binding treaty that set greenhouse-gas-emission targets for industrialized
countries. The treaty (despite the good intentions) is now regarded as a failure by many.
The timetable for emission reductions neither reflected an optimum for cost-benefit
analysis nor cost-efficiency analysis, so basically, the treaty went against everything
economists would have judged the treaty by. Also, developing countries - who are
projected to account for the largest increase in CO emissions - refused to participate. A
devastating blow was when the United States (the largest carbon emitter per capita)
refused to sign the treaty [4]. George W. Bush believed that Kyoto would have hurt the
economy of the US, and so it was not worth it [5]. Another weakness in the treaty was
that it would require that countries produce their own report on emission levels each
year, leaving room for skewed results in order to avoid penalties [4].
The main concern with being overzealous in enacting policy changes and
policymakers being misinformed is the economic repercussions. Many economists hold
the view that policies to curb CO emissions should take the form of price-based

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incentives, including taxes on carbon, rather than government action [6]. The market will
do the same work as the policies enacted by the government, only more effectively and
with less, if any, drawbacks.
Many companies are earning lots of money selling green products. The money
being earned in this section of the economy is boosting it on a large scale. This may
seem strange, considering these consumers are willing to pay a little bit more for these
products that tend to be more expensive. An easy explanation for the consumers acting
unpredictably is because of the incentive they have to save their planet. An example:
Ecobags, Inc., who sells tote bags made of recycled material, reported annual sales in
2009 at $3 million. [7]
The flip side to this is of course those companies who are willing to pay scientists
to find questionable evidence to support their cause in order to increase business. In
this case, the consumers would be fooled into purchasing products that arent actually
environmentally-friendly. This has happened quite a few times. In the 1940s and 50s,
Dr. Clare Patterson discovered the negative health effects of lead on humans; also
discovered that there was a large increase in lead levels in the environment compared
against historical lead levels - caused mostly by the presence of lead in gasoline [8].
The Ethyl Corporation (a proponent of lead in gasoline) hired Dr. Robert Kehoe to
investigate the levels of lead in the environment and the potential health effects of lead
on humans. Dr. Kehoe claimed that the levels of lead that Dr. Patterson found were as
normal as snow in December, and that there was no evidence suggesting that lead

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posed any health risks [9]. It turned out that Dr. Kehoes results were flawed, and that
the Ethyl Corporation hired him to cover up the health risks of their product.
Believe it or not, there can be environmental consequences to acting to save the
environment. If those who are working to eliminate climate change are misinformed,
they can actually end up causing more damage to the environment. With global
warming, temperatures are rising and snow is melting, causing many ski resorts to go
out of business, since they depend on the snowfall and accumulation. The resorts
closing down damages the economy of mountain range areas that depend on ski
business [10]. The natural tendency for the business owner would be to do anything to
save their business. So, if a report is released about snow melting at an alarming rate
due to global warming, worried ski resort owners will take action in order to save their
business. This action may include chemically altering snow or the mountain in order to
keep or make enough snow to stay in business. The effect is that the chemicals added
to the snow could be potentially harmful to the environment.

Loss of Glacial Mass

The melting of ice caps is a hot topic of discussion in climate change debate. It is
a very frequent argument in trying to prove climate change. The argument seems to be
common sense: when it gets hot, ice melts. When ice melts, it turns to water. Sea levels
rising could be potentially very damaging to a large fraction of the world, ruining entire
cities (possibly even states or countries), causing billions of dollars in damage and
countless casualties.

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The effects of the melting ice caps include coastal flooding, a decrease in the
worlds freshwater supply, and the reduction of the habitat of polar region animals.
A large portion of the worlds population inhabits coastal areas. Coastal areas
boast fertile lowlands, abundant marine resources, water transportation, and aesthetic
beauty. Coastal economies include commercial, recreational, and subsistence
fisheries, and tourism, agriculture and forestry dependent on the coastal climate. [11]
Knowing this, it is obvious that coastal flooding would be absolutely devastating on a
global scale. A table in the book Saving Kyoto shows the top 20 cities threatened by
coastal flooding in todays dollar amounts. Among the top 20 are some of the worlds
most important cities, including but not limited to: Miami at a damage estimate of $416
billion, New York at $320 billion, New Orleans at $234 billion, Tokyo at $174 billion, and
Amsterdam at $128 billion. [12]
According to Al Gore, water levels will rise by twenty feet if both Greenland and
Antarctica completely melt over the next century [2]. He faces strong opposition from
many; most of the predictions of expected water level rises are around one foot over the
next century [13]. This is because when ocean ice sheets melt, they do not cause the
water level to rise because the ice sheet as already displaced the volume of the water
[13]. It is similar to having a glass of ice water: when the ice melts, the waterline in your
cup does not rise. Past and projected sea level increases can be explained by an
increase in the volume of the ocean due to the expansion of the ocean [13], and landborne ice sheets that fall into the water . This is a basic principle in chemistry and
physics - when something gets hot, it expands. Sea level records reflect this: since 1700

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there has been an increase of about 150 mm (5.9 in) [14]. Over the last half of the 20th
century, sea levels rose about 1.8 mm (0.07 in) per year. This equals a 90 mm (3.5 in)
rise over the last 50 years, which is 60% of the sea level rise over the last 300 years
[14].
Drinking water is another pressing concern in the case of large scale glacier and
ice cap melting. The Himalayan glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau have been among the
most affected by global warming. The Himalayas provide more than half of the
drinking water for 40 percent of the worlds population If these glaciers disappear,
within the next half-century, 2.6 billion of the worlds people may well face a very serious
drinking water shortage. [2] The first half of this claim holds true, as glaciers hold about
75% of the Earths freshwater [15]. In Washington state alone, glaciers provide 1.8
trillion liters (470 billion gallons) of water each summer [15]. For the second half,
however, the exact opposite is true. Freshwater is obtained from glaciers through
meltwater, and the increased rate of melting would help in obtaining more fresh drinking
water [16].
Loss of habitat is an issue most people seem to get caught up in, particularly
those with children. The claims are that the polar ice caps are breaking up and melting,
and so polar bears must swim longer distances to reach the next ice floe while hunting,
and sometimes drown from exhaustion. Another popular claim is that penguins are also
suffering from thinning ice sheets in the Antarctic [2]. Contrary to popular belief,
Antarctica is actually gaining ice mass. The increase in temperature causes more

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precipitation, which would fall in the form of snow in the Antarctic. The accumulation of
snow forces down previously fallen snow, compacting it into ice, eventually forming a
glacier. This is what has been happening recently, so there is good reason to believe
that that there is no need to worry about our well-dressed flightless friends in the South
Pole. The same applies to the polar bears, though the process is a bit more difficult due
to the fact that the Arctic ice cap is much thinner than the Antarctic.
Overall, it can be concluded with confidence that we do not have as big a
problem concerning glaciers as we thought. The melting of glaciers only make up a very
small fraction of potential sea level rise, and the habitats of animals seem to be intact
for the time being.

Surface Temperatures
The rising of surface temperatures can obviously be correlated to the warming of
the Earth - as it gets hotter, so does the water. Water, however, has a very high specific
heat and takes much longer to heat up, and needs a much larger increase in heat to
increase the temperature of water to the same temperature as the air around it.
As mentioned in the previous section, rising sea levels can be mostly attributed
to the oceans heating up. As anything heats up, it expands, and water is no different. As
the oceans heat up, the volume of the water increases. Since the water has nowhere
else to go, it goes up, increasing the depth of the water by raising the water level.
Data collected on surface temperatures show that while the oceans have
warmed since 1910 [17], surface temperatures have risen by only 0.8C (1.4F) since

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1880 [18]. The slight rise in surface temperatures is consistent with the data presented
earlier showing that sea levels have risen slightly.
Severe weather occurrences are a concerning effect of warming surface
temperatures. The severe weather has similar consequences that coastal flooding does,
except with severe weather there is the possibility of damage by wind, or electrical
damage as well as flooding. Also, severe weather can affect the inland, whereas coastal
flooding obviously only affects the coast.
A hurricane is a synoptic-scale, non-frontal, low-pressure system in the
subtropics or tropics, with maximum sustained wind speeds greater than 33 m/s [74
mph] Sea-surface temperature must exceed 27C [80F], [19], and needs warm,
moist air at sea level [20]. Consistent with the marginal rise in surface temperatures,
there has been a very slight - if any - increase in the number of systems per year since
1850 [21]. Another piece of good news comes from a study done by NOAA in which it is
concluded that, It is premature to conclude that human activities--and particularly
greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming--have already had a detectable
impact on Atlantic hurricane activity. That said, human activities may have already
caused changes that are not yet detectable due to the small magnitude of the changes
or observational limitations, or are not yet properly modeled (e.g., aerosol effects), [22].
Thunderstorms are another kind of severe weather system that would be affected
by rising surface temperatures. A thunderstorm is defined as: A localized storm with
heavy precipitation, lightning, and the associated thunder, [19], and it needs warm,
moist air in the lower atmosphere [20]. While the warm, moist air in the lower can come

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from the ground, the ocean has a great impact on the birth of thunderstorms. This is
why the most humid areas in the United States (the coastal region) experiences the
most lightning flashes in the country annually. [23]
The effect of rising surface temperatures on sea levels and severe weather
systems is undeniable. Hurricanes, thunderstorms, and other severe weather systems
depends and feed on warm, moist air that is most abundant in warm waters. With
increasing surface temperatures, the severity of these storms will increase, causing
more damage, more casualties, and more catastrophe.

Taking Action
While climate change can be a very serious issue with many severe effects,
there are ways to prevent, stop, and maybe - someday in the future perhaps? - reverse
its effects. With an educated plan of attack and a little bit of hard work, humanity can
save the planet for real this time.
A wide scientific consensus leans toward the conclusion that a significant factor
in the cause of global warming can be attributed to carbon emissions. Therefore, the
best and most effective way to reduce the effect of global climate change is to live as
carbon-free as possible.
If one was to live by How to Live a Low-Carbon Life, one would be able make a
huge impact on the environment by himself just in the emissions he and his family and
friends (assuming they adopt his technique) limits. Of course, not everybody can adhere

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to every single suggestion in the book, but if one is disciplined enough to follow most of
the advice, they would take an enormous step towards saving the planet.
Some of these action steps include lowering the thermostat during the winter
months and vice versa for the summer months, having better insulation so that the
thermostat doesnt have to work as hard to heat the house, cooking with gas, replacing
incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs, replacing old TVs with with LCD
displays, using public transportation more frequently, planting trees, and switching off
appliances when not in use [24].
Most of these may sound they have no real impact since they are on such a
small scale, but if you consider enacting at least half of these recommended steps, over
a years time, your annual carbon-emission total will have dropped dramatically since a
good number of these small actions taken will compound over time and eventually end
up making a pretty significant difference. Now just think if we can get the upper and
middle class (those who are in the best position to carry out most of these procedures)
to adhere to this living regimen.
Another way of taking action without having to change the way you live would be
being informed. John Stuart Mill, a very famous and influential philosopher, once said
that major sources of unhappiness stem from unselfishness and lack of mental
cultivation, implying that with the proper education, one could achieve happiness. This
also implies that evils in the world that cause unhappiness can be alleviated by an
educated society devoted to the campaign [25]. A driven, educated society can do
anything, and saving the world is no exception. By just being educated, one becomes
aware of all the harm they do on an individual scale on a daily basis, and will

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subconsciously act to reduce their negative impact as much as possible. Another
reason that it is important to be educated is so that society can vote for the right
politician that is going to enact the right policies to have the greatest positive impact on
the environment. By being educated, one will be able to distinguish between those who
have a legitimate aim to help and those who are just using the platform to get elected or
re-elected.

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Physics, A.I.o. The Discovery of Global Warming. 2014; Available from:

http://www.aip.org/history/climate/co2.htm.

2.

Gore, A., An Inconvenient Truth. 2007: Penguin Group.

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Watts, A. OSUs Dr. Lonnie Thompson pushes gloom and doom, still thinks the snows of
Kilimanjaro are melting due to global warming. 2010.

4.

Finus, C.B.a.M., The Kyoto Protocol: Success or Failure, in Climate-change Policy, D.

Helm, Editor. 2005, Oxford University Press. p. 253-281.

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Press, A., Bush: Kyoto treaty would have hurt economy. 2005, NBC News.

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Robinson, C., Climate Change Policy: Challenging the Activists. 2008: The Institute of
Economic Affairs.

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Keilbach, K.B., Global Warming Is Good for Business: How Savvy Entrepreneurs, Large
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J.E. Ericson, H.S., C.C. Patterson, Skeletal concentrations of lead in ancient Peruvians.
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Kitman, J.L. The Secret History of Lead. 2000.

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Perthius, C.d., Economic Choices in a Changing World. 2011: Cambidge University Press.

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Change, I.P.o.C., Climate Change: The IPCC Response Strategies. 1991: Island Press.

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Sheeran, G.C.a.K.A., Top 20 Cities Threatened by Coastal Flooding From Climate

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Lomborg, B., Cool It. 2007.

14.

Stephen H. Schneider, T.L.R., and Michael D. Mastrandrea, Encyclopedia of Climate &

Weather, in Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather. 2011.

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15.

Facts About Glaciers. Available from: http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/quickfacts.html.

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http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/questions/people.html.

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Studies, G.I.f.S., Global Temperature Difference. 2012, NASA.

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Dunlop, S., Dictionary of Weather. 2001: Oxford University Press.

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Laboratory, G.F.D., Global Warming and Hurricanes. 2013, NOAA.

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Horstmeyer, S.L., Thunderstorms, Lightning, Hail, and Tornadoes, in The Weather

Almanac. 2011, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

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Goodall, C., How To Live A Low-Carbon Life. 2007.

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Utilitarianism. 2001: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.