Supporting collateral for WES Awards 2012

1. Global Point of View
AP Environmental Science
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Columbia, South Carolina

2. Definition of Problem
Global Status Quo
• Population increases have contributed excessive
greenhouse gas emission, waste, and degradation of
natural capital
• Current climate trend has resulted in warmer and drier
conditions
• Increase in extreme weather events such as droughts and
heat waves
• A decrease in precipitation affects natural resources,
human health, and water resources

3. Definition of Problem
Global Status Quo
• Shorter duration of snowfall each year
• Water levels are rising, particularly in more isolated bodies of water,
like the Baltic Sea
• Plants have moved northwards due to the warmer climate
•The economy has suffered serious losses in the past twenty years
because of extreme weather events
•―Climate models predict that the average temperature at the Earth's
surface could increase from 3.2 to 7.2ºF above 1990 levels by the end of
this century‖ (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html)

4. Definition of Problem
Global Target Situation
•‖By decreasing use of other fossil
fuels, and improving agricultural
and forestry practices around the
world, scientists believe we could
get back below 350 by mid-
century. But the longer we remain
350.org
in the danger zone—above 350—
the more likely that we will see
disastrous and irreversible climate
impacts.‖ – James Hansen, NASA

5. Reasons and Causes of the Problem
Global
•Government laws are in place to reduce CO2 emissions, but they are
avoidable to a point because of weak enforcement
•Factories, large cities, cars, landfills, waste treatment methods, the
importation of many goods, farmyard animals cause the burning of
harmful fossil fuels

6. Consequences of the Problem
Global
• Rising sea levels
• Hotter summers
• Serious health hazards for humans caused by increase in SO2
• Changes in precipitation
• Possible natural disasters
• Wind currents could change
• Delicate ecosystems could be irreversibly damaged
• Decrease in biodiversity

7. Possible Countermeasures
Global
• Switch to renewable forms of energy such as
hydroelectricity, wind, and solar
• Government laws that would enforce stricter
regulations on greenhouse gas emissions
• Greener and smarter transport systems
• Creation of cap-and-trade programs for
greenhouse gas emissions

8. North America
DEFINITION OF PROBLEM REASONS AND CAUSES
• 2nd Highest fossil fuel and CO2 • Cities like Mexico City and New
emitting continent in the world York City contribute to high
behind Asia greenhouse gas emissions
•Air pollution from the United • Highly developed and rapidly
States is carried in wind patterns developing economies with large
across borders and damages the industrial sectors
entire continent
•Emission levels peaked in 2005,
and have decreased slightly since
then

9. North America
CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE COUNTERMEASURES
•Winds blow pollution from •Promote and provide tax
Mexico and United States to incentives when trading with
Canada, destroying ecosystems North American countries in
and biodiversity NAFTA agreement

10. South Asia
DEFINITION OF PROBLEM REASONS AND CAUSES
• Large population of 1.3 billion • Growing industrial sector
which contributes to excessive • Large agriculture sector
greenhouse gas emission, waste, • Enormous population that
and degradation of natural capital continues to grow
• Agriculture, area’s largest
• Lack of environmental protection
economic activity, is also legislation and industrial pollution
threatened by the issue of water regulations
scarcity

11. South Asia
CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE COUNTERMEASURES
• Rising water levels have the • Governmental regulation of
demonstrated potential greenhouse gas and other
to completely submerge islands pollutant emissions
off the Indian coast, and continue • Building support for
to threaten coastal regions environmental initiatives at a local
• Natural disasters (floods, level, with regards to conserving
droughts, typhoons) will continue resources and reducing water
to increase in intensity each year pollution
• Industry/Agriculture contribute
to climate change

12. Europe
DEFINITION OF PROBLEM REASONS AND CAUSES
• Southern Europe and the Arctic • Germany and the United
have been particularly affected by Kingdom are the largest
rising temperatures contributors to European
• The carbon dioxide levels in the pollution
atmosphere have increased to 375 • Milan, Amsterdam, Frankfurt are
ppm from the pre-industrial level the most polluted areas of
of 280 ppm Europe, mainly due to Europe’s
steel and coal industries

13. Europe
CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE COUNTERMEASURES
• Wildfires, reduced forest area, • Countermeasures such as green
reduced water availability and transport and cap-and-trade
reduced crop yield programs would implemented by
•In central and eastern areas national governments but
consequences are heat waves, enforced by local governments
reduced summer rainfall and
decreased forest productivity
•In the north there will be benefits
such as reduced heating demand,
milder winters and increased crop
yields

14. United States of America
DEFINITION OF PROBLEM REASONS AND CAUSES
• US supports 300 million people • Industrialized cities such as New
• To keep the economy up York and Los Angeles which have
requires large amounts of energy, a lot of pavement, buildings, and
and most of these sources are cars, absorbing heat and
non-renewable inhibiting wind flow
• US is biggest emitter of
greenhouse gases in world

15. United States of America
CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE COUNTERMEASURES
• Rising sea level - The Atlantic • ―President Barack Obama will
Ocean attend the U.N. climate summit
• Delicate ecosystems all over next month in Denmark, taking
country could be irreversibly with him a target to reduce U.S.
damaged greenhouse gas "
• ―We need to reduce our
emissions and implement more
green technology. We should
take advantage of the use of solar
panels and other renewable
energy sources, such as wind and
hydroelectric power‖
(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3
4147586/)

16. Southeast United States
DEFINITION OF PROBLEM REASONS AND CAUSES
•CO2 emissions for 2007: •The addition of greenhouse
• Virginia- 127.95 ppm gasses into the atmosphere from
• Alabama- 145.24 ppm • Large cities such as Atlanta,
• Mississippi- 67.81 ppm Houston, Dallas
• Georgia- 184.04 ppm
• Factories
• Louisiana- 194.93 ppm
• Florida- 256.27 ppm • Automobiles
• North Carolina- 153.56 ppm
• Arkansas- 63.70 ppm
• Kentucky-156.80 ppm
•Overall average is 150.033 ppm

17. Southeast United States
CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE COUNTERMEASURES
• Shoreline retreat and inundation • Improving transportation
of inland areas • Conversion to cleaner air
• Rising sea temperatures are • Promotion of energy
expected to increase the conservation
frequency and strength of • Find and utilize alternative
hurricanes energy source
• Stronger storms with higher
• hydroelectric
wind speeds, more intense rainfall
• wind power
and more powerful surges are
expected to cause a lot more • solar power
damage • biomass
• geothermal

18. South Carolina
DEFINITION OF PROBLEM REASONS AND CAUSES
• After 1957, the annual average • Each South Carolina resident, per
temperature increased by nearly population average, produces
1°F when compared to the approximately 20 Tons of Carbon
average Dioxide each year
• Precipitation decreased 6% • #27th highest Carbon Dioxide
primarily due to lower than polluting state in the United
average springtime rainfall States
(http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sc (http://www.eredux.com/states/st
o/Publications/climate_change_im ate_detail.php?id=1136)
pacts.php)

19. South Carolina
CONSEQUENCES POSSIBLE COUNTERMEASURES
• With warmer temperatures, crops • Gov. Sanford formed the Climate,
like corn would cease to be profitable Energy and Commerce Advisory
in the Southeast, while heat-tolerant Committee (CECAC) in 2007, which
crops like cotton could make a come recommended
back. • A voluntary reduction in state
• The forestry industry will have a carbon emissions to five percent
dieback of the forests in the next 30 below the 1990 level by 2020.
to 80 years, a loss of biodiversity, • Focus on bringing renewable
nuclear fuel generators to the
conversion of forests to grasslands,
state
and increased vulnerability to disease
Expand bike and pedestrian
and pests
•
opportunities, alternative fuel
infrastructure, mass transit and
carpooling options
• Begin forestland conservation and
methane reclamation projects
(http://governor.sc.gov/news/releases
/8-22-08.htm)

20. Questions
Germany
•Can you currently see the effects of climate change in your country?
•What policies would you want the government to enforce to cut
greenhouse gas emissions?
•How often do you use public transportation as opposed to
automobiles? How far do you drive each week?
•How many km does your car get per liter? How much does gas cost
per liter?
•What percentage of your domestic waste is recycled?
•Which renewable energy source has the most potential in your region?

21. Questions
India
•Can you currently see the effects of climate change in your country?
•What policies would you want the government to enforce to cut
greenhouse gas emissions?
•What forms of renewable energy do you view to be the most viable
for building a "greener" economy in your country?
•Do you think that historical Western usage of nonrenewable resources
justifies India’s current usage as the economy develops, given the
current knowledge of the environmental impacts?