Acid PrecipitationAcid Precipitation Found under different forms : snow, rain, drizzle, Found under different forms : snow, rain, drizzle,

fog…fog… Gas : nitrous oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxyde Gas : nitrous oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxyde

(SO(SO22) in the air) in the air Nature : reaction with water : production of acids.Nature : reaction with water : production of acids. Sources : burning of fossil fuels, oil and coal-fired Sources : burning of fossil fuels, oil and coal-fired

power plants, oil refineries, motor vehicles…power plants, oil refineries, motor vehicles… Impacts : acidifies lake water, tree defoliation, Impacts : acidifies lake water, tree defoliation,

affects the production of maple groves, building affects the production of maple groves, building erosion, modifies soil composition erosion, modifies soil composition

Thinning of the ozone layerThinning of the ozone layer Important for life : prevents a large quantity of UV Important for life : prevents a large quantity of UV

radiations to reach the surface of the Earth. radiations to reach the surface of the Earth. Gas : CFC and othersGas : CFC and others Nature : when natural ozone is destroyed faster Nature : when natural ozone is destroyed faster

than it is produced.than it is produced. Source : refrigerants, air conditioning, insulating Source : refrigerants, air conditioning, insulating

foams release CFCs, that reach the ozone layer foams release CFCs, that reach the ozone layer and destroy it.and destroy it.

Impacts : torrid summers, drying winds, burnt Impacts : torrid summers, drying winds, burnt crops, melting glaciers, skin cancer and cataract crops, melting glaciers, skin cancer and cataract formation.formation.

Ground-level ozone Ground-level ozone

Gas : nitrous oxides and volatile organic Gas : nitrous oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOC)compounds (VOC)

Nature : forms when sunlight reacts with air Nature : forms when sunlight reacts with air pollutants flotting over urban areas on hot pollutants flotting over urban areas on hot days.days.

Source : refrigerants, aerosols, automobilesSource : refrigerants, aerosols, automobiles Impacts : health impacts on humans, Impacts : health impacts on humans,

impacts on the vegetation and on painted impacts on the vegetation and on painted surfaces.surfaces.

Smog = Smog = SmSmoke + Foke + Fogog

Gas : mixture of air Gas : mixture of air pollutants including gases pollutants including gases and fine particles and and fine particles and ground-level ozone. ground-level ozone.

Nature : chemical reaction Nature : chemical reaction beteween the pollutants beteween the pollutants and sunlight and heat.and sunlight and heat.

Source : burning of fossil Source : burning of fossil fuels, …fuels, …

Impacts : Can harm Impacts : Can harm human health, particularly human health, particularly for those who already for those who already suffer from heart and lung suffer from heart and lung disease.disease.

The science of climate The science of climate changechange

Weather vs. ClimateWeather vs. Climate

Weather : atmospheric conditions Weather : atmospheric conditions (temperature, precipitation, wind, (temperature, precipitation, wind, atmospheric pressure) observed at a atmospheric pressure) observed at a particular time at a specific location.particular time at a specific location.

Climate : meteorological conditions Climate : meteorological conditions forecasted for a specific location over a long forecasted for a specific location over a long period of time. period of time.

The climate is determined by many factors including : the The climate is determined by many factors including : the atmosphere, the sun, the oceans, the ice cover and the land.atmosphere, the sun, the oceans, the ice cover and the land.

Changes in the climateChanges in the climate Over the years, changes in the climate Over the years, changes in the climate

occured naturally on the planet. occured naturally on the planet.

4

The Greenhouse Effect is…The Greenhouse Effect is…

a natural phenomenon essential to life on a natural phenomenon essential to life on Earth, without which average temperatures Earth, without which average temperatures would be 18 degrees below zero;would be 18 degrees below zero;

being amplified by an accumulation of being amplified by an accumulation of Greenhouse Gases due to human activities.Greenhouse Gases due to human activities.

21

Are Humans Changing Climate?

NOAA Slides by Forecast Systems Laboratory.

11

What Is Global Warming?

NOAA Slides by Forecast Systems Laboratory.

6

Greenhouse Gases: Methane

NOAA Slides by Forecast Systems Laboratory.

Other sources of methaneOther sources of methane

DeforestationDeforestation

Population growthPopulation growth

Climate Change EvidenceClimate Change Evidence

Increase in global temperature during the Increase in global temperature during the last century;last century;

Melting of the glaciers;Melting of the glaciers; Rise of the global sea level;Rise of the global sea level; Increase in the frequency of extreme Increase in the frequency of extreme

weather events. weather events.

Increase in global temperatureIncrease in global temperature

Melting of the glaciersMelting of the glaciers

Rise of the global sea levelRise of the global sea level

Extreme weather eventsExtreme weather events

Climate Change Impacts in Climate Change Impacts in Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada

••On waterOn water

••On human healthOn human health

••On fisheries On fisheries

••On ecosystemsOn ecosystems

••On forestOn forest

Fresh WaterFresh Water Reduced water Reduced water

quantity and qualityquantity and quality Impacts on Impacts on

hydroelectricityhydroelectricity

Impacts on fisheries & Impacts on fisheries & tourism tourism

Impacts on fish Impacts on fish habitathabitat

Impacts on OceansImpacts on Oceans

Impacts on marine currents Impacts on marine currents (Gulf Stream, Labrador…).(Gulf Stream, Labrador…).

Erosion and flooding in Erosion and flooding in coastal areascoastal areas

Impacts on the variety and Impacts on the variety and quantity of marine resourcesquantity of marine resources

Impacts on the economy: Impacts on the economy: fisheries, oil exploration & fisheries, oil exploration & shipping. shipping.

Impacts on ice: less ice cover Impacts on ice: less ice cover and less icebergs.and less icebergs.

AgricultureAgriculturePositivePositive ?? Negative ?Negative ?

Longer growing Longer growing season season

Fall harvesting easierFall harvesting easier More favorable to non More favorable to non

traditional culturestraditional cultures

Extreme events and Extreme events and damages to crops damages to crops (excess moisture, (excess moisture, droughts, hail, …)droughts, hail, …) Less snow cover Less snow cover (damages to certain (damages to certain cultures)cultures)More insect pestsMore insect pests

Human InfrastructuresHuman Infrastructures

Environment in GeneralEnvironment in General Impact on terrestrial Impact on terrestrial

and marine biodiversityand marine biodiversity Impacts on species’ Impacts on species’

migrationsmigrations Impacts on native Impacts on native

species through species through invasive speciesinvasive species

Isolated populations Isolated populations threatenedthreatened

Changing Ecosystems

Impacts on ForestsImpacts on Forests Extreme weather Extreme weather

events: damage and events: damage and loss of treesloss of trees

Winter thaws: damage Winter thaws: damage to deciduous treesto deciduous trees

Increase in Increase in temperatures: more temperatures: more insect infestationsinsect infestations

Younger and less diverse Younger and less diverse forestsforests

Impacts on forest dependant Impacts on forest dependant communitiescommunities

EcosystemsEcosystems

Human HealthHuman Health

Impacts of extreme eventsImpacts of extreme events Vector-born diseasesVector-born diseases Impacts on pollution and heat (smog) Impacts on pollution and heat (smog) Vulnerability to droughts and heat wavesVulnerability to droughts and heat waves

Coastal communitiesCoastal communities

Sea level rise (50-70 Sea level rise (50-70 cm)cm)

Destruction of coastal Destruction of coastal marshesmarshes

Impacts on coastal Impacts on coastal species species

Impacts to human Impacts to human infrastructureinfrastructure

Canadians and Greenhouse Canadians and Greenhouse Gas EmissionsGas Emissions

COCO22 Emissions per Capita in Emissions per Capita in Different CountriesDifferent Countries

Source: CO2 emissions data for 1998 from Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy: World Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Consumption and Flaring of Fossil Fuels, 1990-1999

Personal COPersonal CO22 emissions emissions

48,8

0,3

2,4

28,7

11,1 7,5

Transportation

Air Conditioning

Lighting

Heating

Water Heating

ElectricalAppliances

Dealing with Climate ChangeDealing with Climate Change

Mitigation: Reducing our emissions of Mitigation: Reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases or enhancing GHG greenhouse gases or enhancing GHG absorptionabsorption

Adaptation: Measures in place to deal with Adaptation: Measures in place to deal with impacts of climate changeimpacts of climate change