PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Climate Change and the Future of Planet Earth Eugene S. Takle, PhD, CCM Professor of Atmospheric Science Professor of Agricultural Meteorology Iowa State University Ames, Iowa Chemical Engineering 302, 9 February 2006 PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Outline Changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide Radiative forcing Simulations of global climate and future climate change Dangerous anthropogenic inter- ference with the climate system? Climate surprises Summary Planet T e (K) T s (K) Earth Venus Mars e TsTs PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Carbon Dioxide and Temperature 2006 Carbon Dioxide and Temperature ppm ppm Carbon Dioxide and Temperature Stabilization at 550 ppm Carbon Dioxide and Temperature Business as Usual (fossil intensive) 2100 (950 ppm) PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Nobody believes that the US economy can still be petroleum based in 2050, yet there is no national plan Mark Kushner, Dean Iowa State University College of Engineering Presidents Council Meeting 13 January 2006 PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Source: IPCC, 2001: Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis From GEWEX News, 14, 1 (November 2004);Normalized Change Change in Downwelling Longwave Radiation vs. Change in Surface Temperature Longwave Down Surface (2m) Temperature PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Associated Climate Changes Global sea-level has increased 1-2 mm/yr Duration of ice cover of rivers and lakes decreased by 2 weeks in N. Hemisphere Arctic ice has thinned substantially, decreased in extent by 10-15% Reduced permafrost in polar, sub-polar, mountainous regions Growing season lengthened by 1-4 days in N. Hemisphere Retreat of continental glaciers on all continents Poleward shift of animal and plant ranges Snow cover decreased by 10% Earlier flowering dates Coral reef bleaching Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001 Report NASA photographs show the minimm Arctic sea ice concentration in 1979 at left and in 2003.Satellite passive microwave data since 1970s indicate a 3% decrease per decade in arctic sea ice extent. Since 1979, the size of the summer polar ice cap has shrunk more than 20 percent. (Illustration from NASA) ( Emanual, Kerry, 2005: Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years. Nature, 436, Sea-surface temperature VV Tropical Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Power Dissipation Index (PDI) V Emanual, Kerry, 2005: Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years. Nature, 436, Sea-surface temperature VV Tropical Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Power Dissipation Index (PDI) V PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Tropical Weather Weather Underground: Source: Jerry Meehl, National Center for Atmospheric Research Source: National Center for Atmospheric Research The planet is committed to a warming over the next 50 years regardless of political decisions Source: National Center for Atmospheric Research The planet is committed to a warming over the next 50 years regardless of political decisions Adaptation Necessary Mitigation Possible Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001 Report 40% Probability 5% Probability Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001 Report Climate Change Projected for 2100 Rapid Economic Growth Slower Economic Growth Source: Corell, R. W., 2004: Impacts of a warming Arctic. Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (www.acia.uaf.edu) Cambridge University Press (www.cambridge.org).www.acia.uaf.edu Areas subjected to Inundation with a 1 m (~3 ft) rise in sea level Kennedy Space Center Miami Impact of a 1-m rise in sea level on low-lying areas Source: Corell, R. W., 2004: Impacts of a warming Arctic. Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (www.acia.uaf.edu) Cambridge University Press (www.cambridge.org).www.acia.uaf.edu Projected sea-level rise In 21st century: 0.5 to 1.0 m IPCC Summary for Policy Makers An increasing body of observations gives a collective picture of a warming world and other changes in the climate system Emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols due to human activities continue to alter the atmosphere in ways that are expected to affect the climate IPCC Summary for Policy Makers, contd There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities Anthropogenic climate change will persist for many centuries For the Midwest Warming will be greater for winter than summer Warming will be greater at night than during the day A 3 o F rise in summer daytime temperature triples the probability of a heat wave Growing season will be longer (8-9 days longer now than in 1950) More precipitation Likely more soil moisture in summer More rain will come in intense rainfall events Higher stream flow, more flooding PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Climate Surprises Breakdown of the ocean thermohaline circulation (Greenland melt water) Break-off of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Areas subjected to Inundation with a 1 m (~3 ft) rise in sea level Kennedy Space Center Miami PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS What Constitutes Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference with the Climate System? James Hansen, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies: *Radiative forcing limit: 1 Watt/ m 2 *1 o C additional rise in global mean temperature Hansen, Scientific American, March 2004 Mt. Pinatubo (1991) El Chichon (1982) Agung, 1963 Hansen, Scientific American, March 2004 Mt. Pinatubo (1991) El Chichon (1982) Agung, 1963 Imbalance = 1 Watt/m 2 in 2018 PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Hansen, Scientific American, March 2004 PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS Summary Climate change is real and we need to be doing something about it to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system Mitigation will have no effect for 50 years, so we need to develop adaptation strategies for the short term The longer we wait, the fewer our options Regional patterns of warming will be complicated Climate surprises cant be discounted We need dialog between scientists and the private sector to develop both adaptation and mitigation strategies PROJECT TO INTERCOMPARE REGIONAL CLIMATE SIMULATIONS For More Information For peer-reviewed evidence supporting everything you have seen in this presentation, see my online Global Change course: Contact me directly: