Climate science: The basics

Outreach Event on the IPCC Role, Activities and FindingsEvent for students

30 November 2016Kingston, Jamaica

INÉS CAMILLONIIPCC AR5 Lead AuthorDept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences/CIMAUniversity of Buenos Aires/CONICET, Argentina

WhyEarth is a good place to live?

Gas, liquid & solid

Water

Moderate temperature

Sun

Energy

Why Earth?

Not Venus?Nor Mars?

Earth’s atmosphere

Water vaporCarbon dioxideMethaneNitrous oxide…

Greenhouse effectNatural process that warms the Earth’s surface and

the lower atmosphere.

(IP

CC

20

13

, Fig

. 6.1

1)

CO2: +40%

CH4: +150%

N20: +20%

year 0 = 1750

The atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have all increased since 1750

due to human activity

Evidences of climate change

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal

Independent sources

Many lines of evidence

Future climate

0.3-1.7C

2.6-4.8C

Global temperature change for the end of the 21st century is likely to exceed 1.5°C relative to 1850 for all scenarios

(IP

CC

20

13

, F

ig.

SP

M.7

a)

(IP

CC

20

13

, Fig

. SP

M.9

)

Global mean sea level will continue to rise during the 21st century

0.26 m

0.98 m

Limiting climate change will require substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.