GLOBAL WARMING

Arcangelo Canitano and Adelaide Chiaravalloti

CLA University of Roma Tre

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Agenda

Climate changes and consequences (Arcangelo)

Mediterranean Sea level-rise and increase in temperatures (Adelaide)

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Proof of global warming

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Climate changes and consequences

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Humans are heating the earth.If we don’t change the way we live:• Polar caps will melt • Ocean levels will rise• Hurricanes • Droughts and floods• Malaria will kill many people • Extinction of plants and

animals

Climate changes and consequences

Carbon dioxide graph by Robert Simmon, NASA

Temperature graph from NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

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In the last century there has been an important rise both of carbon dioxine emission both of temperature anomaly.

Many scientists deduct that there is a strong correlation between the two phenomena.

Climate changes and consequences

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In spite of the evidences, there are other scientists who are skeptics.

Hurricane Katrina August 28 2005

Climate changes and consequences

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They said that there are cycles of the Earth and the clima is one more.

Accurate temperature satellites read hardly no change in temperature in the lower troposphere in the last 20 years.

3000 years of surface temperature

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Antarctica’s collapsing ice shelves

Alarmists say Skeptic says

Antarctica represents the greatest threat to the globe from global warming.

“Due to natural currents”,

Antarctic ice is growing, not shrinking.

18/07/2013 9ARCTIC ICE MELT

Alarmist say Skeptics say

Proof that human activities are propelling a slide toward climate calamity.

“It’s the wind”

“Polar wind patterns changed and blew sea ice further south to warmer waters than it normally would”

Arctic = 3 million square KM - shrinkingAntarctic = 16 million square KM growing

Net change in ice area +5%

Global Warming and the Mediterranean Sea (1)

The Mediterranean Sea is a unique and valuable natural and cultural heritage, of paramount importance for our economic growth. However, it is threatened by many pressures and human impacts.

It hosts an amazing diversity at the biological, cultural, social, political and economic level

The Mediterranean region as a global priority place where ecological integrity must be conserved to contribute to a more secure and sustainable future for all

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Global Warming and the Mediterranean Sea (2) The Mediterranean Sea warming

has still determined climatic changes in terms of biodiversity (20-25%) like northward migration of species from the south Mediterranean and entrance of alien species (es. The case of a putter fish in the marine reserve of Isola di Capo Rizzuto in Calabria).

A substantial increase of jellyfishes.

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Global Warming and the Mediterranean sea (3) The abnormal and prolonged

increase of summer temperatures (2-3°C) caused massive mortality of benthic fauna (es. sponges and gorgonians like Paramuricea clavata, Eunicella singularis and Lophogorgia ceratophyta ) with impact on 28 invetebrate species

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Principal impacts of climate change on marine systems (1)

INCREASE OF

VARIABILITY

INCREASE OF

STRATIFICATION

ALTERATION

OF LIFE CyCLES

INCREASE OF

ENVIRONMENTAL

POLLUTION

REDUCTION OF

NATURAL BARRIER

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Principal impacts of climate change on marine systems (2)

With global warming the seasides become smaller, the marine waters more hot and acid.

The coral whiten with the increase of temperature and acid water.

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Principal impacts of climate change on marine systems (3)

The new “tropical climate” of Mediterranean Sea allows alien species of fishes from the Indo-Pacific Ocean like the flute fish (Fistularia commersonii) and the trigger fish (Stephanolesis diaspor)

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THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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It would be important to preserve our sea for a more sustainable future