CLIMATE CHANGE

AND IT EFFECTS
ON THE WORLD

PETER WADHAMS

Politecnico di Torino
University of Cambridge
This is a huge
contrast to the
natural cycle of
low values (180
ppm) during an ice
age and higher but
still moderate
values (280 ppm)
during an
interglacial (in
fact until the
20th Century)
MEDIAN LIMITS OF SEA ICE IN SUMMER AND WINTER 1972-2007
SEA ICE + LAND ICE: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT
THE EARTH HAS BEEN WARMING RAPIDLY FROM THE MIDDLE OF
THE 19THCENTURY
THERMAL RADIATION IN THE INFRA-RED OBSERVED FROM A
SATELLITE ABOVE MEDITERRANEAN

From 8 to 14 micrometres
atmosphere (in absence of
clouds)is mainly transparent
apart from ozone absorption
band at 9.5 – 10, a «window
region». Superimposed are
black body radiation curves
for 7, -13, -33, -53°C.
Units of radiance are w per sq
m per steradian per wave
number.
THE RISE IN AIR TEMPERATURE IS ACCELERATING

2020 was the warmest

year ever, with an
average temperature of
1.55 deg C above
preindustrial – so we
have already failed in
one aim of IPCC, to
restrict warming to
less than 1.5 deg C.
ARCTIC AMPLIFICATION OF TEMPERATURE
MAUNA LOA OBSERVATORY
CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION AT MAUNA LOA OBSERVATORY

January 24, 2022:

419.80 ppm

January 24, 2021:

416.78 ppm
FUTURE EMISSIONS CAUSE FUTURE ADDITIONAL WARMING
HOTTEST DAY EVER, 2021
HOTTEST DAY IN CANADA, 2021
AVERAGE SURFANCE AIR TEMPERATURE OVER ARCTIC SIBERA FOR
JUNE RELATIVE TO 1981-2010
A fire in Siberia which
lasted over a year.
It kept burning even in
winter, underneath the
snow cover
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, AUGUST 25, 2019
ARCTIC SEA ICE
ARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT (AREA OF OCEAN WITH AT LEAST 15%
SEA ICE)
SEPTEMBER 16, 2012 (SUMMER MINIMUM)
APLIS, BEAUFORT SEA
MULTIBEAM SONAR ON HMS TIRELESS

Sonar EM3002 multibeam sonar

in forward sonar dome
MULTI-YEAR ICE IN SUMMER, BEAUFORT SEA, 1970S
FIRST-YEAR ICE
MIN ARCTIC SEA ICE VOLUME, 1979 THROUGH 8/31/2011
FOSSIL FUEL & CEMENT CO2 EMISSIONS BY COUNTRY/REGION
METHANE CONCENTRATION INCREASE AFTER INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
START OF NEW GROWTH IN THE ARCTIC,
AND “DRAGON’S BREATH”
TRENDS IN ATMOSPHERIC CO2 AND METHAN
NOAA JUNE 2016
SOME CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE WARMING CAUSED BY THE
INCREASE IN CO2

1. Sea level rise due to the melting of

the Greenland ice cap and in Antarctica
GLOBAL SEA LEVEL RISE
AUGUST 1, 2019

Maximum ice loss from

the Greenland ice cap
in a single day –
12.5 billion tons.
Air temperature 21°C
Black ice
on the same day
The outwash of melt
water from under the
dirt-covered
Greenland ice cap,
heading for the ocean
to increase the rate
of sea level rise.
SOME CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE WARMING CAUSED BY THE
INCREASE IN CO2

1. Sea level rise due to the melting of

the Greenland ice cap and in Antarctica
2. Danger of a huge methane release from
the permafrost of Arctic sea floor, which
could cause a rise in temperature of 1°C
(methane is a powerful greenhouse gas).
METHANE BURNING AS IT ESCAPES FROM HOLE IN SEA ICE
(CREDIT UAF)
ECHOSOUNDER SHOWING METHANE BUBBLES
RISING FROM SEDIMENT TO THE OCEAN SURFACE
METHANE PLUMES RISING FROM THE PERMAFROST
IN THE EAST SIBERIAN SEA