The Importance of the Polar Regions in Global The Importance of the Polar Regions in Global Climate ChangeClimate Change

Dr. Mary AlbertDr. Mary AlbertCold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth CollegeThayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NHHanover, NH

OverviewOverview

Do science results ever get a Peace Prize? Do science results ever get a Peace Prize? Are discoveries from the polar regions Are discoveries from the polar regions important for climate science?important for climate science?How can you find out how climate change How can you find out how climate change

will impact you?will impact you?How can your actions help to mitigate How can your actions help to mitigate

climate change?climate change?

www.ipcc.chwww.ipcc.ch

Reliable content Reliable content -- use this as a resource!use this as a resource!

““The IPCC was established to provide The IPCC was established to provide ……

……an objective source of information an objective source of information ……

…… Its Its role is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, role is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the latestopen and transparent basis the latest scientific, scientific, technical and sociotechnical and socio--economic literatureeconomic literature……

……IPCC reports should be IPCC reports should be neutral with respect to policyneutral with respect to policy,,……

……high scientific and technical standards, and aim to high scientific and technical standards, and aim to reflect a range of views, expertise and wide reflect a range of views, expertise and wide geographical coveragegeographical coverage..””

Climate science and the Climate science and the 2007 Nobel Peace prize2007 Nobel Peace prize

The The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. were and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. were awarded awarded the the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about manup and disseminate greater knowledge about man--made made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change". that are needed to counteract such change".

Climate science and the Climate science and the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize has been given for The Nobel Peace Prize has been given for advocacy of human rights, mediation of advocacy of human rights, mediation of international conflicts, and arms control, international conflicts, and arms control, ---- and now climate science! and now climate science!

---- can you tell us what climate has to do can you tell us what climate has to do with world peace?with world peace?

Greenhouse gases are the highest concentrations Greenhouse gases are the highest concentrations now than in the past 600,000 yearsnow than in the past 600,000 years

Polar regions archive evidence of EarthPolar regions archive evidence of Earth’’s s past climatepast climate

Read more Read more -- IPCC Working Group I Report IPCC Working Group I Report ““The Physical Science BasisThe Physical Science Basis””

www.ipcc.ch

September 1980 September 2007September 1980 September 2007

Global warming is definitely occurring.Global warming is definitely occurring.

Read more Read more -- IPCC Working Group I Report IPCC Working Group I Report ““The Physical Science BasisThe Physical Science Basis””

Sept1980

Alaska

SiberiaGreenland

The Arctic sea ice cover

The impacts of climate change will affect youThe impacts of climate change will affect you

Read more about it Read more about it -- in the IPCC Working Group II Report in the IPCC Working Group II Report ““Impacts, Adaptation, and VulnerabilityImpacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability””

www.ipcc.ch

www.ipcc.ch

How can you can help mitigate How can you can help mitigate climate change?climate change?

EnergyEnergyTransportationTransportationBuildingsBuildingsWaste managementWaste managementSustainabilitySustainability

Read about these and more Read about these and more -- in the IPCC in the IPCC Working Group III Report Working Group III Report ““Mitigation of Mitigation of Climate ChangeClimate Change””

www.ipcc.ch

ConclusionsConclusionsWorld peace depends on present & future climateWorld peace depends on present & future climate

Scientific discoveries from the polar regions are key to Scientific discoveries from the polar regions are key to understanding global climateunderstanding global climate

Even if your area is not affected directly, impacts of Even if your area is not affected directly, impacts of change elsewhere will affect youchange elsewhere will affect you

Show your students how to get information from reliable Show your students how to get information from reliable sources!sources!

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change www.ipcc.chNational Academy of Sciences National Academy of Sciences www.nationalacademies.orgwww.nationalacademies.orgNational Science Foundation National Science Foundation www.nsf.govwww.nsf.gov