The Ten Key Findings of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment

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The Ten Key Findings of the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment

• Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much
  larger changes are projected.
• Arctic warming and its consequences have
  worldwide implications.
• Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift,
  causing wide-ranging impacts.
• Animal species' diversity, ranges, and
  distribution will change.
• Many coastal communities and facilities face
  increasing exposure to storms.
• Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine
  transport and access to resources.
• Thawing ground will disrupt transportation,
  buildings, and other infrastructure.
• Indigenous communities are facing major economic
  and cultural impacts.
• Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect
  people, plants, and animals.
• Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to
  people and ecosystems.

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Note The substantial warming across the Arctic,
(upwards of 10 oC or more), from very warm in the
ice covered ocean to less warm in Greenland and
Scandinavia.
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The Ten Key Findings of the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment

• Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much
  larger changes are projected.
• Arctic warming and its consequences have
  worldwide implications.
• Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift,
  causing wide-ranging impacts.
• Animal species' diversity, ranges, and
  distribution will change.
• Many coastal communities and facilities face
  increasing exposure to storms.
• Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine
  transport and access to resources.
• Thawing ground will disrupt transportation,
  buildings, and other infrastructure.
• Indigenous communities are facing major economic
  and cultural impacts.
• Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect
  people, plants, and animals.
• Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to
  people and ecosystems.

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Does this Melting of Sea Ice have other Effects,
such as an Impacts on Oceanic Circulation?
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Fresher Deep Water Flowing South at 3000 m
1967-1972
1980-1984
1995-2000
Fresher
Saltier
Ruth Curry (pers. comm.)
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Changes in Oceanic Temperatures of Importance.
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Conveyor OFF

• Strong cooling in North Atlantic
• Warming everywhere else
• No net global change

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The Ten Key Findings of the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment

• Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much
  larger changes are projected.
• Arctic warming and its consequences have
  worldwide implications.
• Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift,
  causing wide-ranging impacts.
• Animal species' diversity, ranges, and
  distribution will change.
• Many coastal communities and facilities face
  increasing exposure to storms.
• Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine
  transport and access to resources.
• Thawing ground will disrupt transportation,
  buildings, and other infrastructure.
• Indigenous communities are facing major economic
  and cultural impacts.
• Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect
  people, plants, and animals.
• Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to
  people and ecosystems.

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Seals are the main food of the Polar bear,
without ice, the Polar bear can not effectively
hunt the seal and hence maintain their body
weight and long term survival.
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The Ten Key Findings of the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment

• Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much
  larger changes are projected.
• Arctic warming and its consequences have
  worldwide implications.
• Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift,
  causing wide-ranging impacts.
• Animal species' diversity, ranges, and
  distribution will change.
• Many coastal communities and facilities face
  increasing exposure to storms.
• Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine
  transport and access to resources.
• Thawing ground will disrupt transportation,
  buildings, and other infrastructure.
• Indigenous communities are facing major economic
  and cultural impacts.
• Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect
  people, plants, and animals.
• Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to
  people and ecosystems.

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Status of the Arctic Sea IceWhat happened in
2005?
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Arctic Sea Ice.Is it a Short Term Process?
1979 to 2005
Breakpoint around 1950
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Status of the Arctic Sea Ice.What happened in
2005?
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Sea Ice Movements during the Winter (Dec thru Feb)
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The Ten Key Findings of the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment

• Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much
  larger changes are projected.
• Arctic warming and its consequences have
  worldwide implications.
• Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift,
  causing wide-ranging impacts.
• Animal species' diversity, ranges, and
  distribution will change.
• Many coastal communities and facilities face
  increasing exposure to storms.
• Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine
  transport and access to resources.
• Thawing ground will disrupt transportation,
  buildings, and other infrastructure.
• Indigenous communities are facing major economic
  and cultural impacts.
• Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect
  people, plants, and animals.
• Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to
  people and ecosystems.

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Connections between Climate Change and Zoonotic
Diseases

• Climate change will have significant effects on
  animal species including
• Changes in range
• New migratory pathways
• Mixing of species
• Stress and population reductions
• All of these effects will alter the balance,
  distribution and occurrence of infectious disease
  agents.

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What have we learned of Essential Importance?
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• Two Critically Important Thoughts
• Changes and Impacts are Felt at Local Levels
• The Ocean Controls the Magnitude and Timing of
  Climate Processes and Change

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Why are the oceans Important?
Because, that is where the heat goes !

Data from Levitus et al, Science, 2001
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How will the Oceans Change as the Earth Warms?

• The oceans will warm, sea level will rise,
  salinity balance will be altered, and its
  ability to absorb CO2 will change.
• It will impact atmospheric circulation, storm
  tracks, severe storms, and the frequency and
  distribution of droughts

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Earths Energy Imbalance Confirmation and
Implications James Hansen, et al (Science 2005)
Significance of Hansens Science Paper The
Earth is now absorbing 0.85 /- 0.15 W/m2 more
energy from the Sun than it is re-emitting back
into space. This imbalance is confirmed by
precise measurements of increasing ocean heat
content over the past 10 years. Major
implications An expectation of additional
global warming of about 0.6oC without further
change of atmospheric composition.
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• Couple of Thoughts about the Knowledge - Policy
  Interface
• The Nest within which the scientific assessments
  are conducted, and
• The Interface between Science and Public Policy.

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Thank You www.acia.uaf.edu