Climate-change metrics (L#5) Topics: • Atmosphere’s role in energy flows • Connecting emissions to climate • Some metrics: – Climate-sensitivity parameter – Radiative forcing – Global warming potential Atmosphere affects Earth’s energy balance Source: IPCC, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, Ch Anthropogenic climate change schematic Radiative forcing factors (IPCC, 2007) IPCC, 2007, Vol 1, p 32 Radiative forcing: GHG CE107: L04 S1 Radiative forcing: Concentration dependence Source:GM Masters, Intro to Environmental Engineering and Science, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall, 1998 Radiative forcing expressions CE107 reader: L04 S2 Global-warming potential (GWP) CE107 reader: L04 S2