2.2 consequenes of climate change

Question 1

where is most of the water on earth?

Answer 1

97% of the Earth’s water is stored in the planet’s oceans with low concentrations of salts
This means that 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, which is mostly trapped as ice in glaciers and ice sheets

Question 2

what happens to glaciers and tempretures rise?

Answer 2

As temperatures rise, glaciers and ice sheets melt faster than they accumulate snow. As they melt, water runs into the ocean, causing sea levels to rise

Question 3

what happens to sea water itself as temperatures increase?

Answer 3

as temperatures rise, sea water temperatures also increase. This causes water to expand, which increases the volume of water. This is known as thermal expansion, which also leads to sea levels rising

Question 4

why do melting ice bergs and frozen seawater not contribute to rising sea leaves?

Answer 4

cebergs and frozen seawater also melt in warm temperatures, however, since they are already in the water, the volume of water they displace as ice is the same as the volume of water they add to the ocean when they melt. Therefore, the melting of icebergs and frozen seawater does not cause sea levels to rise

Question 5

what are the conseuques of sea leves rising

Answer 5

Greenland and Antarctica lost 6.4 trillion tones of ice in the period from 1992 to 2017, which caused global sea levels to rise by 17.8mm
Today, ice sheets contribute to about a third of all sea-level rise, whereas in the 1990s, their contribution was as small as 5%
Sea levels might rise by 53cm by 2100, which would put 400 million people at risk of annual coastal flooding
By 2100, arctic temperatures will be as high as 7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels
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Question 6

how does permafrost contribute to climate change?

Answer 6

Permafrost consists of a combination of soil and rocks, which are held together by ice. In addition to that, permafrost stores large deposits of carbon from dead plant matter that could not decompose or decomposed very slowly due to low temperatures. Linking back to the methane positive feedback loop, as temperatures rise, permafrost is likely to melt. This will allow the dead plant matter that was previously frozen to decay and release carbon dioxide in the form of methane into the atmosphere

Question 7

what is another ice platform that contributes to climate change and how?

Answer 7

Polar ice sheets and glaciers are stores of carbon as photosynthetic microbes absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As global temperatures increase, these ice sheets and glaciers melt and release the carbon dioxide that they were previously storing into the atmosphere
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Question 8

how is the ocean a carbon sink?

Answer 8

The ocean is a very large carbon sink as carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves in the surface of the ocean. Phytoplankton in the ocean use the carbon dioxide dissolved in the water for photosynthesis. When marine organisms die, they sink to the ocean floor to form sediments containing carbon at the bottom of the ocean. Similarly, sediments that contain lots of calcium carbonate from shells are turned into rocks at the bottom of the ocean over a long period of time

Question 9

what is the effect of human carbon amount of the ocean as a carbon sink?

Answer 9

As a result of the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, the ocean is absorbing more carbon dioxide from that atmosphere than it usually does. While more carbon dioxide in oceans benefits photosynthetic algae, as they benefit from higher carbon dioxide conditions, it also causes the water to be more acidic (ocean acidification). Shell building organisms require calcium carbonate in order to build their shells, however large amounts of carbon dioxide in the ocean reduces the amount of carbonate available to produce calcium carbonate. Thus, shell building organisms such as lobsters and corals end up with thinner shells

Question 10

what makes the biosphere a carbon sink?

Answer 10

The biosphere, like the ocean, is also a very large sink. Carbon dioxide is released naturally into the atmosphere through respiration and decaying organic matter. However, human activities, including the burning of fossil fuel, release large amounts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

Question 11

what is the positive effect of vegetation and how are humans destroying this?

Answer 11

Plants, forests and soils have absorbed about 25% of carbon dioxide that humans have released into the atmosphere through photosynthesis. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere promotes the fast growth of plants and causes them to store more carbon dioxide. However, deforestation through burning and cutting down trees results in carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere rather than carbon dioxide being absorbed from the atmosphere

Question 12

how does climate change change weather events?

Answer 12

As a result of climate change, the incidence and strength of extreme weather events are likely to increase

Increased temperatures and heat waves lead to an increase in the rate of evaporation, which leads to soils drying out. This causes droughts to occur more frequently and intensify

As areas become drier, due to increased temperatures and increased rates of evaporation, the risk of wildfires increases. Moreover, these conditions make wildfires spread much faster and they become much more difficult to put out

Increased evaporation, as a result of increased temperatures, leads to more moisture in the atmosphere. This allows more powerful storms, cyclones and hurricanes to develop as they draw in more water vapor and heat from oceans that are increasing in temperature. This leads to heavier rainfall and more flooding

Storm surges, which occur when storms and hurricanes make water levels rise due to increased winds, will become much worse as a result of global sea levels rising. This will lead to increased flooding

Question 13

what are some useful specific facts?

Answer 13

A study suggested that the 2013 summer heatwave in Korea was ten times more likely due to climate change

Climate change has increased the risk of floods in in England and Wales by at least 20% in Autumn 2000
The 2012 droughts in the US affected more than half of the country, causing 123 deaths due to deadly summer heats. Additionally, it had large impacts on corn production

The 2016 drought in California, which continued for 5 years, destroyed more than 100 million trees

Question 14

How does climate change affect biomes, habitats and animal migration?

Answer 14

As temperatures increase, habitats move to higher elevations

Low lying biomes such as mangroves may be lost due to rising sea levels

Rising temperatures and changing habitats may force animals to migrate to areas of higher elevations where temperatures are cooler and better suited for their survival. However, in instances where animals, such as those who live in mountain and arctic areas, are unable to migrate or there are no areas suited for their survival, they will go extinct

As rivers become warmer, coldwater fish lose their habitats. Additionally, warmwater fish are expanding to rivers that were previously inhabited by coldwater fish as those rivers are becoming better suited for their survival as temperatures increase

Climate change and changes to ecosystems increases the ecosystem’s vulnerability to climate change. For example, reefs and barrier islands protect coastal ecosystems from storm surges, however increasing sea temperatures prevent that as coral reefs become stressed

Question 15

what are some special facts you can drop in about how climate change affects biomes, habitats and animal migration?

Answer 15

Northeastern birds in the US, which spend the winter in the southern part of the country, return to the north during spring 13 days earlier than they did a century ago

It has been found that Boreal forests have been taking over the Tundra. This reduces the Tundra habitat to many unique species that depend on the Tundra ecosystem for survival including arctic foxes and snowy owls

Losses of western trout populations may be greater than 60% in western regions of the US as a result of warming rivers
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Question 16

How will climate change have an impact on agriculture globally?

Answer 16

Agriculture is highly dependent on climate. Increases in temperature and carbon dioxide levels may cause some plants to grow faster and may cause growing seasons to last longer. Therefore, this will result in an increase in some crop yields in some areas around the world
However, some areas may experience an increase in the frequency and severity of droughts, which will decrease some crop yields and thus be a threat to farmers and food security
The potential for soil erosion, land degradation and desertification in dry areas is likely to increase due to climate change
Farmers tend to choose certain crop varieties and animal breeds that are well suited to the local environment. However, as conditions change over-time, farmers will be forced to choose different and new crop varieties to grow. This will be difficult for farmers as it will force them to find new markets to sell the new crop varieties to and they may have to learn more skills and different skills that may be needed for the growing of these new crop varieties. Moreover, farmers will have to deal with new threats in addition to the potential for soil erosion. For example, there may be new pests that they will have to deal with

Question 17

what are some spesific facts about how climate change have an impact on agriculture globally?

Answer 17

Positive impacts:
Yields of sorghum have increased by 0.7% in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is an important grain used widely in the region

In some corn producing states in the US, such as Iowa and Minnesota, annual corn yields are increasing by 2.8% due to slightly warmer and wetter corn growing seasons
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Negative impacts:
Every year, on average, climate change reduces global rice yields by 0.3% and global wheat yields by 0.9%

In some corn producing states in the US, such as Indianna and Illinois, annual corn yields are reduced by 8% every year as a result of climate change

According to researchers, insects will consume an extra 2.5 percent of the world’s grains (including rise, maize and wheat crops) for every one degree celsius increase in global average temperatures. This is because rising temperatures increase insect metabolism and cause insect populations to grow faster

Question 18

how wull climate change affect our health?

Answer 18

Heat: warmer average temperatures and hotter days may lead to longer heat waves. This can lead to an increase in heat related deaths. Exposure to extreme heat can lead to heat stroke and dehydration

Air quality: warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns can lead to asthma attacks and other respiratory and cardiovascular health effects such as pulmonary disease. As climate changes, wildfires are expected to increase in number and severity, which creates smoke and unhealthy air pollutants such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, which can lead to coughing and shortness of breath

Severe weather events: an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as flooding, droughts and storms will threaten the health of people. Extreme weather events reduce the availability of safe food and drinking after, damage roads and bridges which lead to hospitals, and create or worsen mental health impacts such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder

Vector borne diseases: an increase in temperatures, rainfall and humidity may cause an increase in the number of malaria carrying mosquitoes at higher altitudes, resulting in an increase in malaria transmission in areas which it was not reported in earlier. Simply, changes in temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events increase the geographic range of diseases that are spread by vectors (mosquitoes, ticks and fleas)

Water borne diseases: extreme weather events, increasing temperatures and flooding increase the exposure of people to pathogens including bacteria, viruses and parasites in contaminated drinking water. This can cause people to suffer from illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera and E.coli infection

Question 19

who is vunrable to climate change?

Answer 19

the poor, the young, the ealderly, indigounus people.

Question 20

can you expand on the poor as vunrable to cliamte change?

Answer 20

The poor: poor people generally live in areas with inadequate infrastructure, less resources and means to evacuate. Therefore, their homes are more likely to be damaged by extreme weather events. Their low income, limited access to transportation and limited access to health and education impede their ability to prepare for and cope with climate-related health risks.

Question 21

can you expand on the young as vunrable to cliamte change?

Answer 21

Young people: they have lower immunity than adults and spend a longer time in the outdoors, which increases their exposure to environmental contaminants and increases their likelihood of getting sick

Question 22

can you expand on the elderly as vunrable to cliamte change?

Answer 22

The elderly: they have lower immunity and pre-existing conditions, which increases their risk of getting sick due to changing climates. They also have limited mobility and rely on caregivers for help, which makes it more difficult for them to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change

Question 23

can you expand on the indiginous people as vunrable to cliamte change?

Answer 23

Indigenous people: they are vulnerable because they rely on the natural environment for food and cultural practices. They live in isolated and low income communities and have higher health risks compared to other populations

Question 24

what is a climate refugee?

Answer 24

Climate refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes as a result of environmental disruptions such as extreme weather events, sea level rise and droughts

Question 25

What places are vulnerable to climate change?

Answer 25

Low lying islands: people may be forced to leave their homes as coastal cities and low lying islands are prone to flooding, caused by rising sea levels, from melting polar ice caps and thermal expansion of oceans, and storm surges
LICs: they are less able to respond to the effects of climate change as they are likely to have weak infrastructure, communications and emergency services
Cities and urban areas: cities increase the risk of heat waves due to the formation of urban heat islands. As climate change leads to higher temperatures and longer and more frequent heat waves, the risk of heatwaves in cities will increase further

Question 26

Are there any benefits of climate change?

Answer 26

Sea routes: as sea ice melts in the arctic, it will allow for improved ocean access, which means that sea routes will be navigable for longer periods. It will also allow for new trading routes to develop. This could drastically change international trade and shipping. For example, shipping from Rotterdam to Japan typically takes 30 days using the Suez Canal. However, if the Northern Sea route along the northern cost of Russia is utilized, the trip will only take 18 days. This not only helps shipping companies to save fuel, but it also decreases the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by ships

Tourism: as temperatures increase, the summer season may last longer, which benefits coastal resorts that obtain thousands of tourists every summer. Moreover, summer resorts may develop in more northerly locations as temperatures increase

Question 27

define resliliance and vunrability in the conext of climate change?

Answer 27

Resilience: the ability of a population or natural system to absorb change without having to make a fundamental change
Vulnerability: the degree to which a human or natural system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, the adverse impacts of climate change