23- Climate Change

Question 1

how is food affected by climate change

Answer 1

• rainfall pattern change –> crop growth will change

- famines

Question 2

where are food supplies most vulnerable to climate change?

Answer 2

• canada is doing ok
• africa is most at risk
  (huge growing populations)

Question 3

example of climate change & water availability

Answer 3

• climate change helped cause cape town’s water shortage
• predicted a decade ago, but because of political issues –> nothing done
• cause of social disruption

Question 4

examples of climate change & sea level rise

Answer 4

• sea level rise will flood most of bangladesh
• 163 million people will be displaced
• amsterdam is underwater already –> building a seawall

Question 5

what is the process of fracking

Answer 5

• • fracturing fluid (a mix of water, sand, and chemicals) is pumped into the well
• the pressure causes the rock surrounding the pipe to crack
• the proppants hold open these cracks to allow the trapped natural gas to escape
• gas flows up the well to be collected

Question 6

what is shale, shale gas, and tight oil

Answer 6

Shale= a fine-grained, sedimentary rock characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering or bedding, with low porosity and permeability.
Shale gas= natural gas found trapped within shale formations.
Tight oil = light crude oil contained in shales

Question 7

whats the big deal with shale

Answer 7

shale gas is considered the most important energy development since the discovery of oil, has potential to make US self-sufficient in energy by 2030

Question 8

shale predictions in the US

Answer 8

US shale production forecast to dramatically increase, resulting in lower natural gas prices

Question 9

the problem with fracking

Answer 9

• risk for groundwater contamination and air quality degradation
• uses A LOT of water

Question 10

climate change effects on tropical forests

Answer 10

• 75% of all tropical forests present in 2000 will experience temperatures that are higher than presently supporting closed canopy forests by 2100
  (we’ll lose 75% of closed canopy forests in a century due to climate change)

Question 11

deforestation & release of carbon

Answer 11

• deforestation in the tropics releases 861 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere a year –> causes further warming

Question 12

how does climate change affect extinction rate

Answer 12

• mountain populations are vulnerable to extinction as temperatures rise –> animals that live in cold climates can’t go down the mountain –> pushed up the mountain –> less and less habitat