4c- Bangladesh and UK

Question 1

how much CO2 does Bangladesh emit per capita

Answer 1

0.21tonnes/capita/year

Question 2

opportunities for current socio-economic impacts of climate change in Bangladesh

Answer 2

Many farmers are now switching to more lucrative shrimp or crab farming in areas like the Sundarbans. While other are migrating to Dhaka the capital of Bangladesh where they may have a better standard of living.

Question 3

threats for current socio-economic impacts of climate change in Bangladesh

Answer 3

20 million people live just above the water line. Bangladesh at risk form cyclones and storm surges. Embankments at present are not high enough to protect against these let alone when rising sea-levels are taken into account.

Ground water is also being intruded by salt water rendering undrinkable.

Question 4

opportunities for current environmental impacts in Bangladesh

Answer 4

Slowly the country is showing a changing ecosystem, which benefit some organisms.

Flooding will provide increased fertility to the soils in the long term.

Question 5

threats for current environmental impacts in Bangladesh

Answer 5

10% of the country is within 1 metre above sea-level. The land of the delta region is made up of alluvium deposited by the Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers- vulnerable to both coastal and river flooding.

The Bay of Bengal has warm sea temperatures and is warming this means it’s coastline is at increased cyclone risk- storm surges are more likely.

ground sinking 2mm per year

Question 6

Bangladesh mitigation strategies

Answer 6

Locally produced ceramic stoves ae now becoming more widespread in rural Bangladesh and they are estimated to use less than half the fuel of a traditional open fire, therefore less CO2.

Question 7

technological challenges of Bangladesh mitigation strategies

Answer 7

Bangladesh is unlikely to be able to invest in advanced renewable projects for producing energy.

Question 8

political challenges of Bangladesh mitigation strategies

Answer 8

Bangladesh is under-represented at global meetings and does not have specialist climate science envoy to represent their interest at COP meetings such as Paris.

Question 9

socio-economic challenges of Bangladesh mitigation strategies

Answer 9

Bangladesh has a poor population and literacy levels and standard of education is low. Hard to get people to engage with why they should change practices to mitigate climate change.

Question 10

Adaptation strategies in Bangladesh

Answer 10

Salt tolerant rice crops (halophytic) are grown rather than normal rice as groundwater is now too saline. Desalination plants can be established

Embankments have been raised in some areas to protect communities as well as farmland.

Many farmers are switching to farming particularly shrimp.

Question 11

technological challenges of Bangladesh adaptation strategies

Answer 11

There is on going research into how de salinization can best work for Bangladesh. However this requires technological expertise and local people may find this hard to implement/maintain

Question 12

political challenges of Bangladesh adaptation strategies

Answer 12

Decisions about where to build embankments will be difficult and given the cost some areas will have to be left un-defended.

Question 13

socio economic challenges of Bangladesh adaptation strategies

Answer 13

The drainage channels that are needed to protect Dhaka (population 13 million) are expensive to build. Other areas will need these but will probably be left unprotected.

due to failed adaptation strategies, 200,000 people migrate to Dhaka a year, if there is a 2C rise then there will be 1mil migrants per year

Question 14

how much CO2 does The UK emit per capita

Answer 14

9.6 tonnes/capita/year

Question 15

opportunities for current socio-economic impacts of climate change in uk

Answer 15

Increased temperatures and a longer growing season would mean it may be possible to grow new crops such as Olives (in places such as Devon) and grapes (pinot noir could be cultivated in the South of England).

Tourist destinations such as Blackpool may benefit as it develops a climate more akin with the Spanish Coasts.

Question 16

challenges for current socio-economic impacts of climate change in uk

Answer 16

Sea-level rise (predicted to be as much as 37cm by 2050) will threaten low lying areas such as the Somerset Levels.

Worsening winter storms are a growing threat for the North-West e.g. Glasgow flooded three times in the last decade.

drought and water shortages could be an increasing problem for the populated South east and London in the Summer months. Urban Heat Island effect will raise temperatures in central London.

Question 17

opportunities for current environmental impacts in UK

Answer 17

Increased temperatures and a longer growing season would mean increased NPP and therefore have benefits for biodiversity and ecosystems as a whole.

Rainbow fish are now a regular sight off the Cornish Coast.

Question 18

challenges for current environmental impacts in UK

Answer 18

Increased temperatures in places such as the north of Scotland is putting the ecosystem under threat.

The ptarmigan which depends on frost and snow for camouflage could disappear from places such as the Cairngorms.

An increase of invasive species such as the Colorado beetle threatens and may out-compete current native species.

Question 19

UK mitigation strategies

Answer 19

Climate Change Act 2008
Aspirational targets: 34% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. 80% by 2050.
Grants available to communities to sell surplus energy from renewable sources etc.
Energy suppliers have to increase the proportion of renewable sources used
In October 2021 released net zero strategy which set policies: by 2035 UK powered entirely by clean electricity, £2 billion investment to help enable 1/2 of journeys into town to be walked or cycled

Question 20

technological challenges to mitigation strategies in the UK

Answer 20

Nuclear Power which is a viable fuel shift requires huge amount of technological expertise and expense (£24 bn). UK reliant on France and China.

Question 21

political challenges to mitigation strategies in the UK

Answer 21

Brexit may threaten investment in renewable energy (UK had received £4 billion pounds from the EU bank).
Climate Change Act is aspirational and not codified, beyond political capability to achieve

Question 22

socio-economic challenges to mitigation strategies in the UK

Answer 22

Nimbyism stopping 1 in 3 wind farms in the UK from being established. People like the idea of renewable energy but not when it is in their backyard.

A new reservoir proposed outside Abingdon was also put on hold due to local outcry.

Question 23

adaptation strategies in the UK

Answer 23

Investment in new coastal and flood defences.

Investment in new infrastructure such as air cooling on the Jubilee line of the London Underground.

London also investing in green walls to help insulate buildings.

Question 24

technological challenges to adaptation strategies in the UK

Answer 24

Building bigger walls to stop flooding is not a sustainable option and may just shift the problem elsewhere. E.g on the Somerset Levels problems may just be shifted to Bridgwater.

Question 25

political challenges to adaptation strategies in the UK

Answer 25

Retreat strategies being proposed will be hard to implement. The government will have to make a decision on whether to defend areas like the Somerset levels. Inevitably the cost may be too high.

Question 26

socio-economic challenges to adaptation strategies in the UK

Answer 26

£20bn is a massive government financial commitment for the Outer Thames tidal barrage. This may be needed as there is increased development along the Thames Gateway (120, 000 homes built in the past 10 years beyond the barrage).