4.C - Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate change Flashcards
1
Q
what is mitigation?
A
- involves taking action to reduce how much climate change occurs.
- it means reducing the output of greenhouse emissions and increasing the size of greenhouse gas sinks.
2
Q
what is adaptation?
A
- involves taking action to reduce the impacts that climate changes are having.
- means changing our lifestyles to cope with the new environment rather than trying to stop climate change
3
Q
what are some examples of mitigation strategies?
A
- setting targets to reduce carbon emissions
- CCS
- switching to renewable energy sources e.g. wind
- carbon tax
- increase the amount of waste recycled
- energy conservation - switching off home appliances when not being used
- changing the energy source mix
- tree planting to create more carbon sinks
- carbon offsetting (individuals and companies)
- emission cutting technologies
4
Q
what are some examples of adaptation strategies?
A
- managed retreat of vulnerable coastlines
- better flood warning systems
- educating local communities on impacts
- lifestyle adaptations e.g. planting new crops that will thrive in new conditions
- developing drought resistant crops
- enlarging existing conservation areas to allow for shifting habitat zones
- using freshwater resources more efficiently to cope with drought conditions
- improved risk assessment (looking at likelihood that people/property would need to be evacuated)
- Victoria Line London Underground is fitted with a water cooling system using groundwater
5
Q
what is BEDZED?
A
- comprises 82 homes, office space and live-work units
- UK’s largest eco-village built in 2002.
- energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation are successfully integrated w other strategies e.g. local organic food deliveries
6
Q
how is energy saved in BEDZED?
A
- thick walls
- vents on roofs to catch wind and ventilate in summer
- energy in our homes accounts for 27% of carbon emissions. this scheme is trying to get it to zero
- collects rainwater to be used for flushing toilets (grey water)
7
Q
what is the point of schemes like BEDZED?
A
- major energy savings and lowers bills
- designed to achieve big decrease in climate changing GHG emissions and water use
- make it easier for people living there to live a lower impact lifestyle
- local materials/reclaimed products/solar panels
8
Q
how success are schemes like BEDZED?
A
- successful and can be implemented in new builds
- BUT impractical to implement in all other houses across the UK
- won’t have much of an impact w/ the scale its currently at
9
Q
what has meant Iceland is able to cut dependency on carbon based energy?
A
- geothermal energy
- gets 99% of its energy from renewable resources
10
Q
what country effectively uses nuclear power?
A
- france
- not a true renewable as it will run out, but extremely low carbon footprint
- it provides energy for 75% of the population
11
Q
what country effectively uses wind energy?
A
- England
- London Array (271 turbines) providing power for 750,000 people
12
Q
what country effectively uses solar energy?
A
- Spain
- Andosol is made up of 2 km2 of solar cells
- it creates enough energy to produce electricity for 50,000 homes
13
Q
how is the UK doing with its energy mix?
A
- for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, Britain is obtaining more power from zero-carbon sources than fossil fuels
- National Grid says clean energy has nudged ahead 48% of generation, against 47% for coal and gas
- the rest is biomass burning. the transformation reflects the decline of coal energy and the boom from wind and solar.
14
Q
what are the advantages of nuclear power?
A
- well constructed nuclear power plants are very clean
- radioactivity is found in most rock types, including coal. because of the vast amounts of coal used globally, coal fired power plants can actually release more radioactivity than nuclear stations
- nuclear fuel produces far lower GHG emissions than fossil fuels
- nuclear fuel produces vastly more energy than equivalent amounts of fossil fuels
15
Q
what are the disadvantages of nuclear power?
A
- mining uranium is dirty, with added danger from radioactivity
- nuclear waste is radioactive for many thousands of years
- there is no known safe way to store or dispose of nuclear waste
- transporting nuclear fuel can be risky, particularly in times of terrorism
- almost all nuclear accidents can be traced to human error. no technology is ever mistake free
16
Q
could nuclear power be the answer - what are the drawbacks?
A
- consistent and controllable source of energy
- lowest carbon footprint of all non-renewables
- not a true renewable as uranium is a finite source
- really expensive. UK has to borrow Chinese and EDF funds
- 60 yr lifespan
- nuclear accidents possible
- nuclear waste is radioactive for many 1000s of years
- produces more energy than equip amounts of fossil fuels
17
Q
drawbacks to afforestation
A
- conflicts over land use. not possible to reforest everywhere.
- trees are a ST store of carbon. not a fair swap when burning a LT source (fossil fuels)
18
Q
what is geo engineering (mitigation strategy)?
A
- geo engineering is the deliberate large-scale intervention in the earth’s natural systems to counteract climate change.
- e.g. space mirrors, reflective crops
19
Q
what is solar geoengineering?
A
- aims to reflect a small proportion of the Sun’s energy back into space
- counteracting the temp rise caused by increased levels of GHGs in the atmosphere
20
Q
what is carbon geoengineering?
A
- aims to remove carbon dioxide/GHGs from the atmosphere
- directly countering the increased greenhouse effect and ocean acidification
21
Q
what are some examples of solar geoengineering?
A
- space mirrors
- reflective crops
- aerosols
- cloud seeding
22
Q
what are some examples of carbon geoengineering?
A
- artificial trees
- biochar
- ocean fertilisation
- carbonate addition
- foresting
23
Q
how can seaweed be used to capture carbon?
A
- a huge seaweed farm the size of Croatia has been proposed to suck a billion tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere every year and sink it to the ocean floor every year
- plans to have it up and running by 2026
- needs to be bold, big and attractive to investors
24
Q
how can enhanced rock weathering be used to capture carbon?
A
- takes the naturally occurring but very gradual weathering process
- and turbo-charges it to remove the carbon faster
- when basalt weathers in the rain it removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
- free of charge - important to a farmer
25
Q
how does CCS work - evaluation?
A
- inject at least 1 km down. geological storage sites
- widespread use still at least 10 years away and that may be too late
- sandstone (porous) stored 1 mill tonnes in 2010 in Utah. can store up to 50 years worth of Utah’s CO2.
- VERY expensive. £350 mill for a new gas power station, one with CCS would double the cost.
26
Q
how does ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION reduce carbon emissions? (mitigation strategies)
A
- in the UK, domestic demand accounts for nearly 1/3 of primary energy consumption
- already building regulations ensure that new homes/offices conform to minimum standards of heat insulation and limits to the ratio of window/door space to floor area.
- govts, local authorities and energy companies provide financial incentives to eligible households to insulate lofts/cavity walls
- BEDZED - good in new builds but not at a large enough scale to make a difference at the scale of emissions
27
Q
how does FUEL SHIFTS reduce carbon emissions? (mitigation strategies)
A
- been a steady decline in overall energy consumption since 2005. Fell by 6.6% in 2014 despite economic growth of nearly 3%.
- marked decrease in use of coal and oil
- contribution of renewables has expanded
- fuel shifts can be explained by advances in energy conservation and energy efficiency and govt policies to decarbonise the UK economy
- expanding renewables esp. wind power in offshore locations, closing several large coal fired power stations, solar energy promoted by green subsidies.
- nuclear very efficient but very expensive and potentially dangerous
28
Q
how does CCS reduce carbon emissions? (mitigation strategies)
A
- new technology that extracts CO2 emitted by coal burning power stations and transfers it to LT storage underground
- has the potential to cut drastically anthropogenic emissions of CO2
- however even when the technology has been perfected the use of CCS may be limited by costs and by a shortage of suitable storage sites, such as old oil and gas fields.
- not capturing a significant amount at the moment
29
Q
how does GEOENGINEERING reduce carbon emissions? (mitigation strategies)
A
- geoengineering strategies are either costly and efficient
30
Q
how are FUEL SHIFTS and LOW CARBON SOURCES good mitigation strategies?
A
- for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, Britain is using more power from zero-carbon sources than fossil fuels. 48% vs 47% - rest is biomass burning
- RENEWABLE ICELAND - HEP provides 83% of Iceland’s electricity. Geothermal energy provides 17%. BUT its energy needs aren’t huge as it has a population of 284,000.
- nuclear energy - 14% of electricity generated globally. consistent and controllable source. lowest footprint of all non-renewables. provides more energy than equivalent amounts of fossil fuels.
- not a true renewable as uranium is a finite resource. REALLY expensive. the UK has to borrow Chinese and EDF finds. 60yr lifespan.
31
Q
how is CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE a good mitigation strategy?
A
- technology that extracts CO2 emitted by coal burning power stations and transfers it to LT storage. Limited by cost and shortage of suitable storage sites. Not capturing a significant amount at the moment.
- carbon capture using seaweed. can remove a gigatonne of CO2/yr
- what to do with the captured carbon next? has to be injected at least 1km down
- widespread use is still 10 years away and that may be too late.
- porous sandstone stored 1mill tonnes in 2010 in Utah. Can store up to 50yrs of Utah’s CO2.
32
Q
CCS in Utah
A
- porous sandstone stored 1mill tonnes in 2010 in Utah.
- Can store up to 50yrs of Utah’s CO2.
33
Q
how is FORESTRY a good mitigation strategy?
A
- deforestation accounts for 25% of global CO2 emissions. In the Amazon deforestation continues at the unsustainable rate of around 2 mill ha/yr
- plantations, agroforestry, deforestation prevention
- conflicts over land use mean its not possible to reforest everywhere
- trees are a ST store of carbon. not a fair swap when burning fossil fuels (a LT source)
34
Q
how is GEOENGINEERING a good mitigation strategy?
A
SOLAR GEOENGINEERING - aims to reflect a small proportion of the sun’s energy into space, counteracting the temperature increase caused by higher levels of GHGs in the atmosphere. e.g space mirrors, reflective crops, cloud seeding/aerosols.
CARBON GEOENGINEERING - aims to remove CO2 or other GHGs from the atmosphere, directly countering the enhanced greenhouse effect and ocean acidification. **e.g. CCS, ocean fertilisation, artificial trees.
35
Q
what are the three frameworks for adaptation?
A
RETREAT, ACCOMMODATE, PROTECT
36
Q
how are RETREAT adaptation strategies used?
A
involves MOVING PEOPLE/PROPERTY AWAY of potential impacts of climate change.
- in many areas prone to river flooding, land use zoning takes place where lower flood terraces are not built on but may be used for low risk land.
- in Exeter, the river Exe has park and football pitches along its banks.
- problematic as decreases the availability of land for new housing.
- managed realignment takes place at a coastline. Porlock Bay = farmland allowed to flood to create a salt marsh, grazing land moved inland by 500m or so.
37
Q
how are ACCOMMODATE adaptation strategies used?
A
involves CHANGING PRACTICES TO DEAL W/ CLIMATIC IMPACTS
- In Bangladesh, as the soil becomes increasingly saline, it’s getting harder to cultivate rice.
- new strains of rice crop which are tolerant to salt (halophytic) are being developed/farming practices are changing. shrimp farming becoming more popular.
- in response to increased drought in SE England, Thames Water are proposing the construction of a new reservoir near Abingdon and are spending money to repair broken pipes.
38
Q
how are PROTECT adaptation strategies used?
A
- as malaria spreads globally, more is being done to protect people contracting the disease. this could be through charitable organisations providing prophylactic medicines/mosquito nets.
- in Minehead, £13 million has been spent o upgrading new coastal defences which will protect against wave action as well as coastal flooding.
- in Bangladesh the govt are raising the height of embankments to protect villages from coastal/fluvial flooding
39
Q
what will future offices look like?
A
- air con and fans
- increasing albedo with reflective roofing and white walls
- improved ventilation
- decreased high levels of glazing which trap heat
- relocating from basements/ground floors. use these for car parks instead in case of flooding
- green roofs to increase interception
- rainwater harvesting and grey water systems.
40
Q
what will future cities look like?
A
- urban heat island effect will increase
- green infrastructure and greening cities
- increased reflection and increased albedo
- future policies protect existing green space
- increase reliance on renewables rather than combustion
- changes in land use - replacing impermeable roads and walkways w/ permeable paving
- develop storage systems to capture run off and recycle water
41
Q
what will future transport look like?
A
- winter of 2014 in UK = rail network vulnerable. storm waves destroyed part of sea wall in Devon, severing the only rail link.
- strengthening of sea walls is needed
- low lying areas need protection
- road network vulnerable to high summer temps and cold spells = freeze thaw
- can be battled by changes in grade of asphalt
- heavy rainfall and higher river flows could damage bridges. solution is to improve maintenance and protect w/ either rip rap or concreting around foundations
42
Q
what will future economies look like?
A
- most ACs will probably accommodate the worst effects with the developing world harder hit.
- for all countries adapting will be expensive. spending in this area limits investment elsewhere and weakens economic growth
- many LIDCs depend heavily on climate sensitive activities such as agriculture and tourism. unable to adapt to drought and shifting rainfall patterns.
- 10s of millions of African farmers will become climate refugees
- the outcome for many economies will be rising prices, inflation, unemployment, food insecurity and decreased exports.
