9.3 Flashcards
Technology and the Environment
deforestation
the loss of trees on land for other use
desertification
the removal of plants in semi-arid land to the point that it becomes a desert
air quality
the quality of air depending on pollutants
water scarcity
the lack of usable drinkable water in many parts of the world
greenhouse gases
gases that build up in Earth’s atmosphere and cause global warming
fossil fuels
non-renewable fuels like petroleum and coal that release greenhouse gases
renewable energy
energy derived from sources that are replenishable and often more clean
Green Belt Movement
movement to protect wilderness from urban growth
Green Party
party in many countries that advocated for environmentalism
global warming
caused by the release of greenhouse gases, and causes temperature rises on Earth
carbon footprint
the amount of CO2 each person produces
Kyoto Protocol
first attempt to globally create a treaty/program to lower CO2 emissions, the US, China, and India would not sign it
Paris Agreement
a new world agreement to protect the environment. Donald Trump took the US out of it in 2017
Anthropocene
a word for the new epoch some scientists believe we have entered based on how deeply humans now affect the planet
