A4: Climate Change Flashcards
Section A: Chapter 4 [2nd Edition Textbook]
What is some evidence for climate change?
The poles have expanded and retreated over 50 times
- there are varied time periods of glacials (where ice expanded and it was colder) and interglacials (warmer periods)
Fossils: Bones of a hippo were found in London, along with elephant teeth and bones of hyenas and lions.
Diaries and paintings that describe different weather, and clothing
Ocean sediments contain organisms and remains of plankton reveal the past surface water temps and oxygen levels
Oxygen in Ice cores can be carbon dated to estimate temperatures at the time.
How does the earth’s orbit cause climate change?
Is this a natural or human cause?
Over thousands of years, there are small changes in the way the earth orbits the sun.
- When the earth’s orbit is more circular: it gives rise to colder
periods.
- But when the orbit is more elliptical, it gives rise to warmer
periods (as the earth gets slightly closer to the sun during some
times of year)
This is natural
How does sunspot cycle cause climate change?
Is this a natural or human cause?
The amount of energy that he sun gives out changes over time, in a cycle called the sunspot cycle. Sunspots are areas of the sun’s surface with increased radiation.
- When sunspot activity is high, it is more likely to lead to warmer
periods (interglacial)
This is natural
How does agriculture cause climate change?
Is this a natural or human cause?
Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in agriculture due to the growing population.
The crops that are grown need chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which add greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxides to the atmosphere.
Methane is also released by cattle and by decomposing vegetation in padi fields.
This is human
How does deforestation cause climate change?
Is this a natural or human cause?
It causes the increase of CO2 which is a greenhouse gas, due to the burning of topical rainforests like the amazon.
It removes a large carbon store, as the amount of CO2 used up by plants in photosynthesis has decreased.
This is human
How do fossil fuels cause climate change?
Is this a natural or human cause?
The use of fossil fuels releases large volumes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The number of cars, factories, power stations, and airplanes has increased - so increasing the amount of CO2
This leads to the enhanced greenhouse effect, where heat is trapped in the atmosphere, leading to an increase in global temps.
This is human
How do volcanos cause climate change?
Is this a natural or human cause?
The ash and dust from huge volcanic eruptions can form a veil around the atmosphere. This can block out sunlight and reduce global temps.
This happened in 185 when the volcano Tambora erupted in
Indonesia, creating a year called “The year without a summer”
This is natural
What will be the global impacts of climate change?
Warm climate diseases such as malaria may spread to the UK and other previously safe areas
Droughts will become more likely as extreme weather events become more frequent
Increased demand for water in hotter summers will put added pressure on supplies
Windier weather may provide additional weather for wind farms
Winter heating costs could go down
Heat-induced deaths may increase, particularly amongst the elderly
What will the national impacts of climate change be?
Low-lying Norfolk Broads, worth £5m as tourist destination, may become flooded
New crops such as oranges and peaches could be grown in southern England
Conifer trees will thrive in wales and Scotland
Arctic plants in Scotland may face extinction
Coastal erosion on soft-rock coastlines, such as north Norfolk may increase
Scottish ski resorts could be threatened with closure as snow becomes less common
Intensive agriculture will be able to spread further north into Scotland
Broad-leaved trees could suffer in drought conditions, especially in Wales
Recently introduced crops such as vines and olives may prosper in southern England
Sea levels could rise by 26 - 86 cm by 2080 in the south east, threatening low-lying coastal areas and cities such as London with flooding
What does mitigating climate change mean?
To mitigate the effects of climate change means that we must reduce the causes so that the effects on the world will be lessened.
What does adapting to climate change mean?
To adapt to climate change means that we must finde ways of changing the way we live to cope with the changes to our planet.
Why are sea levels rising?
Global warming results in the polar ice caps melting, meaning that more water is added to the sea, so the levels rise.
Another cause is because the ear is getting warmer, the sea will expand slightly, so will take up more room, so the levels with rise.
How can we adapt to rising sea levels?
- Soft Engineering- using salt marshes to break the waves
- Hard Engineering- Found on the Holderness Coast, Germany and Denmark. This includes Gabions, Sea Walls and Rock Armor
- Improving communication systems and give early warnings of weather and floods. This is being done in Estonia, Mexico and Japan.
- Planting along the coastline and done on river beds. This stabilizes the soil, making it more resistant agaisnt erosion, creates interception. Plants used on the coast are often Mangroves.
Why is adapting to rising sea level important?
If we don’t adapt, we will have to face the consquence of rising sea levels which include:
- Submerges coastal land
- More frequent and intense storms and flooding
- Forced migration, which can devastate lives.
What are the advantages of adapting to rising sea levels?
- Means that economic production is not as disturbed compared
to other mitigation and adaptation methods - There are methods available to LICs such as planting
- Does not use much energy.
What are the advantages of adapting to rising sea levels?
- Not a long term solution
- Does not reduce greenhouse gases
- Many methods can be high cost
- Does not support effort to meet climate goals
- Moving people can mean many are removed from stability and
increases population density in other areas.
How do dams work?
The dam itself is a structure which is used to limit the amount of water moving downstream by storing it in a reservoir behind the dam. There is a small outlet valve through the face of a fam which controls the flow of water, preventing flooding to downstream communities. The released water can also be used as a local source of drinking water or to help generate electrical power.
How do dams help us adapt to climate change?
With climate change creating more extreme weather, areas of the world will become more dry/arid. This may mean that the area has now get less water. By storing water in a reservoir, the area can preserve its water supplied by providing drinking water to the local areas from the reservoir. Moreover, climate change increases the frequency of tropical storms which increases floods. Dams can prevent floods to downstream communities. Dams can also generate renewable energy through hydroelectric power plants
What is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam?
-A way of adapting to manage water supply
-Construction inthe Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia
-On the Blue Nile River (85% of the river flows in Ethiopia)
-Owner: Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO).
-Construction started in April 2011
-Costs $4.7bn
-The people and Government of Ethiopia are funding the project
-Will serveSudan and Egypt as well as Ethiopia
What are the benefits of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam?
Approximately 20,000 people will be resettled during the course of the project
Provides Egypt with water (Egypt depends on the Nile for 90% of its water needs)
Generates power, with an expected capacity of 6,000MW
Can handle a flood of 19,370 cubic metres per second
Reduces alluvium in Sudan by 100 million cubic metres
Will facilitate irrigation of around 500,000ha of new agricultural lands
Reduces approximately 40km of flooding in Sudan
How do storm resistant strategies help adapt farming to climate change?
Reinforcing and strengthening farm structures to reduce risk of damage;
crop insurance for financial protection against sudden losses; warning systems to monitor weather and take precautions;
crop windbreaks (trees and hedges) act as a buffer against strong winds.
How do drought Resistant crops help adapt farming to climate change?
They are genetically modified to survive without their water for long periods of time. e.g. figs and maize.
People can still make an income and produce crops to eat, less starvation
How do fast growing varieties help adapt farming to climate change?
These are developed crops that grow faster and more abundantly.
So crops that provide proteins (lentils, beans) can be grown to improve the health of the soil.
Farmers can double their harvest and grow lentils between agricultural seasons to keep an income.
What is Carbon Capture?
Carbon capture refers to the process of trapping carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions produced by human activities like burning fossil fuels, before it can enter the atmosphere.
Once captured, the CO₂ is stored deep underground in secure locations, preventing it from returning to the atmosphere.
Why is carbon capture important to mitigate climate change?
CO₂ is one of the primary greenhouse gases. It traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
If we don’t reduce CO₂ emissions, the Earth’s temperature will continue to rise, leading to more
Extreme weather, melting ice caps, and other environmental issues.
How does carbon capture work?
CO₂ is captured from the exhaust gases or directly from the atmosphere,
then chemical solvents or physical filters are used to separate CO₂ from other gases like nitrogen or oxygen.
Once captured, CO₂ is transported, often through pipelines, to a storage location. This must be done safely, to avoid leaks.
The CO₂ is injected deep underground, in places that have the right conditions to keep CO₂ from escaping. It is monitored for leaks, ensuring that it remains trapped underground for thousands of years.
What are the types of carbon capture?
Post Combustion Capture - Capturing CO₂ after fossil fuels are burned
Pre-Combustion Capture - Removing CO₂ before burning fossil fuels.
Direct Air Capture (DAC) - Removing CO₂ directly from the air using machines.
What are the advantages of carbon capture?
- Helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Can be applied to existing power plants and industries.
- Prevents CO₂ from entering the atmosphere and contributing to
global warming. - Supports efforts to meet climate goals
What are the disadvantages of carbon capture?
- It is very high cost to build and maintain
- There are storage concerns, as it must be constantly monitored
for leaks - It requires lots of energy, and there is no point of it if that
energy comes from Fossil fuels.
What are some examples of carbon capture projects?
Sleipner Project (Norway): First large – scale project. Est 1996. Storing 1 million Tonnes of CO₂ a year.
Petra Nova Project (USA): In Texas, captures CO₂ from a coal-fired power plant. Shut down 2020
What is afforestation?
Afforestation is the process of planting trees in areas that were not previously forested, increases the number of trees on Earth.
By increasing global forest cover by just 10%, we could absorb approximately 150 gigatons of CO₂ over 100 years.
A single mature tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of CO₂ annually.
How does afforestation mitigate climate change?
- Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) during photosynthesis,
reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. - Forests act as carbon sinks, storing carbon in biomass and soil.
- It can offset carbon emissions from human activities.
What are the benefits of afforestation?
- Reduces the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere, helping to
combat global warming. - Biodiversity - creating new habitats for wildlife, increasing
biodiversity in the area. - Roots bind the soil, preventing erosion and promoting soil
fertility. - Forests help maintain the water cycle
- Creates jobs, improves air quality, and enhances community
well-being.
What are the disadvantages of afforestation?
- May compete with land needed for agriculture or housing.
- Introducing non-native species can harm ecosystems and
biodiversity. - Initial costs can be high, and trees take decades to mature and
get rid of significant carbon. - Large-scale afforestation can increase water demand and affect
local water availability.
What are some examples of afforestation?
- China’s Grain-for-Green Program:
- Aim was to convert agricultural land on slopes into forests to
reduce soil erosion and carbon emissions
- Restored over 69 million hectares of forest by 2020 - Great Green Wall of Africa
- Aim was to combat desertification in Sahel region by planting
trees
- It will enhance local ecosystems, improve livelihoods and
mitigate climate change.
