carbon cycle and energy insecurity Flashcards
what is the biological pump
the organic sequestration of cO2 to the oceans by phytoplankton which photosynthesises it, other animals consume the phytoplankton and the CO2 is released by respiration, CO2 only reaches the sea floor when the phytoplankton die and sink where they either decompose or are turned into sediment
what is the carbonate pump
relies on inorganic carbon sequestration, marine organisms may utilise calcium carbonate to make their shells and inner skeletons, shells dissolve before reaching the sea floor when they die and the carbon becomes part of the ocean currents, shells that do reach the floor build up slowly and form limestone sediment
what is the physical pump
based on the oceanic circulation of water including upwelling, downwelling and the thermohaline current, CO2 is mixed more slowly in the oceans than in the atmosphere so there are large spatial differences in the concentrations, the colder the water the more potential for CO2 to be absorbed, warm waters release CO2
how much of the world’s global carbon does soil store
20-30%
what factors affect the capacity of soil to store carbon
climate, soil type and management and use of soils
what are the implications for the climate from the increase in carbon in the atmosphere due to fossil fuel combustion
thermohaline circulation will weaken, ice sheets will melt, stronger storms, increased precipitation and temperatures
implications for ecosystems from the increase in carbon in the atmosphere due to fossil fuel combustion
extinction as a result of habitat changes, less biodiversity, loss of plants, varied migrations due to climate zones shift
implications for the hydrological cycle from the increase in carbon in the atmosphere due to fossil fuel combustion
rivers will dry up, glaciers will disappear, humidity will increase, increased precipitation, permafrost will melt leading to flooding and release of carbon
definition of energy mix
the energy mix of a country is the proportion of each primary energy resource a country uses in a year
what factors affect the energy mix of a country
the availability, accessibility, energy needs, national and regional policies that affect energy production and consumption, financial cost
whats the word for human caused climate change
anthropogenic climate change
what does the UN predict the population to be in 2030
9 billion
what does the UN predict the population to be in 2050
10 billion
energy security definition
The ability of a nation to secure sufficient, affordable and consistent energy supplies for its domestic, industrial, transport and military requirements
energy equity definition
ensuring accessible and affordable energy for all countries
what is an example of a state controlled energy company
Gazprom
what is the OPEC
the organisation of the Petroleum exporting countries, IGO set up in 1960 to coordinate member countries’ oil policies, aims to create a stable income for oil producing nations by controlling output and prices when selling oil to consuming nations
how many members did OPEC have in 2016
14 member countries in three continents with Saudi Arabia being the most important player
how much of the world’s oil does OPEC control
40%
what percent of Denmark’s energy is produced by wind turbines
40%
how many deep water oil rigs were there in the Gulf of Mexico in 2014
63
how quickly can new technology detect an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico
45 seconds
where is the largest tar sand reserve
Alberta Canada
where are there large oil shale reserves
Green River Formation of rocks in Colorado and Utah
what are the negatives of fracking
lowered groundwater levels, chemical contamination of water, methane gas leaks
what are the negatives of oil shale
expensive and releases greenhouse gases when heated to release the oil, disturbance of land and vegetation cover, lots of waste produced and air and water pollution
what are the negatives of tar sands
large amounts of energy needed, results in an estimated contribution to global warming three times higher than conventional oil, scars the landscape leaking into water supplies, infringements of indigenous people’s treaty rights
what are the five examples of radical technologies
hydrogen fuel cells, electric vehicles, carbon capture and storage, nuclear fission, nanotechnology
what are the positives and negatives of hydrogen fuel cells
only waste product is water, processes to separate it from other components require large amounts of energy and may emit large quantities of greenhouse gases
what are the positives and negatives of electric vehicles
can only travel short distances, high initial cost, energy still required which might be produced unsustainably, low noise pollution, zero carbon emissions and cheap to run
what are the positives of carbon capture and storage
lowers pollution, climate benefits, extends use of fossil fuels and improves efficiency, CO2 leakage could affect human health, underground pressure can cause small earthquakes and increased water usage affects natural environments
what are the positives and negatives of nuclear fission
clean with no greenhouse gas emissions or radioactivity, can use common elements, far away from becoming a reality as the technology is still developing
what are the positives and negatives of nanotechnology
can be used to make solar fuels which would replace fossil fuels, zero carbon emissions
