CCP 101

Question 1

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Answer 1

• Established (1988) by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the
  United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Rigorous and comprehensive scientific and technical assessments and
  summaries of existing climatic studies (no original research)
• Focuses on human-caused portion of climate change (anthropogenic) -
  separate from natural climate change

Question 2

system

Answer 2

a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole.

Question 3

Climate System

Answer 3

highly complex system consisting of five
major components:
* the atmosphere (gases and particles),
* the hydrosphere (liquid water),
* the cryosphere (frozen water),
* the lithosphere (solid earth),
* the biosphere (all forms of life), and
* the interactions among them.

Question 4

Weather

Answer 4

the state of the atmosphere at
a particular place during a short period of
time

Question 5

Climate

Answer 5

the average of weather for a given location and season, averaged over a period of time ranging from months to thousands of years, or even longer. A typical timeframe for defining climate
from weather statistics is 30 years.

Question 6

Climate is influenced by

Answer 6

Latitude (determines annual exposure to sunlight)
Altitude (higher elevations tend to be cooler, & vice versa)
Location, including what’s upwind (ocean vs. lakes vs. plains vs. mountains)
Cloudiness, humidity, & wind (influence temperature & precipitation)

Question 7

characterizations of climate include

Answer 7

Average conditions for a specific time of the year
Spatial scale being described (local, regional, or global)
Temporal scale (period of interest compared to some baseline period)

Question 8

state of the climate system

Answer 8

influences the odds that certain types
of weather are more or less likely to
happen.

Question 9

Climate variability

Answer 9

change in weather patterns due to natural
causes on relatively short to medium time spans (weeks to years). For example, El Niño / La Niña, Artic Oscillation

Question 10

Climate change

Answer 10

a change in the state of the climate that can be
identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It may result from natural causes, human (anthropogenic) causes, or both.

Question 11

Global Warming

Answer 11

a long-term increase of the
average annual temperature for the whole earth.

Question 12

Climate change can

Answer 12

• be an increase or decrease
• refer to many parameters
• be local, regional, or global

Question 13

Climate change is not

Answer 13

uniform and proportional to the level of
warming.

Question 14

Energy Balance

Answer 14

the balance between the total energy that enters, leaves, and accumulates within a system (such as Earth’s climate system). Global warming, or global cooling, results from a long-term change in the balance of energy inputs into and outputs from the climate system.

Question 15

Radiative Forcing

Answer 15

the difference between incoming and outgoing
energy.

Question 16

Earth’s energy budget

Answer 16

Things that reflect & emit energy to space MINUS things that absorb energy into the system

Question 17

Climate Forcing

Answer 17

an imposed, natural, or anthropogenic perturbation of the Earth’s energy balance with space (e.g., the sun’s energy output). Ex. sun’s energy output, earth’s orbital mechanics (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession), aerosols (cataclysms), and land use change

Question 18

Climate Feedback

Answer 18

an interaction in which a perturbation in one
climate quantity causes a change in a second, and the change in the second quantity ultimately leads to an additional change in the first. A negative feedback is one in the changes weaken the initial perturbation; a positive feedback is one in which the changes enhance the initial perturbation. ex. clouds, albedo, and precipitation

Question 19

Total Solar Irradiance

Answer 19

the amount of solar radiation received outside the earth’s atmosphere on a surface normal
to the incident radiation, and at the earth’s mean distance from the sun. The generally accepted value is 1368 W m-2 with an accuracy of about 0.2%. Variations of a few tenths of a percent are common, usually associated with the passage of sunspots across the solar disk.

Question 20

Eccentricity

Answer 20

Earth’s orbit around the
Sun grows increasing / decreasingly
egg-shaped over 100K to 400k years

Question 21

Obliquity

Answer 21

Earth’s axis tilts increasingly
away from and then back toward the
Sun, oscillating on roughly 41,000-year
cycles.

Question 22

Precession

Answer 22

Earth has a “wobble” in its
spin, which traces out an imaginary
circle in an imaginary plane above it on
roughly 21,000-year cycles.

Question 23

Albedo

Answer 23

the fraction of solar radiation reflected by a surface or object, often expressed as a percentage. ex. Forest clearing for agriculture generally increases albedo because bare ground reflects more than trees, but the global forcing effect is small.

Question 24

Greenhouse Effect

Answer 24

the infrared radiative effect of all infrared-absorbing constituents in the atmosphere.

Question 25

Greenhouse Gases

Answer 25

those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere and clouds. The principal GHGs in Earth’s atmosphere are water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Question 26

Carbon Cycle

Answer 26

flow of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as CO2) through the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial and marine biosphere, and lithosphere.

Question 27

Climate Tipping Point

Answer 27

a transition when Earth’s climate system abruptly moves between relatively stable states. * Ocean circulation: Increasing fresh water from melting Arctic ice could alter the global “conveyor belt” of ocean circulation. * Ice loss: Complete melting of the Greenland icecap could raise sea level by 7 m (21 feet) and significantly alter Earth’s albedo. * Methane release: melting of permafrost that covers ~25% of the Northern hemisphere could greatly increase radiative forcing.

Question 28

Evidence for Climate Changes

Answer 28

* GHG concentrations continue to set annual records. * Global average surface temperatures each year since 2014 have exceeded values in all prior years. * Ocean heat content continues to rise. * Sea level rise is accelerating. * Ocean acidity is increasing. * Sea ice coverage continues a multi-decade decline.

Question 29

Extreme Climate Event i

Answer 29

the occurrence of pattern of extreme weather persisting for some time, e.g., over a season, especially if it yields an average or total that is itself extreme (e.g., drought or heavy rainfall over a season)

Question 30

Climate Model

Answer 30

a numerical representation of the climate system based on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of its components; their interactions and feedback processes; and accounting for some of its known properties.

Question 31

Atmosphere Ocean General Circulation Models

Answer 31

numerical representations of the climate system based on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of its components, their interactions and feedback processes, and accounting for all or some of its known properties.

Question 32

Earth System Models

Answer 32

a complex integration of environmental variables used for understanding our planet, simulating simulate how chemistry, biology, and physical forces work together, including a representation of the carbon cycle.

Question 33

Scientists have confidence in climate models, because they:

Answer 33

Incorporate established physical laws Simulate important aspects of the current climate Reproduce past climates and climate change

Question 34

Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)

Answer 34

scenarios that include time series of emissions and concentrations of the full suite of greenhouse gases (GHGs), aerosols, and chemically active gases, as well as land use/land cover.

Question 35

Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) a

Answer 35

a collection of pathways that describe alternative futures of socioeconomic development in the absence of climate policy intervention.

Question 36

Climate Mitigation

Answer 36

human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. * Develop new habits to avoid wasting energy * Switch to carbon-free energy sources, such as solar & wind * Plant trees to increase the amount of CO2 taken up by forests & to reduce severity of ‘urban heat islands’ * Establish a carbon tax /dividend to build the cost to pollute into the economy

Question 37

Climate Adaptation

Answer 37

the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. * Protect habitat or structures threatened by climate hazards * Make & implement a climate resilience plans * Plant hardier crops * Develop new business models

Question 38

Geoengineering

Answer 38

deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth's natural systems to counteract climate change. CO2 Removal & Sequestration Reflecting Sunlight Back to Space

Question 39

Yale Center's Six Americas

Answer 39

Alarmed Concerned Cautious Disengaged Doubtful Dismissive

Question 40

Communication and Engagement

Answer 40

Goals Audience Listen Design Engage Adjust

Question 41

SMART

Answer 41

Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Timebound

Question 42

Major Impacts from Climate Change

Answer 42

-Temperature and precipitation regime changes -Increases in extreme weather events -Sea level rise -Increases in flooding

Question 43

drought

Answer 43

a prolonged period of dry weather caused by a lack of precipitation that results in serious water shortages for some activity, population, or ecological system

Question 44

In addition to climate change, other factors influence inland flood frequency and intensity

Answer 44

location of dams, floodwater management activities, agricultural practices, land use changes.

Question 45

Climate change causes global SLR in two ways (1.2 inches per decade):

Answer 45

-Melting ice sheets and glaciers on land directly contribute to sea level rise. -Thermal expansion of seawater as the ocean absorbs Earth’s surplus energy, which raises sea level

Question 46

Global mean sea level

Answer 46

average height of all the world’s oceans. It is only raised by: * Adding water mass (melting land ice, land water storage) * Changing volume of existing ocean water (thermal expansion) * Changing the depth of the ocean basins by movement of Earth’s crust (Glacial isostatic adjustment, ~0.3 mm/yr)

Question 47

Relative sea level

Answer 47

reflective of the combination of sea level rise, ocean/wind currents, glaciers, and the vertical position of adjacent land

Question 48

high-tide flooding

Answer 48

sunny day flooding or nuisance flooding (flooding which causes public inconvenience)

Question 49

Rate of nuisance flooding

Answer 49

relationship between local elevation and the high tide line

Question 50

Climate change likely will not increase the number of cyclones and hurricanes but

Answer 50

likely will continue to increase their intensity

Question 51

Phenology

Answer 51

timing of the annual cycles of plants and animals and their interconnections

Question 52

Phenology is altered by changes in temperature and precipitation, influencing

Answer 52

* The abundance and distribution of plants (including food crops), wildlife, and marine life * Functioning of food webs * Global water and carbon cycles.

Question 53

Temperature and precipitation regime change leads to:

Answer 53

* more prolonged droughts, * increasing heavy downpour events, * reduced snowpack and earlier spring melt, * and declines in surface water quality. -species viability within their current ranges, biodiversity levels, migration, invasive species, and ecosystem function around the globe.

Question 54

Changes in Species

Answer 54

-Changing biology: seasonal coat color camouflage mismatch -Changing biology: disrupted hibernation cycles -Changing habitat: high-elevation cold habitat extinction -Changing habitat: Disrupted migration phenology -Changing habitat: Decreasing prey availability

Question 55

Ocean Acidification

Answer 55

CO2 dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, decreasing the ocean’s pH.This absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide causes carbonate ions to be relatively less abundant in the ocean

Question 56

Climate Change and Health Assessment

Answer 56

* Extreme Temperatures * Air Quality * Extreme Events * Vector-borne Diseases * Water-related Illnesses * Food Safety, Nutrition * Mental Health & Well-being

Question 57

The following population groups can be especially vulnerable to climate impacts:

Answer 57

* Children and Pregnant Women * Older Adults * Communities of Color, Low Income, Some Immigrants, and Limited English Proficiency Groups (for the United States) * Indigenous Peoples * Some Occupational Groups * People with Disabilities * People with Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Mental Health Issues

Question 58

Consequences of aquifer depletion include:

Answer 58

* Lower lake levels * Intermittent or totally dryperennial streams * Land subsidence and sinkhole formation in areas of heavy groundwater withdrawal * Salt water intrusions into areas of fresh groundwater

Question 59

Community Impacts: Inland

Answer 59

* Temperature extremes * Extended hot weather * Unpredictable temperature regimes * Drought * Flooding * Intense storms * Increase in invasive species that harm other resources (e.g., tree-destroying insects) * Increases in diseases and pathogens

Question 60

Community Impacts: Coastal

Answer 60

* Rising air and water temperatures * Sea level rise * Ocean acidification * Retreating arctic sea ice * High-tide flooding * Coastal erosion * Higher storm surge * Heavier precipitation events

Question 61

climigration

Answer 61

permanent migration of communities due to climate change.

Question 62

Supply chain

Answer 62

* The network of all the individuals, organizations, resources, activities, and technology involved in the creation and sale of a product. This network includes the delivery of source materials from the supplier to the manufacturer through to its eventual delivery to the end user. * The movement of materials as they flow from their source to the end customer. This process includes purchasing, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, customer service, demand planning, supply planning, and supply chain management.

Question 63

nodes and links

Answer 63

The nodes are factories or other production operations where value is added to the end product or, at the downstream terminus, the end user. Connection of nodes is through transportation operations that move the unfinished products between nodes or move the finished products to the customer.

Question 64

Cascading impacts

Answer 64

interdependencies among systems and subsystems of coupled natural and socio-economic systems in response to changes and feedback loops

Question 65

Synergistic impacts

Answer 65

those in which the interaction of one impact with another causes a greater effect than the individual impacts would alone.

Question 66

stationarity

Answer 66

the statistical properties of a process generating a time series do not change over time.

Question 67

Non-stationarity

Answer 67

what used to be normal is not normal anymore.

Question 68

Vulnerability Assessment

Answer 68

a process to identify, evaluate, and assess susceptibility to climate-related hazards. It is a proactive way to: * Consider a full range of climate scenarios and system responses, * Incorporate climate variability and uncertainties, * Prioritize critical assets and services at risk from these threats, and * Inform response strategies

Question 69

Hazard

Answer 69

event or condition that may cause injury, illness, or death to people or damage to assets, such as a prolonged heat wave.

Question 70

Climate Stressor

Answer 70

condition, event, or trend related to climate variability and change that can exacerbate hazards. For example, climate change increases the likelihood of such heat waves.

Question 71

Non-climate Stressor

Answer 71

change or trend unrelated to climate that can exacerbate hazards, such as growing urban heat islands that increase risks in a prolonged heat wave.

Question 72

Climate describes

Answer 72

the frequency and severity of hazards

Question 73

Impacts involve both

Answer 73

hazard and an asset

Question 74

System Failure

Answer 74

the loss of functionality of a system under the impact of an external hazard.

Question 75

Vulnerability

Answer 75

propensity or predisposition of assets, services or dependencies to be adversely affected by hazards. Vulnerability encompasses exposure, sensitivity, potential impacts, and adaptive capacity

Question 76

Exposure

Answer 76

presence of people, assets, and ecosystems in places where they could be adversely affected by hazards. Estimate the degree, magnitude, and frequency with which asset or service will be exposed to the hazard

Question 77

Sensitivity (fragility)

Answer 77

degree to which a system, population, or resource is or might be affected by hazards. Estimate the changes to the asset’s performance or production due to the climate-related hazard Types of information that help gauge the degree of sensitivity – Specific design standards or criteria – Design elements in the surrounding geography or the larger facility

Question 78

Adaptive Capacity

Answer 78

-the ability of a person, asset, or system to adjust to a hazard, take advantage of new opportunities, or cope with change. -The ability of a system to adjust to or moderate potential damages caused by climate-related hazards so as to preserve or enhance the system’s functionality. Evaluate the asset’s or system’s ability to adjust to or moderate potential damages from the climate hazard

Question 79

Risk

Answer 79

potential for adverse consequences where something of value is at stake and where the occurrence and degree of an outcome is uncertain. Magnitude+likelihood+vulnerability

Question 80

Resilience

Answer 80

the capacity of a community, business, or natural environment to prevent, to prepare for, to withstand, to recover, and to adapt to significant threats with minimum damage to social well-being, the economy, and the environment. Resilience often incorporates multiple lines of defense