Challenges Flashcards
Effects of climate change - crop yield
India
Climate will become hotter and drier, estimated that they will not be able to use 50% of the land in which they use in order to grow wheat
Tanzania, Mozambique
More likely to suffer from droughts, could lose up to 1/3 of their maize crop
Effects of climate change - rising sea levels
Kiribati
On average 23 islands which make up Kiribati are 1m above sea level
Rising sea levels means islands will become inundated and people will be forced to evacuate
Sea level has risen 21.4mm per year since 2001, 2 of 23 islands inundated
Effects of climate change - retreating glaciers
As air and surface temperatures increase, glaciers retreat
90% of glaciers found in Antarctica are retreating
Sheldon glacier has retreated 2km since 1947
Effects of climate change -coral bleaching
Great Barrier Reef
Greenpeace predict GBR will be dead in 30 years due to rising sea levels and increase in water temperatures
Climate Change responses- Kyoto Protocol
Agreement signed in 1997, began in 2005, where countries agreed to cut down on their greenhouse gas emissions
2008- 181 countries signed it
Different nations had different agreed levels eg UK by 12.5%
Climate Change responses- Boris Bikes
Bikes in stations around London £2 for access and 30 mins cycles, £2 for any 30 min cycles after that Bikes returned to any stations Reduces reliance on cars Better for your health Fewer CO2 emissions
Climate Change responses - Individuals
Life choices eg- using public transport
- cavity wall insulation, less heating
required
- switching off lights and electrical appliances
Sustainable businesses- Tesco
Introduced a low carbon business initiative to be carbon neutral by 2050
New stores will produce half the current emissions
Goods packed more efficiently in trucks which are double decked to reduce the number used
Since 2010 no waste has been sent to landfill
Set up a ‘greener living’ website to educate customers
Sustainable businesses- M&S
Plan A
Food sold on the last date of it sell by at a discount to reduce waste
Cut packaging by 20%
More than doubled their recycling- 92% of its waste recycled
Charge 5p on carriers to discourage customers from buying them
Sustainable transport- congestion charging
London
Charges introduced in 2003 to reduce congestion and emissions
£11.50 a day, operates Monday to Friday, 7am- 6pm
By 2008, traffic levels reduced by 21%, 29,000 more bus passengers
Money gained from congestion charging is invested in improving other methods of transport
Sustainable transport- Park and Ride
Durham
3 park and ride centres around Durham, including Belmont
People park their cars and get the bus into the centre
Buses run every 10 mins
Reduces the number of cars going into Durham, means less congestion and less CO2 emissions around Durham
Effects of resource extraction- oil extraction
Oriente, Ecuador Stomach cancer 5x more likely More miscarriages Periwinkle becoming extinct 8 types of cancer found Toxic waste seeps into soil causing pollution in farmland and surrounding area
Effects of resource extraction - palm oil plantations
Papau New Guinea
Deforestation of natural rainforest loss of biodiversity
Conflict between those whose land is being taken and developers
Increased use in machinery and processing the oil has led to increased pollution in the area
Management of resource extraction - oil extraction
Oriente, Ecuador
Maxus Oil have built a massive underground pipeline so oil can be extracted without damaging the rainforest due to deforestation
Texaco have given $40 million for the clean up of the area including 160 0f the 600 unlined waste pits
Management of resource extraction- palm oil plantations
Papau New Guinea
Roundtree table set up to make oil more sustainable
Members sign up to following criteria
Unilever encourage oils through owl boxes to eat insects which would otherwise need pesticides
Sustainable rainforest management- Bolivia and Chalalan Eco Lodges
Lodges made from local natural resources, removes the need for transport, reduces emissions
Tourist numbers limited, given education through their rainforest tours
Tourists reach lodges via boat, removes need for transport and CO2 emissions
Solar panels used to power the lodges to remove need for carbon emissions
Natural causes of climate change - Orbital Geometry Theory
Sometimes the earth’s orbit is circular, sometimes it is more ellipse
The earth tilts on its axis, sometimes it is more upright and other times it is more on its side
Earth’s axis wobbles
Orbital changes alter the amount of sunlight reaching the earth and alters where it falls on the earth
Causes temperature to either rise or fall
Known as Milankovitch Cycles
Natural causes of climate change - Eruptions
Volcanic eruptions release ash and sulphur dioxide
Ash is too thick for sunlight to get through
Prevents heat energy getting in, causes earth to get colder
Laki eruption – Iceland 1783 – reduced global temperatures and led to harvest failing in W Europe.
Natural causes of climate change - Sunspots
The more/ larger the sunspot, the more solar energy released
This causes the temperature of the earth to increase
Reduction in sunspot activity between 1645-1715 likely cause of Little Ice Age
Effects of Climate Change - Extreme Weather Conditions
More droughts and for a longer period of time
More hurricanes due to the fact that sea temperature has increased
Carbon footprint
A measure of all of the greenhouse gases a person individually produces in a given amount of time
Measured in tonnes of CO2
Sustainable development
Meets the needs of the present without stopping future generations meeting their needs
Reasons behind deforestation
To extract natural resources eg. wood, oil, minerals
In order to use the land for building houses or growing crops
Methane levels increasing
Increase in population (particularly LEDCs) –
increase demand for rice to feed expanding population and an increase in western style diets (more cattle & sheep raised for meat); also rising temps, methane released from melting permafrost
CO2 levels increasing
Increased energy use due to greater population and increase in electrical goods (due to greater wealth); also greater transport demands (inc. Flying and greater car
ownership)
Industrial revolution, increased factories, pollution levels increase
Global warming process
Heat energy from the sun in the form of shortwave radiation enters the atmosphere and energy is reflected back from earth’s surfaces. Some energy escapes, but much of the longwave radiation is trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and reflected back, warming the atmosphere. The more greenhouse gases, the more heat energy trapped and climate continues to warm.
4 negative impacts of global warming on UK
Insufficient snow for winter sports in Scotland
Sea defences in coastal areas likely to cost greater than
£10 billion due to increased erosion
Valuable low-lying farmland lost in fens
Thames Barrier become ineffectual – flooding of Houses
of Parliament
More pests / diseases in south due to mild winters.
How could a hotel reduce its carbon footprint?
Encourage people not to change towels daily
Booking online / email confirmation (reduce paper /
printing waste)
How could a business reduce its carbon footprint?
More energy efficient production techniques
Encourage customers and staff to recycle
Encourage employees to reduce own emissions (e.g.
using bus / cycle to work)
Use of internet / email (cut paper/printing)
Reduction of unnecessary packaging
