Challenges for the Planet Flashcards
What is weather?
The state of the atmosphere at any given time and place
What is climate?
The average weather conditions over a long period of time (at least 30 years)
How has the worlds climate changed since the last ice age?
temp. rise
Over past 10,000 years the temperature has risen by 6°C. The projected temperature is still rising.
There were many fluctuations between 4 and 6°C between the years of 6800 BC and 2000 AD.
What are the 2 types of factors that have affected the worlds climate change since the last ice age?
External factors
Internal Factors
What are the External factors that have affected the worlds climate change since the last ice age?
Solar output
Orbital geometry
What are the Internal factors that have affected the worlds climate change since the last ice age?
Volcanic activity
Surface reflection
Change in atmospheric gas
Tectonic activity
Explain solar output and its effects
Energy that comes from the sun
Studies (1980’s) show this has decreased by 0.1 percent
Not much but over large scale of time could affect global climate
Reduced sunspot activity may have caused the Little Ice Age (1645 and 1715)
Explain Orbital geometry and its effects
- Shape of Earth’s orbit
Colder periods when orbit is circular
Warmer periods when orbit is more elliptical - Tilt of Earth’s axis
Greater angle - hotter summers and colder winters
When angle is greater earth experiences warmer periods
Explain Volcanic activity and its effects
Release sulfur dioxide and ash
Act as cloak and reduce amount of solar radiation/energy reaching Earths surface
1816 “year without summer” after Mount Tambora erupted
Explain Surface reflection and its effects
During cool period when there is ice and snow the temperature will drop because the ice and snow will reflect sunlight back to space. When the planet warms up this diminishes and the Earth gets warmer
Explain Change in atmospheric gas and its effects
There is a clear relationship between CO2 and temperature variation
Responsible for greenhouse effect - keeps heat in
Explain Tectonic activity and its effects
Continent movement - caused by tectonic plates - affects ocean circulation and causes wind and ocean currents to change
This process is too slow to have an impact over the span of 10,000 years
What are the causes of current climate change?
Explain
Fossil fuels - (coal, oil, natural gas) when burnt gases are released. CO2 causes greenhouse effect - global warming
Methane - greenhouse gas(20 percent of g.h.g in atmosphere) Comes from: Wetlands+mashes+swamps Growing of rice Landfills(rotting vegetable matter) Burning vegetation Bowels of animals
What are the negative effects of cimate change
Changing pattern of crop yields
Rising sea levels
Retreating glaciers
Changing pattern of crop yields
Countries near equator suffer from decreasing yields
Tanzania/Mozambique - long periods of drought with shorter growing seasons
Rising sea levels
Studies show a rise of 3.3mm a year - 88cm by end of century
Threaten areas of low lying land, many island are being evacuated before they are covered/engulfed by sea water
Retreating glaciers
Lots of glaciers are melting quickly. Research shows 90 percent of glaciers in Antarctica are retreating. Could affect water movement and temperatures in western europe
Examples of negative climate changes effects
BANGLADESH - coastal flooding, if levels rise by 1m it will lose 17.5 per cent of its land
GREAT BARRIER REEF- Australia, Greenpeace report predicts it will be dead in 30 years due to rising sea temp.
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK-Montana, (1910:150 glaciers) has decreased to 30 glaciers, predicted that 30 till all gone
What are the global responses to climate change?
1988: UN set up Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) first report showed Earth warmed by 0.5°C in past century
1992: Earth Summit Rio de Janeiro
1997: Kyoto Protocol is agreed - 178 countries signed treaty came into force in 2005. agreed to cut g.h.g emissions
2007: Bali conference-IPCC confirms 90 percent chance global warming caused by humans. Agree to tackle climate change
Kyoto Protocol Update
Been hard as not all countries were singed up properly
Hard to get countries to legally commit
Next major event is in December 2015 - representatives from more than 190 countries will be present
Local responses: Schools
‘LivesSimply’ campaign 2007- think about sustainability
Energy efficient water and central heating systems
Renewable sources eg. solar panels/wind turbines
Notices to switch off lights
Local responses: Local Councils
Given £4 million by government
Introduce ideas about cutting emissions
Simple changes eg. free low energy light bulbs
Sophisticated changes eg. combined heat and power scheme (Woking’s CHP)
Local Responses: Local Interest Groups
Eg. Manchester is my planet
encourage individuals to reduce carbon footprint
green energy projects
green badge parking permit - low carbon cars apply, annual permit for NCP car parks in Greater Manchester for 25% discount
Define sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
How can we be sustainable in the workplace?
Video conferences - reduces a companies carbon footprint also saves money and time
How can a hotel be sustainable?
Hotels - only wash linen when needed (not everyday) saves energy(electricity) and reduces water usage E.G Travelodge
How can schools be sustainable?
Schools-separate waste bins, signs to encourage t switch off lights
In what other ways can we be sustainable in a workplace?
Internet used instead of paper
Provide different bins
Push taps in toilets to conserve water
How did the government propose to manage transport?
Increase tax to control traffic growth rate
Improve vehicle performance - tests, restrictions, road tax
Make public aware of emissions impact- adverts, campaigns
Reduce dependency on cars(HICs)
Affordable alternative public transport systems
What are the aims of congestion charging?
Reduce number of vehicles entering the city, to ease traffic congestion and lower pollution emissions
This will hopefully lead to more sustainable transport methods being used eg. cycling, walking, public transport
London Congestion Charging - key facts
Set up in 2008
£11.50 a day 0700-1800 (Monday-Friday)
What are the benefits of congestion charging in London?
Traffic levels reduced by 21%
65,000 fewer journeys a day
12% increase in cycle journeys
12% Reduction in nitrous oxide emissions
Cambridge Park and ride-key facts
Introduced in 1994
Buses run every 10min Mon-Sat and every 20min after 7pm
Links 5 park and ride sites to city centre
TRUMPINTON-CLOSE TO M11
Very successful
Benefits of Cambridge P+R
Parking in city centre in expensive and scarce
Reduced congestion
Nice waiting areas encourage the P+R usage
Less use of cars (more sustainable)
Negatives of Cambridge P+R
Loss of land
Traffic congestion moved elsewhere(car parks)
Services may become slow, discouraging tourists
Marks and Spencers- Plan A
2007 Environmental and ethical plan reduce carrier bag use take old m&s clothes to Oxfam-customers get £5 voucher £2.5 million raised for Oxfam reduced food packaging by 20% 90% of packaging widely recyclable sustainably source 70% of food IN STORE-natural light, LED lights in car parks
Impact of resource extraction: Mining in Brazil
mercury used in gold mining-very toxic : found in high concentration in the fish. 90% of fish contaminated
high miscarriage and cancer rates among locals
Impact of resource extraction: Oil extraction in Ecuador
toxic waste mixed with crude oil and seeps into freshwater through the 600 unlined pits
stomach cancer more frequent because hydrocarbons 200-300 times more concentrated than allowed for human consumption
many miscarriages
plants e.g periwinkle(leukemia) are endangered
Managing resource extraction: Costa rica
ecotourism
zip wiring, trails through rainforest
allowed American company(Merck) to look for plants that can be fragrances
Costa rica government gets a share of the profits
Managing resource extraction: Venezuela
not issued more gold or diamond mining permits since 2008
conserves forest area
followed attacks from illegal miners
