Challenges of Natural Hazards: Climate Change

Question 1

What is the EVIDENCE of CLIMATE CHANGE

Answer 1

Shrinking glaciers and melting ice
Rising Sea Levels
Seasonal Changes
Antarctic ice cores are used to reconstruct data on temperatures in the past

Question 2

NATURAL CAUSES of CC: EARTH’S ORBIT

Answer 2

Orbit changes from being circular to elliptical (over the course of 100,000 years) which takes Earth further and closer to the Sun
Earth wobbles on its axis so some places may be colder/warmer
Earth’s axis is tilted which moves back and fourth 41,000 years results in warmer/cooler periods of time

Question 3

NATURAL CAUSES OF CC: SOLAR ACTIVITY

Answer 3

Sunspots are darker areas of the sun, when activity is high more heat is given off and vice versa
Very few sunspots recorded 1645-1715- Little Ice Age

Question 4

NATURAL CAUSES OF CC: VOLCANIC ACTIVITY

Answer 4

Volcanic ash can block out Sun reducing temps- this is short term
Conversion of Sulphur Dioxide to Sulphuric Acid in atmosphere acts as tiny mirrors which reflects the heat from Sun back into space
Leads to ‘Volcanic Winters’

Question 5

HUMAN CAUSES OF CC: GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Answer 5

Earth’s atmosphere acts like a greenhouse
Certain gases allow heat to pass through it and then traps heat keeping Earth warmer than normal

Question 6

HUMAN CAUSES OF CC: ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Answer 6

Humans add extra gases into the atmosphere creating a more powerful GH effect
Nitrous oxides, Fertilisers, Car Exhaust, CO2, Deforestation, Burning Fossil Fuels, Rice Farming etc.

Question 7

What are the effects of CC?

Answer 7

Displacement of people, lack of employment due to loss of farmland, lack of reliable water and food supply, endangerment of species, rising sea levels