Chapter 1

Question 1

Coal, oil and gas are all examples of what type of non-renewable resource?

Answer 1

Fossil Fuels

Question 2

Coal is an example of a fossil fuel. Name two other fossil fuels.

Answer 2

Crude oil
Natural gas

Question 3

List four uses of fossil fuels in modern day life

Answer 3

Plastics
Pharmaceutics
Transport
Fibres

Question 4

Define fossil fuels? (2)

Answer 4

Fossil fuel – fuel consisting of the remains of organisms preserved in rocks in the earth’s crust with high carbon and hydrogen content.

Or fuel which is used to generate electricity by combustion.

Question 5

Define renewable energy source (2)

Answer 5

Renewable energy source – a form of energy derived from natural sources that do not use up natural resources to harm the environment.
Or use of wind turbine to produce electricity.

Question 6

Explain why global action on conservation of fossil fuels and climate change is needed.(3)

Answer 6

Conservation is triggered by a realisation that the worlds non-renewable resources are diminishing and that countries are using fossil fuels at a faster rate especially in emerging economies e.g. China, India (1)

Climate change has been linked to increasing use of fossil fuels (1)

Global action is needed because the impact of excessive resource use affects the whole world (1)

Question 7

Explain why global action on fossil fuel conservation is necessary, by making reference to lifespan of reserves, location of reserves and accessibility.
Lifespan of reserves: {2}
Location of reserves: {2}
Accessibility: {2}

Answer 7

OLifespan of Reserves:
Fossil Fuels are a finite resource, meaning they will eventually run out unless they are conserved.
Fossil fuel reserves are estimated to last between 50 and 200 years.

Location of Reserves:
Fossil fuel reserves can be located in areas of the world which are politically unstable/hostile, e.g. large methane deposits in Russia/large oil deposits in the Middle East and North Africa.

Accessibility:
There are environmental and social issues surrounding extraction of fossil fuels, e.g. drilling for oil in the Arctic has been suspended following campaigning against it.

Question 8

State 2 pieces of evidence presented by the global scientific community linking the combustion of fossil fuels with global warming and climate change?

Answer 8

Any 2 from;
Weather patterns – Floods, Increased storms and famines. Sea temperature rises.
Ecology changes.
Polar Ice caps melting.
Rise in sea levels.

Question 9

Describe three different pieces of scientific evidence that link the combustion of fossil fuels to global warming and climate change. (3)

Answer 9

• Levels of carbon dioxide has increased markedly.
• There are fewer cold days, nights and frost events.
• Hot days, nights and heat waves are more common.
• There is an increase in ocean temperature.

Question 10

Identify three environmental changes being caused by climate change. {3}

Answer 10

• Larger glacial lakes appearing in larger numbers [1]
• An increase in sea levels [1]
• Significant changes in some ecosystems found in polar regions [1]

• Events which normally happen in Spring, e.g. unfolding of leaves and bird migration happening earlier than previously recorded [1]
• Predictions of larger drought affected areas in the world [1]

Question 11

Describe two issues surrounding the use of carbon trading. {2}

Answer 11

• Complexity of the market.
• Difficulties surrounding governance of the market. Carbon markets open to
fraud and manipulation.
• Economic cost of trading carbon credits.
• Difficulties in setting the size of credits / credit limits for countries.
• Difficulties surrounding measurement of emissions.

Question 12

Outline one advantage and one disadvantage of carbon trading as a viable option for reducing global carbon emissions. {2}

Answer 12

Any one advantage from;
• Carbon trading should result in less carbon entering the air so reducing the greenhouse effect.

• Carbon trading should provide a government control of the carbon emitted by its industries.
• Organisations which have earned unused credits can sell them.

Any one disadvantage from;
• The market can be open to fraud and manipulation.
• Some businesses could be unwilling to get involved in the trade, as they do not want to incur costs that will reduce profit margins.
• Credit limits available in a country may be too high to produce a significant decrease in harmful emissions.
• The measurement of carbon emissions is very difficult.

Question 13

Explain what is meant by carbon trading and outline three aspects of how it works in practice. {4}

Answer 13

• A carbon trade is an exchange of carbon credits between countries. {1}
• Countries are assigned maximum carbon emission levels. {1}
• If a country exceeds its maximum level it is penalised. {1}
• Countries that have higher carbon emissions can buy the right to release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from countries that have lower carbon emissions. {1}

Question 14

State the name of the concept developed at the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 intended to help reduce carbon emissions. {1}

Answer 14

Carbon Trading

Question 15

Discuss two ways in which carbon trading can reduce worldwide carbon emissions. {4}

Answer 15

Countries are assigned maximum carbon emission levels in the form of carbon permits. [1] If a country exceeds its maximum level it must buy extra carbon permits from other countries. This financial penalty encourages the country to lower their CO2 emissions. [1]

Countries who produce less than their allotted carbon emissions
can sell their carbon permits to other countries. [1] This financial incentive encourages the country to lower their CO2 emissions. [1]

Question 16

Outline three different reasons why carbon trading is not always a success in reducing overall carbon emissions.(3)

Answer 16

The market is open to fraud

Businesses may not participate

Credit limits may be too high