Chapter 3 Flashcards
State the main aims of the Brundtland Commissions work leading to the release of the final report in 1987.
The aim of the Brundtland commission was to increase each nation’s co-operation and awareness of the damaging effects of human action on planet Earth and society.
State the name of the repot released.
Our common future
Before the release of this repot some delegates wanted the report to focus on environmental issues. State why this was not allowed.
Co-operation were not themes high on the agenda of many nations.
State the definition of sustainable development.
To ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
State the name and year of the first global energy summit that resulted in enforceable targets in relation to reducing carbon emissions.
Kyoto Protocol, December 1997.
What were these targets for developed nations?
Developed nations were placed with a heavier burden in terms of the targerts under the principle of ‘common but different entailed responsibilities’.
Why did developed nations have tougher targets imposed?
The protocol recognised the larger contribution to the climate change problem caused by developed nations with some 150 years of polluting the environment.
State the percentage of energy the UK achieved from renewables in 2004 and compare these values with other EU nations.
The UK was lagging severely behind other EU countries in power produced by renewables in 2004.
In your opinion did the UK have good fuel security in 2004? Justify your answer.
No. This is due to the fact that the UK have no naturally occurring sources of oil or gas and have been far too reliant on them up to this point.
Why was each nation set a different target and what were these targets based on?
The UK have been far too reliant on fossil fuels up to this point, to this end thy have significantly lower targets compared with the rest of the European Nations.
Outline two reasons why nations need to prioritise renewable energy development.
The nations with large reserves of fossil fuels are volatile and this can lead to uncertainty and disruption which could devastate an improving nations economy and indeed every facet of society as it currently exists.
As houses shift towards more efficient and renewable means of heating such as air and ground source heat pumps, this will increase the demand for electricity.
State some of the benefits of reducing energy consumption and state ways in which these can be achieved.
The may be additional benefits in terms of exporting energy to other nations and generating high tech jobs where this expertise is available across the globe.
In what year did nuclear power production peak? What percentage of renewable energy in this year?
In the late 1990’s UK nuclear power peaked at approximately 25% of the nation’s electrical generation needs
What percentage of energy did nuclear energy represent in the UK in 2016? Explain this trend leading up to 2016.
Nuclear power represented 21% of the UK’s total electricity generation in 2016. In the years leading up to 2016 it is believed that the nuclear energy production for the UK has dropped.
State typical energy density values of nuclear, renewables and fossil fuels in MJ/kg.
Nuclear = 83,000,000MJ/kg
Renewables = 18MJ/kg
Fossil fuels = 30MJ/kg
