climate Flashcards
what is the quaternary period
last 2.6mil years
temp trend over last 5.5 million years
overall decrease - 2 to around -9 degrees
last 400 years trebd
spikes over 100k year periods, extended high for rn which has an average higher than entire quaternary period
trend last 137 yrs
since 1880 average global temp increased by 0.85 degrees
what is eccentricity
earths orbit around the sun shape - circular or elliptical. over 100000 years, 5-6 degree change
what is precession
earth wobbles on its axis causing areas to be more direct to sun, 26000 years, 2-3 degrees
what is axial tilt
earths axis changes from 21.5 to 24.5 degrees every 41000 years, change temp by 2-3 degrees
what is solar activity
dark patch on the suns surface which give off more heat. 11 year period of heightened and lowered activity, can create small ice ages
volcanic activity what is
ash (short term) blocks out sun reduce temp. long term sulphur dioxide will condense into sulphuric acid and act as greenhouse gas. can both higher and lower temp
agriculture fact
accounts for 20% of gg emissions, 1 cow produce 50l of methane a day
deforestation 1 fact
if carry on all trfs gone in 100 years.
fossil fuel fact
fossil fuel emissions 50% of all gg emissions and 11 gigatons a year
mitigate fossil fuels
renewable energy. 25% of Iceland energy from geothermal
mitigate deforestation
planting 1mil would soak up 25% of carbon emissions, trees soak up 6 gigatons carbon a year
carbon capture and storage
chemicals attach to carbon only which is then purified and stored underground. plant in Iceland captures 4k tonnes a year
mitigation global agreements
rich countries gave poorer ones $100bil to reduce carbon emissions, agreed to keep climate change under 1.5 degrees
adaptation - sea level rise
Maldives building islands 2.5m above sea level with sea walls 3m high whereas before they were 1.5m above sea level
adaptation - agriculture
50% of earths land used by it. vertical farming uses 90% less water and 390x more crops per square foot
adaptation - water
the himalayas make ice stupas or fake glaciers which provide 10mil litres of water per year
how will water change bc of climate change
diseases found in hot climates will be found in more places
how will agriculture change climate change
countries closer to equator will struggle to grow crops
sea level climate change effects
sea levels expected to rise between 26 and 82 cm
