Climate Change

Question 1

Global effects of Climate Change?

Answer 1

• Ice caps melting
• Loss of habitat
• Rising sea levels
• Flooding of Maldives
• Damage to infrastructure and agricultural land
• Stronger tropical storms

Question 2

Evidence for Climate Change?

Answer 2

• Increasing global temperatures
• Ice melting
• Rising Sea levels
• CO2 concentration in atmosphere

Question 3

Natural causes of climate change?

Answer 3

• Orbital Changes
• Solar Activity
• Volcanic Activity

Question 4

How do Orbital Changes affect climate change?

Answer 4

• Milankovitch Cycle

- Precession (sometimes longer exposure to sun during longer days of year)

Question 5

How does Solar Activity affect climate change?

Answer 5

• Sunspot cycle
• When sunspot activity is at a max, sun gives off MORE heat
• When at minimum, it gives off LESS heat
• Causes fluctuating temperatures on Earth every 1 1years

Question 6

How does Volcanic Activity affect climate change?

Answer 6

• Volcanic ash can block out sun

- Conversion from Sulphur dioxide to sulphuric acid can act as mirrors reflecting radiation from sun

Question 7

Human causes of Climate Change?

Answer 7

• Burning fossil fuels
• Car exhausts
• Deforestation, burning of wood
• Agricultural Fertilisers
• Sewage treatment
• Farm livestock
• Decaying matter in landfills

Question 8

How can climate Change be managed? (MITIGATION)

Answer 8

Alternative energy sources such as :

• Nuclear Energy
• Alternate, renewable energy sources
• Carbon Capture
• Planting Trees
• International Agreements

Question 9

What does Carbon Capture do?

Answer 9

• Reduces CO2 levels in the atmosphere

- By pumping it underground for storage

Question 10

What does Planting trees do?

Answer 10

• Trees act as carbon sinks
• Absorbing CO2 for photosynthesis
• Therefore reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere and reducing climate change

Question 11

What do International Agreements do?

Answer 11

• Help world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Eg. Paris Agreement
• $100 billion a year to support climate change initiatives

Question 12

How can Climate Change be managed? (ADAPTATION)

Answer 12

• Drought resistant strains of crops
• New irrigation processes
• Managing water supply
• Reducing risk from rising sea levels

Question 13

Why do we need to manage water supply?

Answer 13

• Climate change increases temperatures
• So droughts are more prone
• So water needs to be conserved for unexpected droughts

Question 14

Case study for managing rising sea levels?

Answer 14

• MALDIVES
• Vulnerable to rising sea levels because they are low lying islands
• 380,000 inhabitants may all have to move to Sri Lanka or India
• Could be submerged in 50 years
• Construction of Sea walls
• Building houses on stilts
• Restoration of coastal forests, vegetation offers protection from storm waves