Climate Change Flashcards
What does anthropogenic mean?
Originating from or related to human activity
What is climate?
Long-term average of the weather at a particular location
What is weather?
Day-to-day state of the atmosphere
What is climate change?
Changes to the average weather conditions of a particular location
What is global warming?
The century-scale increase in the average temperature across the entire planet
What is the pattern or mean global temperature?
It is rising fast
What do small variations in global mean temperature across years reflect?
Internal variability in Earth’s global surface temperature
How much has the global mean temperature risen since the 80s?
> 1°C
How long does it typically take the planet to warm 5°C?
5000 years
What is the predicted rate of warming for the next century?
20 times faster than normal
What is global warming tied to?
Human-induced gas emissions (CO2)
What is the aim of COP of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change?
Stimulate policy agreements to halt climate change
What is the aim of the COP of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity?
Stimulate policy agreements to halt biodiversity loss and protect nature
What are the most important natural greenhouse gases?
Water vapor
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Ozone
Nitrous oxide
Chlorofluorocarbons
What is the natural greenhouse effect?
Reflection of heat emitted by our planet back to the Earth
Slows down heat loss
Maintains life on our planet
What are the most important greenhouse gases emitted by human activity?
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Chlorofluorocarbons
What is the human-enhanced greenhouse effect?
Gases released by human activities enhance the natural greenhouse effect
Increased reflection of heat emitted by our planet back to the Earth
Drive positive radiative forcing
Increasing global temperatures and threatens life on our planet
What are the global warming potentials of anthropogenic greenhouse gases?
CO2 = used as a reference
Methane = 21 CO2
Nitrous oxide = 310 CO2
Chlorofluorocarbons = 1000-10000 CO2
How do scientists study atmospheric CO2 concentrations?
Ice core analysis
On the ground CO2 measurements based on infrared or chemical gas sensors
Space-based CO2 measurements based on satellites based on measuring changes in infrared reflection
What is ice core analysis?
The study of CO2 concentrations in bubbles trapped in deep ice cores
Small ice core segments dated
Gas in small ice core segments crushed, released gas analyzed by laser absorption spectroscopy or by gas chromatography
How do humans influence the carbon cycle?
Atmospheric CO2 over the past 100 years shows a rapid increase starting in the 1800s
Past interruptions of global economic activity and fossil fuel burning caused deviations from CO2 increase
What is the representative concentration pathway?
Scenarios of greenhouse gas trajectories used to model future climates
Named after different ranges of radiative forcing values
What causes the acidification of the ocean?
High CO2 levels in the water
What are the predicted risks to ecosystems in Alberta?
Increased pests and fires in boreal forests
Thawing of permafrost
Species extinctions, especially on the prairie and other flat landscapes
Increased drought
Displacement and destructions from extreme weather events
