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Higher Geography > Climate Change > Flashcards

Climate Change Flashcards

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1
Q

climate

A

the average pattern of elements of weather prevailing in an area over a long period of time

30 years +

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2
Q

climate change

A

an alteration of the climate system over an extended period

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3
Q

main greenhouse gases

A
  • ozone (O3)
  • methane (CH4)
  • carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • water vapour (H2O)
  • sulphur dioxide (SO2)
  • nitrous oxides
  • CFCs and HFCs

these gases damage the ozone layer which protects us from UV radiation

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4
Q

physical causes of climate change

A
  • volcanoes
  • sun spot activity
  • eccentricity (stretch)
  • axial obliquity (tilt)
  • melting permafrost
  • fumeroles
  • melting ice
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5
Q

volcanoes

physical causes of climate change

A
  • volcanoes emit gases (e.g. CO2) which contribute to greenhouse effect
  • sulphur dioxide from volcanoes combines with oxygen and water in the stratosphere to form sulphuric acid which condenses to form sulphate aerosole droplets. the droplets form a haze blocking out solar energy causing cooling
  • large amounts of ash and dust stops the sun’s energy reaching earth causing cooling
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6
Q

sun spot activity

physical causes of climate change

A
  • sunspots appear on the sun when additional solar energy is being released
  • high sunspot activity result in warming

11 year cycles

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7
Q

eccentricity

physical causes of climate change

A
  • earths orbit becomes more elliptical
  • this means the amount of energy received varies depending on the earth’s distance from the sun

97,000 year cycle

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8
Q

axial obliquity

physical causes of climate change

A
  • the angle of the earth’s axis changes meaning that the poles are tilted more towards the sun and receive more solar energy

41,000 year cycle

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9
Q

melting permafrost

physical causes of climate change

A
  • during summer in the arctic the top layer of earth defrosts and becomes marshy as permafrost prevents drainage of water
  • vegetation therefore decays releasing methane, contibuting to the greenhouse effect, causing warming

every year

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10
Q

fumeroles

physical causes of climate change

A
  • these vents release gases (CO2, hydrogen sulphate, hydrogen chloride) which absorb solar energy, warming our planet
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11
Q

melting ice

physical causes of climate change

A
  • melting ice releases freshwater into the oceans
  • this can lead to changes in ocean circulation and reduce the albedo effect so earth absorbs rather than reflects
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12
Q

albedo effect

A

a measure of how reflective a surface is

ice and snow has high albedo, dark soils and forests have low albedo

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13
Q

carbon dioxide

human causes of climate change

A
  • burning fossil fuels
  • icreased car ownership
  • deforestation
  • peat bog reclaimation
  • increased air travel
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14
Q

methane

human causes of climate change

A
  • landfill (decaying waste)
  • padi fields (rice production)
  • cattle farming (animal feces)

20 times more effective at trapping heat than CO2

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15
Q

nitrous oxides

human causes of climate change

A
  • more cars (exhaust emissions)
  • power stations (burning fossil fuels)
  • fertilisers

200 - 300 times more effective at trapping heat than CO2

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16
Q

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)

human causes of climate change

A
  • incorrect disposal of old fridges releases CFCs when the foam insulation is shredded

17,700 times more effective at trapping heat than CO2

17
Q

local effects of climate change

A
  • increased average rainfall
  • increased annual temperatures
  • rising sea levels
18
Q

increased average rainfall

local impacts of climate change

A

social
- flooding damages homes
- insurance of homes go up
- strains emergency services

economic
- money spent on flood defence
- tourism will go down

environmental
- salmon spawning grounds are destroyed as the gravels are washed away

19
Q

increased annual temperatures

local impacts of climate change

A

social
- heat waves kill the young and elderly with medical conditions, straining healthcare

economic
- longer growing season increases crop yield
- traditional crops do not grow as well
- tourists are attracted to warmer beaches boosting local economy

environmental
- misquitoes migrate north leading to greater malaria exposure
- increased insecticide use damages environment
- decline in arctic animals
- migration of butterflly species

20
Q

rising sea levels

local impacts of climate change

A

social
- coastal erosion leads to destiction of houses and displacement of people

economic
- coastal sea defences need to be built, which costs lots of money

environmental
- coastal erosion leads to loss of habitat and SSSIs
- loss of marshes reduces habitats

21
Q

global impacts of climate change

A
  • sea level rise - coastal flooding
  • extreme weather (such as hurricanes due to warmer seas) - displaces people
  • drought - reduces crop yield (famine), environmental refugees (strain resources on receiver), conflict over water supplies
  • flooding - displaces people
  • disease - malaria, waterborn disease after floods
  • ecosystems, habitats and species are disrupted - coral bleaching, ocean acidification, habitat loss leads to extinction
  • forest fires - due to prolonged dry spells e.g. australian bush fires
22
Q

local and national

management strategies for climate change (strategy & limitations)

A
  • promotion of energy efficient products - small impact
  • low emission vehicles - expensive, need charged often, limits to public transport
  • renewable energy - intermittant, expensive
  • afforestation e.g. Africa’s Great Green Wall - trees need time to grow, growing population needs more agricultural land
  • reduce meat in diet e.g Veganuary - hard to change cultures attitude to diet, products come from abroad
23
Q

international

management strategies for climate change (strategy & limitations)

A
  • paris agreement; below 2ºC, report back 5 years - aim rather than commitment
  • COP26; net 0, mobilise finance, protect ecosystems, collaborate - not all countries signed agreement
24
Q

other

management strategies for climate change

A
  • sea defences (thames flood barrier)
  • build embankments/levees
25
Q

management strategies for climate change

‘buzz words’

A
  • waste management
  • global agreements
  • managing impacts of climate change
  • energy
  • transport
  • diet
  • conservation/restoration

Higher Geography (10 decks)

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