Climate Change Flashcards
What is Climate Change?
According to the United Nations, climate change refers to long-term shifts in global temperatures and weather patterns.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Some gases in the Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and stop it escaping into space. These are called ‘greenhouse gases’.
What are the sources of greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gases come from both human and natural sources.
Which greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere?
Gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide naturally occur in the atmosphere.
Which greenhouse gases are produce by human activity?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are produced by human activity.
Name some of the causes of climate change
Burning fossil fuels, deforestation,agriculture
How does the burning of fossil fuels affect climate change?
Fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal contain carbon dioxide. When we take these out of the ground and burn them, we release the stored carbon dioxide into the air.
How does deforestation cause climate change?
Forests remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cutting them down means that carbon dioxide builds up quicker since there are no trees to absorb it.
How does agriculture affect climate change?
Planting crops and rearing animals releases many different types of greenhouse gases into the air such as Methane and Nitrous oxide.
Name some of the effects of climate change.
Shorter rainy season, longer dry season, a rise in sea levels, an increase in storms and hurricanes, environmental damage
A shorter rainy season and a longer dry season will reduce the supply of water, including drinking water, to homes, communities and businesses
A rise in sea levels and coastal flooding have implications for communities and built-up areas along the coast, and for the tourism industry.
Rising sea levels can also pollute underground water resources.
This will result in the increased frequency of storms and hurricanes.
Warmer seas also damage to coral reefs and our supply of fish.
Mosquito-borne diseases are also more likely to spread as warmer temperatures encourage mosquito breeding.
This will result in the increased frequency of storms and hurricanes.
Warmer seas also damage to coral reefs and our supply of fish.
Mosquito-borne diseases are also more likely to spread as warmer temperatures encourage mosquito breeding.
We have flora and fauna in the Caribbean that are not found anywhere else in the world. Climate change and shifts in weather threaten our natural environment.
