Climate Change

Question 1

The atmosphere is made up of…

Answer 1

Gases, clouds, H2O vapour, pollutants, aerosols

Question 2

Explain E(in) = E(out) in words.

Answer 2

The Earth’s atmosphere balances incoming solar radiation (short wave) and outgoing radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface (long wave). Energy is trapped in the atmosphere as heat.

Question 3

What is a black body?

Answer 3

Perfect absorber/emitter of radiation.

Question 4

What is Albedo?

Answer 4

Measure of how reflective something is. Earth’s Albedo is 0.31.

Question 5

What is emmissivity?

Answer 5

Effectiveness of retaining heat.

Question 6

How do atmospheric gases help keep the earth warm?

Answer 6

They are transparent to incoming solar radiation (shortwave, visible).
They absorb outgoing radiation emitted from the earth (longwave, infrared).

(Increase global average surface temperature by ~35 degrees. Without GHG, the earth would be very cold.)

Question 7

What are some long-lived GHGs? (> 1 year)

Answer 7

CO2, CH4, N2O, CFCs, SF6

Question 8

What are some short-lived GHGs? (< 1 year)

Answer 8

H2O vapour, O3

Question 9

What are some aerosols?

Answer 9

BC (Black Carbon, incomplete combustion absorbs radiation well),
SOx, OC (Organic Carbon), PM (Particulate Matter, diameter ~2.5 to 10 microns).

Question 10

Which pollutant has the highest concentration in the atmosphere?

Answer 10

CO2

Question 11

What is the lifetime of CO2?

Answer 11

~1000 years

Question 12

What is the lifetime of CH4?

Answer 12

~10 years

Question 13

What is the lifetime of N2O?

Answer 13

~100 years

Question 14

What does an atmospheric pollutant’s ‘lifetime’ mean?

Answer 14

Time until it chemically reacts or falls out of atmosphere.

Question 15

What is the natural climate change cycle period?

Answer 15

~100000 years. However, increases in CO2 over the last 100 years are larger than the glacial-interglacial variability of ~100ppm over 100000 years.

Question 16

What is radiative forcing (RF, consequence of increased GHG)?

Answer 16

Measure of the net change in energy balance of the Earth system in response to external perturbation (w/m^2).
In other words, how we describe the warming or cooling effects of atmospheric components.
Typically, the estimated change is between pre-industrial (1750) and post-industrialisation.

+ is warming
- is cooling

Question 17

What is the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)?

Answer 17

UN body for climate change assessment.
- Made up of thousands of scientists around the globe.
- Created to provide policymakers regular scientific assessments of climate change.
- Releases summary reports every ~6 years.

Question 18

What are Respresentative Concentration Pathways (RCP)?

Answer 18

RCPs are scenarios that include time series of projected emissions and concentrations of GHGs, aerosols and land use change.
Can be translated into predicted impacts.

Question 19

What are Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP)

Answer 19

SSPs project the socioeconomic conditions of the world (e.g. demographics, economy, lifestyle, human development) until the end of the century.
SSP1: sustainability-focused growth and equality
…
SSP5: rapid, unconstrained fossil-fueled growth

Question 20

With every increment of global warming, changes get larger in…

Answer 20

regional mean temperature, regional mean precipitation (dry areas get drier & wet areas get wetter), regional soil moisture (affects how much food, anything we grow).
The changes in extremes are larger in frequency and intensity with every additional increment of warming.

Question 21

Impacts from climate change in NZ include…

Answer 21

Increased temperatures, warming oceans, rising sea levels, ocean acidification. Decrease in cold nights, melting glaciers, decreasing snow days. Floods, droughts. Collapse of ecosystems.

Question 22

What is mitigation?

Answer 22

Design/plan/engineer solutions that reduce/eliminate GHG emissions to the atmosphere.

Question 23

What is adaptation?

Answer 23

Design/plan/engineer solutions for future projected changes.

Question 24

According to Peer and Logan (2020), which of the following are skills essential to a civil systems engineer?

Answer 24

The ability to integrate and synthesise a broad range of knowledge.

Question 25

Earth’s energy balance describes:

Answer 25

The difference between incoming solar radiation and outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere.

Question 27

Why is global average surface temperature increasing?

Answer 27

Because we’re increasing the concentration of heat-retaining gases in the atmosphere.

Question 28

What anthropogenic activity has been the driving factor for climate change?

Answer 28

Burning fossil fuels

Question 29

The GWP_100 of N2O is 265. What does this mean?

Answer 29

The warming impact of 1 kg of N2O is 265 times larger than 1 kg of CO2 on a 100-year horizon.

Question 30

What is a balancing feedback loop?

Answer 30

Counters change in one direction with change in opposite direction. Stabilises a system.
E.g., predator-prey

Question 31

What is a reinforcing feedback loop?

Answer 31

Events in a loop reinforce one another.
E.g., melting sea ice exposes more dark ocean (lower Albedo) which absorbs more heat, which melts more ice, which exposes more dark ocean, which absorbs more heat, …

Question 32

The effects of changing climate will exacerbate the complexity and impacts of other issues, such as:

Answer 32

• Inequality
• Resource use
• Population health
• Ecosystem degradation
• International relations

These issues are unique compared with those of the past due to their interconnectedness, scalea and complexity. Sometimes referred to as “wicked” problems.

Question 33

What kind of problems do communities face today, according to Logan and Peer (2020)?

Answer 33

Global pandemics, chronic disease, threats from natural hazards caused or exacerbated by air pollution, noise pollution, lack of green space, lack of active transport, and degraded ecosystems, etc.

Question 34

According to Logan and Peer (2020), to both define the problem and devise the best, most ethical solution, we need to partner with:

Answer 34

Communities, and integrate people, ideas, technology and the technical expertise.

Question 35

According to Logan and Peer (2020), the role of a civil systems engineer is not to specialise in one particular system or network, but rather to:

Answer 35

Develop higher-order systems-level expertise to research, manage, and solve problems related to interconnected systems.

Question 36

According to Logan and Peer (2020), what defines a civil systems engineer is the ability for:

Answer 36

Synthesis and systemisation of multiple domains.

Question 37

The ASCE Vision 2025 states that civil engineers are entrusted by society to create a sustainable world and enhance the global quality of life.
We are to serve competently, collaboratively and ethically as master:

Answer 37

• Planners, designers, constructors, and operators of society’s economic and social engine - the built environment
• Stewards of the natural environment and its resources
• Innovators and integrators of ideas and technology across the public, private, and academic sectors
• Managers of risk and uncertainty caused by natural events, accidents, and other threats
• Leaders in discussions and decisions shaping public environmental and infrastructural policy

Question 38

According to Logan and Peer (2020), tackling the challenges of today requires substantial collaboration between:

Answer 38

Infrastructure-related expertise and social and behavioural scientists, economists, and other experts.