CLIMATE CHANGE

Question 1

When did global climate change start getting recorded?

Answer 1

1860s

Question 2

How much has the climate globally increased?

Answer 2

0.8 Degrees C since 1880

Question 3

Climate scientists use different methods to find out about the global climate before we started recording it. What are these methods?

Answer 3

-Ice cores
-Tree rings
-Historical records
- Temperature records

Question 4

Has the temperature increase been steady?

Answer 4

Temperature graphs show that the temperature fluctuates

Question 5

When have most of the warmest years occurred?

Answer 5

16 out of the 17 warmest years in the last 136 years have all occurred since 2001

Question 6

What has been in decline since the 1980s?

Answer 6

Sea ice

Question 7

What are examples of causes of natural/physical climate change?

Answer 7

-Volcanic eruptions
-Sun spots
-Orbital change

Question 8

What is an example of a volcanic eruption?

Answer 8

On June 15 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted, sending 17 million tonnes of ash into the atmosphere

Question 9

How can volcanic eruptions cause a change in the climate?

Answer 9

1. Lots of material is released into the
   atmosphere during a volcanic
   eruption.
2. This reflects the sun rays back out
   (so they do not reach the Earth).
3. This leads to cooling e.g. after the
   Mt Pinatubo eruption (1991), global
   temperature fell.

Question 10

How can sun spots cause a change in the climate?

Answer 10

The sun can give out more energy due to an increase in sun spots.
1. These are dark spots that appear
on the surface of the sun.
2. The more the sunspots, the
greater the heat produced.
3. They come and go in 11-year
cycles.
4. This is known as the sunspot cycle

Question 11

How can orbital change cause a change in the climate?

Answer 11

1. Orbital change is about how close the
   Earth is to the sun. Every 100,000 years the
   proximity of the Earth’s orbit will move
   from circular to elliptical (oval).
2. The further the Earth is from the sun,
   the colder the temperature. A more
   eccentric (elliptical) orbit makes the
   distance from the Earth to the sun fluctuate

Question 12

Human induced climate change

Answer 12

-Greenhouse effect
-Greenhouse gases
-Transport
-Farming
-Energy
-Deforestation

Question 13

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 13

The way that gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Like glass in a greenhouse, they let heat in but prevent most from escaping

Question 14

How do greenhouse gases affect the climate?

Answer 14

Gases like CO2 and methane that trap heat around the earth, leading to climate change

Question 15

How does transport affect the climate?

Answer 15

Transport burns fossil fuel increasing CO2 into the atmosphere

Question 16

How does farming affect the climate?

Answer 16

Farming livestock produces methane, this is a greenhouse gas

Question 17

How does energy affect the climate?

Answer 17

Coal and gas power plants give off CO2 whilst burning fossil fuels to make electricity

Question 18

How does deforestation affect the climate?

Answer 18

Fewer trees to absorb CO2

Question 19

Which countries are the biggest contributors to the greenhouse effect?

Answer 19

Developed countries are the biggest contributors to climate change as they have more technology and money to do things.

Question 20

State the steps of the enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 20

1. Sun rays travel
   through the atmosphere
   to Earth.
2. As they reflect off the
   Earth, some of the
   outgoing rays escape
   back out of the
   atmosphere.
3. Some are trapped.
4. This balance is needed
   to keep the Earth warm
   enough for life.
5. The atmosphere is made up of many gases, two important gases are carbon
   dioxide (CO₂) and methane.
6. Human activity e.g. driving cars and using electricity often requires the
   burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal, which give off CO₂.
7. These greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere and they trap more
   and more rays that would normally escape into space.
8. So, the global temperature increases.

Question 21

What are some environmental impacts of climate change?

Answer 21

1) Warmer climate means glaciers an ice sheets melt (e.g Greenland) so sea levels will rise
2) Sea ice shrinking means lost habitats e.g polar bears risk extinction
3) Rising sea levels mean coastal ares flood with destroys habitats e.g. Norfolk Broads
4) Sea temperatures rise so coral reefs are bleached and habitats are lost e.g. the Great Barrier Reef

Question 22

What are some social impacts of climate change?

Answer 22

1) Temperature rise so there are more droughts & deaths from dirty water in places like the Sahel
2) Rising sea levels means coastal areas are flooded, leading to migration. For example, Shanghai is at risk with 24.5 million people
3) Lower yields of crops (e.g. maize) due to warmer temperatures means farmers go bankrupt
4) Droughts cause crop failure, which can cause famine and starvation
5) Sea temperatures increase, causing more tropical storms, causing death/homelessness

Question 23

Human factors causing climate change:

Answer 23

-Cars (and other transport)
-Coal and gas power plants
-Building factories
-An increase in the standard of living -Increased farming
-Deforestation

Question 24

How does an increased standard of living cause climate change?

Answer 24

electricity used in homes so more CO₂ is released.

Question 25

How do ice cores help us find out what the climate was like in the past?

Answer 25

1. Ice sheets are huge blocks of ice made
   up of layers. A new layer forms each year.
2. Gases trapped in the ice give
   information about the temperature when
   they were trapped.
3. One ice core from Antarctica shows the
   temperature change over 400,000 years.

Question 26

How do tree rings help us find out what the climate was like in the past?

Answer 26

1. As a tree grows, a new outer layer
   (or ring) is formed each year.
2. These are thicker in warm, wet
   conditions.
3. Tree rings can go back 10,000 years

Question 27

How do temperature records help us find out what the climate was like in the past?

Answer 27

1. Since the 1850s, global
   temperature has been
   measured.
2. Thermometers are used to
   measure temperature and are very accurate

Question 28

Mitigation- dealing with climate change

Answer 28

-International agreements
-Alternative energies
-Carbon capture

Question 29

How are international agreements helping to reduce climate change?

Answer 29

Countries agree to reduce their carbon emissions (carbon footprint) by setting
emission targets.
1. Good – reduces CO₂, so stops the negative impacts e.g. flooding
2. Bad – not all countries agree to this e.g. USA pulled out of the Paris Acord.
China has not engaged = CO₂ still increases as these are the biggest contributors.

Question 30

How are alternative energies helping to reduce climate change?

Answer 30

Using wind farms, solar energy, nuclear and tidal.
1. Good – reduced CO₂ and associated effects, also they will not run out (infinite).
2. Bad – unreliable so will need to use fossil fuels when they are not working. Also, expensive initially, so higher bills.

Question 31

How does carbon capture help reduce climate change?

Answer 31

Some power plants are designed to capture the CO₂ they create when they burn
fossil fuels. Once caught, it is stored underground.
1. Good – reduces CO₂, so reduces consequences e.g. flooding.
2. Bad – expensive = higher bills. The ground could crack causing CO₂ to escape.

Question 32

Adaptation- dealing with climate change

Answer 32

-Coping with rising sea levels
-Changing agricultural systems
-Managing water supply

Question 33

How is coping with sea levels helping to reduce the effects of climate change?

Answer 33

Sea levels are predicted to rise by 82cm by 2100. Physical barriers – flood
embankments (levees) could be built e.g. The Thames Barrier.
1. Good – these will hold the water back.
2. Bad – very expensive, so developing countries will unlikely be able to prevent
floods and the people will be forced to move.

Question 34

How is changing agricultural systems helping to reduce the effects of climate change?

Answer 34

Crop patterns are charging. In Kenya drought resistant crops are being used to
provide food even when rainfall is low.
1. Good – reduces the risk of starvation.
2. Bad – can be expensive, so the cost of food increases, resulting in the poor going without

Question 35

How is managing water supply helping to reduce the effects of climate change?

Answer 35

Areas will get drier, so adding water meters may reduce use. Also, using water
storage facilities.
1. Good – people will have clean water during times of low rainfall.
2. Bad – water meters may not change usage in wealthy countries. Both have
little impact if there is not enough rain, so the impacts of droughts e.g. drinking
dirty water will remain.