Climate Change

Question 1

what is the troposphere + how does height affect temperature here

Answer 1

where most weather processes occur. As height increases, temperature decreases

Question 2

what is the mesosphere + how does height affect temperature here

Answer 2

The layer of the atmosphere that has a low density, so there is less absorb of energy = low temp. As height increases, temperature decreases

Question 3

what is the stratosphere + how does height affect temperature here

Answer 3

The layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer
As height increases, temperature increases. It is the second layer of the earths atmosphere

Question 4

what is the thermosphere + how does height affect temperature here

Answer 4

It has increased absorption energy = increased energised short-wave radiation. As height increases, temperature increases. It is the 4th layer of the atmosphere

Question 5

define albedo

Answer 5

the reflectivity of a material

Question 6

why is albedo important

Answer 6

reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the earths surface, so does not allow for extensive heating, helping to cool the planet

Question 7

what would happen if the surface of the earth changed to more or less reflective

Answer 7

more -> the earth gets cooler
less -> hotter

Question 8

how are the oceans and other water on earth important to the Global Energy Budget

Answer 8

They absorb, store and redistribute heat to help regulate the earth’s temperature. Water’s high heat capacity allows it to absorb large amounts of C02 without significant temperature changes

Question 9

name 4 greenhouse gases

Answer 9

• water vapour
• CO2
• Methane
• Chlorofluorocarbon’s

Question 10

give 2 facts about water vapour

Answer 10

• makes up 95% of all greenhouse gases
• accounts for 50% of the greenhouse effect

Question 11

give 2 facts about C02

Answer 11

• levels have risen 85ppm over 62 years, and is expected 200ppm more by 2050
• C02 levels have increased due to human activities (deforestation)

Question 12

give 2 facts about methane

Answer 12

• 2nd largest contributor of the greenhouse gas effect
• methane comes from cattle, paddy fields and natural wetlands

Question 13

give 2 facts about chlorofluorocarbons

Answer 13

• synthetic chemicals that destroy ozone and absorb long-wave radiation
• 10,000 times more efficient at trapping heat than C02

Question 14

how do volcanoes affect climate change (Phillipines Jun1991)

not a proper case study but could be used as one if need be in the exam

Answer 14

• mount pinatubo erupted on the 15th June 1991 sending 20 million tonnes of ash 28 miles high into the atmosphere creating a thick ash cloud
• ash cloud reflected solar radiation
• absorbed infrared radiation emitted by the Earth, and stopped it being reflected back to earth
• reduced temp of earth slightly

Question 15

issue with methane

Answer 15

• its in gaseous state under normal conditions - hard to capture and store

Question 16

where is methane stored and how can it be released

Answer 16

• found below the sea floor
• organic material trapped in permafrost -> when it melts it releases methane
• methane is trapped underwater at high pressure and low temps, and when temps rise, the methane is released

Question 17

what is a negative feed back loop

Answer 17

decreases the amount of change and reduces the inputs, to return stability to a system

Question 18

what is a positive feed back loop

Answer 18

increases the amount of change leading to instability in a system

Question 19

what is an example of a positive feedback look

Answer 19

-> increased cooling
-> increased ice growth
-> increased albedo
-> less insolation
-> increased cooling

Question 20

what is an example of a negative feedback loop

Answer 20

-> burning (volcano)
-> More aerosols in the air
-> reduced solar radiation at the surface
-> cooling

Question 21

what is the atmospheric system

Answer 21

an open system receiving radiation from both the sun and the earth.

Question 22

where does short wave radiation come from and it what form

Answer 22

from hot bodies i.e. the sun. In ultraviolet/ visible form

Question 23

where does long wave radiation come from and it what form

Answer 23

from cold bodies i.e.the earth. infrared

Question 24

what is convection

Answer 24

transfer of heat by movement of a gas or liquid

Question 25

what is conduction

Answer 25

transfer of heat by contact

Question 26

define greenhouse effect

Answer 26

the process where GHGs allows some short wave energy from the sun to pass through the atmosphere and absorbs and reflects most to heat the earth

Question 27

what is the amount of insolation affected by

Answer 27

• the suns angle
• cloud type

Question 28

what is permafrost

Answer 28

frozen ground layer under the topsoil. Anywhere cold enough to have frozen ground for 2 years counts as permafrost

Question 29

what are the issues with melting permafrost

Answer 29

• the ground underneath becomes unstable
• releases methane
• loss of plants due to the top soil being destroyed

Question 30

Case study - Greenland
what has been happening to the ice sheets in greenland and what are the impacts of it

Answer 30

• Since 2002, large areas of the Greenland ice shelf has been melting and pouring billions of gallons of fresh water into salty seas
• the maximum melt area has increased by 16% from 1979 to 2002
• rise in sea levels
• the rising threat of the return of cold winters
• could shut down the Gulf Stream, reducing warmer currents reaching the UK
• depressions could dump snow on England -> leading to a much colder continental climate
• Canada would experience deep freezes where the sea could freeze and snow could lie for weeks and months

Question 31

which countries emit the most C02 today and in total and per person

Answer 31

today
-> 53% from asia
-> 27% from china (10 billion tonnes of C02 in 2017)
-> 15% from usa
-> 7% from india

total
-> usa (290 billion tonnes) 25%
-> EU -> 22%

per person: usually oil rich countries
-> qatar (49 tonnes pp)
-> australia (17 tonnes pp)

Question 32

What would happen if all the ice melted (5)

Answer 32

– Coastal flooding
– lower albedo levels
– severe water shortages (wars over freshwater))
– relocation and property damage due to flooding
– increase in natural climatic events for example storms and tsunamis

Question 33

Briefly describe what is happening with the retreating Swiss glaciers

Answer 33

This is where the glaciers are losing more mass than they can gain which ends up in a reduction of their size. This is due to warmer temperatures in Switzerland and lower snowfall

Question 34

Facts of the retreat of the Swiss glaciers

Answer 34

– Switzerland is losing 10% of its glacier ice in two years
– one-third of its glacier volume has melted since 2000
– there will shrink to 5% of their current size by the end of the century

Question 35

What are the impacts of the Swiss glaciers retreating

Answer 35

– There will be an increase in natural disasters for example floods and landslides
– the lakes form inside the glaciers risk suddenly spilling downhill wiping up villages and infrastructure

Question 36

what is vulnerability

Answer 36

the degree to which people are susceptible to, or unable to cope with adverse impacts of climate change

Question 37

what are the three factors of vulnerability

Answer 37

1. exposure to climate change
2. sensitivity -> the degree they would be harmed at
3. the adaptive capacity -> the degree that they can mitigate potential harm by taking action to reduce exposure or sensitivity

Question 38

who is vulnerable
name at least 5

Answer 38

Any 5 from:
-> elder people (due to carers and harder for them to escape)
-> youth/babies
-> people who are not educated on the effects of climate change
-> people who do not have access to emergency services
-> Indigenous people
-> refugees
-> Carers - generally women
-> disabled people

Question 39

where is vulnerable

Answer 39

-> island nations
-> Countries on earthquake boundaries
-> LICs -> Lack of technological advancements

Question 39

(CASE STUDY) Indigenous people (Inuits in Canada)

Describe their environment and society

Answer 39

-> Live in extreme environments -> the Mackenzie Basin in Canada -> have experienced 3.5C rise since the 1980s
-> Socio-economic problems: low incomes, poor health, limited access to water and resources
-> Increased vulnerability to climate change
-> Most have adapted their lifestyles to their environment - therefore they are vulnerable to changes in said environment

Question 39

what may be a positive impact of climate change for the Inuits, but why might this also be bad

Answer 39

Increased ice melt, means more shipping can go through the Arctic, therefore there is increased economic activity. However this can also result in an increase of oil and chemical spills

Question 40

what are the food security impacts of climate change on the indigenous people (Inuits - case study)

Answer 40

-> Change from natural country food to store-bought expensive food (unhealthy) can have negative effects on Inuit health and cultural identity
-> outdoor meat caches, which used to keep meat fresh, now spoil,
-> shifting climate change can bring currents with dangerous contaminants into arctic oceans: mercury

Question 40

what are the traditional impacts of climate change on the indigenous people (Inuits - case study)

Answer 40

-> The Inuit will most likely have to abandon their home and traditional lifestyle to live in urban areas, leading to a loss or decline of cultural heritage and core values
-> loss of traditions: loss in hunting, fishing and gathering, Inuit elders used to predict the weather, however with changes in weather, they are unable to pass this knowledge down to younger generations
-> Loss of traditional trade routes/ campsites
-> Loss of permafrost will ruin cultural remains and archaeological artefacts/ destroy Inuit infrastructure that is suited to the ice

Question 41

what are the env/ wildlife impacts of climate change on the indigenous people (Inuits - case study)

Answer 41

-> An increase in temp (3.5C rise) = melting permafrost. This leads to increased landslides, forest fires, and reduced water availability and more freshwater flows into salty seawater
-> Loss of wildlife: major sources of food, clothing and income
-> In the Peace Athabasca Delta, the muskrat population declines due to lack of water + trapping (hunted)

Question 42

🧨 🎇 🦕 🦖 🌦️ 🐘 🦁👨‍🎤 🎶 🎹 🎥 📖

Answer 42

The TNT goes boom, the dinosaurs die. This is happening again to the wildlife (elephants and lions), therefore Elton john makes the soundtrack for the disney movie that was adapted from a book. (slay from jobless Blessing and Nikki) 💅

Question 43

what are the obstacles to reach a low-carbon world?

Answer 43

• technological
• economic -> entire countries are built on the fossil fuel industry (USA)
• political -> power held by major fossil fuel countries (Middle East, Canada, USA)

Question 44

Name the 4 government-led strategies to reduce climate change + brief description

Answer 44

-> The UN Framework Convention on Climate change (1992, Rio): the main objective is to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system
-> The Kyoto Protocol (1997, COP): Countries were allocated amounts of C02, and they were allowed to emit
-> The Paris Agreement (2015): 195 countries signed an agreement to keep global temperature levels below 2C compared with pre-industrial levels
-> The “three amigos” summit (2016): the leaders of USA, Mexico and Canada met and agreed on a set of initiatives to achieve 50% clean energy by 2050

Question 45

what are the strengths of the UN Framework strategy

Answer 45

-> Higher-income countries were expected to reduce their carbon emissions by 20% by 2012
-> lower income countries did not have to meet such targets

Question 46

what are the weaknesses of the UN Framework strategy

Answer 46

-> it failed to slow down greenhouse gas emissions
-> USA (a major contributor to climate change), did not sign the treaty, as they said it would give China a competitive edge in world trade
->Although Canada and Australia did sign, they did not implement it
-> Emissions in China and other industrialising nations soared

Question 47

what are the strengths of the Kyoto Protocol (1997)

Answer 47

-> 192 countries signed up to the protocol to stabilise greenhouse gases to a level that it suitable to human life
-> created the carbon trading market (where permitted levels were divided into units, and countries that have units to spare can sell them to countries who have run out of units, creating a new trading system)
-> encourages the use of energy sources that do not emit greenhouse gases (France have implemented nuclear power as a source of clean energy)

Question 48

what are the weaknesses of the Kyoto Protocol (1997)

Answer 48

-> some clean energy sources are not all environmentally friendly, i.e. France has adopted nuclear power, however it is very hard to dispose of properly. This has given rise to criticisms of the use, relating it to previous nuclear disasters (Fukushima disaster)

Question 49

what are the strengths of the Paris Agreement (2015)

Answer 49

-> aims to achieve a 1.5 - 2C maximum global temperature goal
-> was signed by USA and China

Question 50

what are the weaknesses of the Paris Agreement (2015)

Answer 50

-> There are no country-specific goals and no timetables deadlines - countries are told to get carbon emissions down “ASAP”
-> There is no mechanism to force a country to set a specific target, nor is there any sanctions against countries to meet targets

Question 51

What are the strengths of the “three amigos” summit

Answer 51

-> pledged to reach 50% clean energy by 2050
-> The summit also considered methane (not just C02), as a contributor to global emissions (North America produced 10% of global methane emissions)
-> they agreed to reduce methane levels by 40-45% by 2050
-> all 3 countried have agreed to reduce and regulate the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)
-> have agreed to tackle vehicle emissions to align fuel efficiency by 2025/27

Question 52

what are the weaknesses of the “three amigos” summit

Answer 52

-> cross-border cooperation will be a major requirement

Question 53

what do we mean by a civil and corporate strategy?

Answer 53

strategies that target the civil (people) or corporate (businesses) society

Question 54

what is the case study for corporate strategy?

Answer 54

WWF

Question 55

how is WWF attempting to tackle climate change

Answer 55

• pressuring major economies and emerging economies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• encourage people to use new technologies and have greener lifestyles
• calling on governments to sign up to international agreements to:
  -> reduce fossil fuels and conserve forests
  -> work towards a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050
  -> reduce emissions from aviation

Question 56

what is example of one of WWF’s missions? + example of company that has used it

Answer 56

One in Five Challenge:
helps companies cut their costs as well as reduce their environmental impact of business travel by challenging them to cut one flight.

-> One example is Vodafone. They routinely use a mix of video-conferencing, voicemail and instant messaging software to communicate
-> In 2010, they invested £600,000 in video-conferencing facilities
-> spent 3,600 hrs on video- conferencing and travelled 320,000km less in the first year
-> saved 1/3 costs on air travel

Question 57

What was a failed attempt by the French president to mitigate against fuel consumption

Answer 57

– France is bound by the Paris 2015 international agreement line – therefore, Macron increased the tax on fuel by 23%. He did this to encourage people to switch to hybrid vehicles and use more public transport
– this heavily affected the rural population, as they have a lack of alternative public transport and there are high costs involved with switching to electric cars
– therefore they revolted with the “yellow vest” movement, using the yellow vest that citizens are obliged to have in their cars for when they break down
– therefore this caused Macron to rethink this approach

Question 57

how has France responded to climate change?

Answer 57

they created a people agreement council of 150 people, that represent all sectors of the french economy (famers, unemployed, architects). This allowed for a more representative take on the environmental issues in France. However, one limitation is that they were all not as well versed in the expertise of environmental change

Question 58

What are the mitigation strategies to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions

Answer 58

– Carbon capture and Sequestration
– carbon taxes
– ocean fertilisation
– Geoengineering
– carbon offset schemes
– carbon trading

Question 59

What is meant by carbon capture and sequestration

Answer 59

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide

Question 60

What are carbon taxes

Answer 60

the government sets a price that emitters must pay for each ton of greenhouse gas emissions they emit.

Question 61

what is ocean fertilisation?

Answer 61

Ocean fertilisation is a form of geo engineering that involves adding nutrients to the upper layers of the ocean to stimulate phytoplankton activity (photosynthesis) in an attempt to draw down atmospheric CO2 levels.

Question 62

what is geo engineering?

Answer 62

large-scale human actions to deliberately manipulate environmental systems

Question 63

what are carbon offset schemes

Answer 63

a process that involves a reduction in, or removal of, carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere.

Question 64

what is carbon trading

Answer 64

the use of a marketplace to buy and sell credits that allow companies or other parties to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide.

Question 65

Give 2 examples of positive feedback

Answer 65

• Arctic ice melts reducing albedo [1] less incoming solar radiation is reflected [1] and this increases further melting of Arctic ice [1].
• Increased temperatures result in greater evaporation [1] more water vapour in the atmosphere acting as a greenhouse gas [1] leads to increased temperature [1].

Question 66

Give 2 examples of negative feedback

Answer 66

• CO2 levels rise, meaning the temperature of the earth rises. As the earth warms, the rate of photosynthesis increases, therefore more CO2 is removed from the atmosphere, reducing global temperatures
• As the Earth warms, there are higher rates of evaporation. This produces more clouds. Clouds increase albedo, reflecting more light away from the earth. The temperature falls and evaporation rates fall