Climate Change Flashcards
Chapter 12
1
Q
What do we call gases that “trap” heat in the atmosphere?
A
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
2
Q
Explain the greenhouse effect
A
Solar radiation passes through the atmosphere, most of which is absorbed by the earth’s surface (warming it). Infrared radiation is emitted by the earth’s surface, some of which is absorbed and re-emitted by greenhouse gas molecules (which warms the earths surface & the lower atmosphere).
3
Q
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
A
The contribution of human activity towards the increased amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (and thus the warming of earth’s surface)
4
Q
List Greenhouse Gases
4
A
- Carbon Dioxide
- Methane
- Nitrous Oxide
- Fluorinated Gases
5
Q
What are the 2 ways greenhouse gases are released?
Broadly
A
- Natural Activities
- Human Activities
6
Q
What is the difficulty in measuring the natural variability of climate data historically?
A
We only really have data for the past 150 years
7
Q
50% of the GHG emisssions that occurred between 1750 and 2010 occurred after when?
A
After 1970
8
Q
How much higher were emission in 2013 than 2005?
A
43% higher
9
Q
What are the top 2 sources of GHG?
A
- CO2 from fossil fuels
- Industrial processes
10
Q
What was Canada’s total GHG emissions in 2021?
A
670 Megatonnes
11
Q
List some Earth System Changes due to climate change?
SWIST
A
- More severe weather events
- Loss of arctic & antarctic ice
- Rising sea levels
- Warming temp
12
Q
Global temps are projected to increase by how much by 2100 according to IPCC?
A
1.5-4.0 degrees celsius
13
Q
List some ways climate change can indirectly threaten health
A
- compromised food production
- air pollution
- infectious diseases
- mental health problems
- population dislocation
- civil conflict
14
Q
What 2 environmental stressors must be considered when assessing climate-related health risks?
A
- Urbanization (urban health islands)
- Land cover changes (modifying mosquito-borne diseases)
15
Q
Why are policy changes important in a comprehensive public health approach to global climate change?
A
Because they can have co-benefits or unintended consequences
16
Q
Climate Change depends on the overall __________ __________ of the planet
fill in blank
A
Energy Budget
17
Q
How was historical levels of GHGs determined?
A
From analyzing air trapped in antarctic ice cores
18
Q
What is positive radiative forcing?
A
The warming of the earth by GHGs that absrob & then re-emitt infrared radiation towards to earths surface & loswer atmosphere.
19
Q
What 2 factors have contributed the most to increases in global GHG emissions?
A
- Economic growth
- Population growth
20
Q
How do higher temps contribute to severe droughts?
A
Higher temps evaporate soil moisture more quickyl
21
Q
How does higher temps contribute to hydrological extremes like floods or droughts?
A
Warm air can hold more moisture in it, resulting in heavier precipitation events
22
Q
Why are ocean levels rising and ocean currents changing?
A
Because warming temps are melting the arctic and antarctic ice caps, releasing vast amounts of water into the oceans
23
Q
What 3 outcomes of rising sea levels are a direct concern to human health?
A
- Exacerbation of storm surges
- Worsening coastal erosions
- Overwhlem low-lying areas (i.e. cities like Vancouver)
24
Q
What is tail risk?
A
The extreme end of the distribution of probabilities for a particular outcome
25
What are 4 types of particularly vulnerable regions to health impacts of climate change?
1. Areas near or with a high endemicity ot climate-sensitive diseases
2. Areas w/ association btwn epidemic disease and weather extremes
3. Areas risk of combined climate impacts to health (i.e. coastal flooding)
4. Areas w/ concurrent environmental or socioeconomic stresses (i.e. land-use practices)
26
What is ENSO?
El Nino Southern Oscillation is the natural year-to-year variation in sea surface temps, surface air pressure, rainfall, & atmospheric circulation across the equatorial pacific ocean.
27
What is a natural source of GHG emissions?
Animal & Plant respiration
28
What are 4 human activities that release GHGs?
| LIFD
1. **L**ivestock Farming
2. **I**ndustrial Processes
3. **F**ossil Fuel Burning
4. **D**eforestation
29
50% of the GHG emissions that occurred btwn 1750-2010 ocurred after what point?
1970
30
What economic sector contributes the most to GHG emissions in Canada?
The Oil & Gas Sector
31
What economic sector contributes the second most to Canada's GHG emissions?
Transport
32
What year were sea surface temps the warmest on record?
2014
33
How much has sea levels risen in the last 100 years?
About 20cm's
34
How many of the worlds 19 megacities are at risk from rising sea levels?
14
35
What is the most important concern in the context of climate change?
Malnutrition
36
What are 3 mechanisms that affect food security?
| CYRCLND
1. **C**rop **Y**ield **R**eduction
2. **C**rop **L**osses (increase)
3. **N**utrient **D**ecrease
37
How much is climate change projected to reduce global food production per decade?
2%
38
Wheat, maize, sorghum, & millet yields are estimated to decline how much across Africa and South Asia by 2050?
80%
39
How many more children might be undernourished by 2050 due to climate change?
25 million
40
Why might climate change increase the amount of crop losses?
| 3
1. Plant diseases will increase
2. Weeds (which are favoured by climate change) will compete more with crops
3. Weather effects
41
Why will the nutrient content of food decrease from climate change?
Because CO2 "fertilization" reduced protein content or micronutrient content in some crops
42
What is ocean acidification?
The decrease in pH of the surface of the ocean due to the absorption of anthropogenic CO2
43
What shape is the relationship between temperature and mordbidity/mortality?
J-shaped, with a steeper slope at higher temperatures
44
What is the preferred method of quantifying risk estimates of heat-related mortality?
By comparing observed vs. expected mortality during heat events (i.e. heat wave)
45
Why may the risk of heat-related deaths persist despite air conditioning and increased preparedness in countries like the US?
Because of climatic and demographic trends like an aging population
46
List some risk factors for heat-related morbidity/mortality?
| AMPUAC
1. **A**ge
2. **M**edical Conditions
3. **P**overty
4. **U**rban Location
5. no **A**ir **C**onditiong
47
Besides impacts on health, whats another concern for the effects of heat?
Reduced work capacity, leading to economic impacts
48
What is an urban heat island?
An urban area that generates and retains heat because of buildings, human/industrial activities, & other factrs (i.e. black asphalt)
49
Is biological acclimatization to increased heat possible?
Yes, but is limited by an individuals capacity to increase cardiac output as required for greater cutaneous blood flow
50
What is the most common natural disaster world wide?
Floods
51
What city came the closest in the world to running out of water?
Cape Town, South Africa
52
Floods increase the risk of what kind of diseases?
Waterborne diseases
53
How can climate change affect exposure to air pollutants?
| IPaD
By **i**ncreasing the amount of air **p**ollutants
**a**nd by influencing the ways air pollutants are **d**ispersed
54
Higher ________ increases ozone formation
temperature
55
How might warmer temperatures lead to more air pollution?
Assuming that they are fueld by fossil fuels, increased AC demand from warming temps can increase air pollution
56
How does climate change affect aeroallergens?
Higher temps and increased CO2 levels increase production of pollen (and the duration of production), affecting air quality
57
T or F: Diseases spread person-to-person are most sensitive to climate change? Why or why not?
FALSE
| because of climate changes effects on earths systems
58
Climate change affects water quantity and quality in what water systems?
In freshwater systems
59
Why is climate change expected to increase the risk of waterborne diseases?
| generally speaking
Because climate change will result in more severe and frequent precipitation events
60
How does flooding in freshwater ecosystems contaminate drinking water?
1. Contaminate drinking water w/ sewage runoff
2. Contamination via containment lagoons
3. Contamination via nonpoint source pollution across watersheds
61
Heavy precipitation (and resulting flooding) increases risk of what kind of diseases?
Enteric (GI) Diseases
62
What causes harmful algal blooms (HABs)?
Warm water and nutrient loading (w/ nitrogen & phosphorus)
63
How is climate change expected to affect harmful algal blooms?
It is expected to increase the frequency and toxicity of algal blooms
64
How can increased waterborne diseases occur in marine environments?
| 2
1. Increase in harmful algal blooms (HABs)
2. Proliferation of waterborne diseases due to warmer marine water
65
What are some vector-borne diseases of particular concern because of the effects of climate change?
| 4
Malaria
Dengue Fever
Lyme DIsease
West Nile Virus
66
What are 4 direct effects of climate change that impact vector-borne diseases?
1. Temperature
2. Global Wind Patterns
3. Global Precipitation Patterns
4. Changes in Humidity
67
What are 4 indirect effects of climate change that impact vector-borne diseases?
1. Desertification & Drought
2. Changes in Vegetation
3. Hydrological Changes
4. Changes in Agricultural Practices
68
What are 5 effects of heat on people with mental illness?
1. Depression/Suicide
2. Dementia
3. Psychotic Illness
4. Substance Abuse
5. Relationship of heat to violence
69
Is there an association between war/conflict and climate change?
Yes. Climate change may catalyze instability (i.e. displacement or economic hardships)
70
What are the 2 key strategies for responding to climate change?
1. Mitigation
2. Adaptation
71
Mitigation public health response corresponds with ________ prevention
primary
72
What is the aim of the mitigation public health response in the context of climate change?
To reduce or stabilize GHG emissions
73
What are 2 key mitigation strategies in the context of climate change?
1. More efficient energy production
2. reduced energy demand
74
What are some ways of engaging in more efficient energy production?
1. Wind or solar energy
2. Active transportation
3. Fuel efficient vehicles
4. electronic appliances
75
How might we try to mitigate GHGs by sequestering CO2?
By preserving and expanding CO2 sinks (forests)
76
Stabilization wedges are an important concept to what public health response strategy?
Mitigation strategy
77
What two carbon emission pathways do stabilization wedges show?
1. The current path, which is a steep rise in emissions
2. A flat path, where current emissions are stabilized
78
What is the stabilization triangle? What does it represent?
The triangular area between the current path and flat path of carbon emissions. It represents the reductions in emissions needed to achieve stabilization.
79
1 stabilization wedge represents how much carbon emissions?
1 billion tons
80
What is the aim of the adaptation public health response to climate change?
To reduce the public health impact of climate change
81
What concept does the adaptation response correspond to?
Public health preparedness
82
What does the adaptation strategy require?
Vulnerability assessments to identify at-risk populations and the likelihood of an event occurring
83
What does BRACE framework stand for?
Building Resilience Against Climate Effects
84
What makes adaptation strategies optimal?
Their ability to achieve multiple objectives; taking advantage of co-benefits
85
What are the 5 steps of the BRACE framework?
1. Forecasting climate impacts & assessing vulnerabilities
2. protecting the disease burden
3. assessing public health interventions
4. developing & implementing a climate & health adaption plan
5. Evaluating impact & imporving quality of activities
86
What are some steps to addressing climate change that have co-benefits?
| 4
1. Reducing GHG emissions
2. Shifting to renewable energy sources
3. Shifting transportation patterns
4. Less meat-intensive diets
87
What are "no-regrets" solutions?
Opportunities to addressing climate change that have indirect co-benefits that are beneficial to the world regardless of a persons beliefs surrounding climate change. (no regrets to pursueing them even if climate change is "fake")
88
How can we frame climate communication to make it more compelling?
Framing it in the context of "health"
89
What was the aim of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol?
to reduce GHG emissions by at least 5% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012
90
What is the UNFCCC?
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
91
What are 2 barriers to international agreements on lowering GHG emissions?
1. Unwillingness of wealthy countries to accept binding limits (i.e. US)
2. Tension btwn wealthy countries & low-middle income countries
92
Why is there tension between wealthy countries and developing countries about GHG emissions?
Because wealthy countries, who have contributed the most to GHG emissions, are often unwilling to follow agreements to lower GHG emissions, while low-middle income countries who are in need of economic development believe that it is the responsibility of wealthy nations to lower GHG emissions. Also because developing countries are the most at risk to the effects of climate change.
93
What is the cap and trade market mechanism to reducing GHG emissions?
This mechanism has the government set a cap on total GHG emissions and distributes emission permits to companies that emit GHG. Overtime, the cap is lowered, thereby lowering GHG emissions.
94
What is the carbon tax market mechanism to reducing GHG emissions?
Mechanism of placing a tax on the price of carbon use to increase the price of carbon-based fuels, thereby reducing demand
95
What two forms of justice require ethical consideration in climate change policy?
1. Climate Justice
2. Intergenerational Justice
