Climate change Flashcards
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
A naturally occurring process where longwave/outgoing radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases, heating up the atmosphere.
What does the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect refer to?
Atmospheric warming resulting from the increased proportion of greenhouse gases caused by modern human activity.
List the naturally occurring greenhouse gases.
- Carbon dioxide
- Methane
- Nitrous oxide
- Water vapor
- Tropospheric/ground level ozone
Define short-wave radiation.
Energy from the sun that enters the earth’s atmosphere, such as ultraviolet and visible light.
What is long-wave radiation?
Energy leaving the earth as infrared radiation, emitted by cold bodies.
What is convection?
The transfer of heat by movement of a gas or liquid.
What is conduction?
The transfer of heat by contact.
What is the energy balance?
The balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the atmosphere.
How does albedo affect the energy balance?
The amount of energy reflected by the earth is affected by surfaces’ albedo, influencing the overall energy balance.
What are positive feedback loops?
Knock-on effects in natural systems that accelerate and amplify changes already occurring.
Give an example of a positive feedback loop.
Arctic ice melts, reducing albedo, leading to more incoming solar radiation being absorbed, which increases further melting.
What is global dimming?
A process caused by volcanic eruptions that blocks incoming solar radiation, leading to cooling.
What natural phenomena can cause changes to the global energy balance?
- Volcanic eruptions
- Cosmic collisions
- Changes in Earth’s orbit
- Sunspots
What is the Maunder Minimum?
A period with almost no sunspots lasting from 1645 to 1715, linked to cooler conditions during the Little Ice Age.
What is the primary cause of the enhanced greenhouse effect?
Human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.
What is a negative feedback loop?
Occurs when a system adjusts itself in ways that lessen or cancel out the effect of the original change.
How much more potent is methane compared to CO2 over a 20-year period?
85 times more potent.
What is the per capita carbon footprint?
The amount of carbon dioxide emissions an average person in a country is responsible for.
What is anthropogenic carbon flow?
The current amount of carbon emissions released annually by a country.
What is anthropogenic carbon stock?
The total size of the store of anthropogenic carbon emissions released into the atmosphere since industrialization began.
What percentage of global methane emissions is agriculture responsible for?
About 40%.
What is enteric fermentation?
The processing of food in the guts of cattle, leading to methane as a by-product.
Fill in the blank: The highest producer of greenhouse gas emissions is _______.
China
True or False: High-income countries are the largest contributors to current anthropogenic carbon flow.
False
What is the relationship between globalization and greenhouse gas emissions?
Increased trade and manufacturing in emerging economies often lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions.
What are the causes of global climate change?
Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes that increase greenhouse gas emissions
These activities lead to global warming and changes in climate patterns.
Define resilience in the context of climate change.
The capacity of individuals, societies, and organizations to recover and resume functions after a hazard event or system shock.
What does vulnerability refer to in climate change?
The degree to which people are susceptible to, or unable to cope with, the adverse impacts of climate change.
List three factors affecting vulnerability to climate change.
- Exposure
- Sensitivity
- Adaptive capacity
What is the relationship between wealth and vulnerability to climate change?
Wealth influences location, housing quality, and job types, with poorer individuals being more exposed to climate change risks.
True or False: Older adults and young children are less at risk from extreme hot weather.
False
Fill in the blank: Women can be more exposed to climate change risk due to _______.
[discriminatory laws that limit land tenure and access to credit]
Which region is expected to face extreme droughts and increasing water stress due to climate change?
Sub-Saharan Africa
What type of climate change risk do people living in low-lying regions face?
Sea level rise and flooding
Identify two contrasting societies with specific vulnerabilities to climate change.
- Inuit communities in NW Greenland
- Sundarbans, Bangladesh
How has climate change affected Inuit communities in the Mackenzie Basin, Canada?
Increased temperature has caused permafrost to melt, leading to ecosystem changes and reduced wildlife availability.
What are the consequences of cyclones in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh?
Cyclones break embankments, saltwater floods the area, making land infertile and leading to loss of homes.
What is the purpose of carbon offsetting?
To reduce or offset carbon emissions by funding activities that lower emissions elsewhere.
What is the EUETS?
The European Union Emissions Trading System, the world’s largest carbon trading scheme.
Define adaptation in the context of climate change.
Adjusting to changes in the environment, such as building coastal defenses.
What is geo-engineering?
Technological interventions to manipulate the Earth’s climate system to counteract climate change.
List two examples of geo-engineering techniques.
- Carbon dioxide removal by artificial trees
- Ocean fertilization
What challenges do carbon offset schemes face?
Insufficient monitoring and limited overall impact on global emissions reduction.
What is a major concern regarding sunlight reflection methods for climate mitigation?
High costs and potential disruption to regional weather systems.
How do civil society and NGOs contribute to addressing climate change?
By improving information access, raising awareness, and giving a voice to vulnerable groups.
What is the significance of the COP21 agreement?
195 countries agreed to work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit temperature rise.
What role do civil society and NGOs play in addressing global climate change?
They improve information access, raise the profile of vulnerable groups, promote community responsibility, form action groups, and encourage grassroots actions.
NGOs often focus on education and awareness campaigns to motivate citizens to take action against climate change.
How can citizens individually contribute to climate change mitigation?
By planting drought-resistant plants, reducing thermostat settings, using energy-efficient devices, and decreasing car use.
For instance, reducing heat by 1 degree can lower energy consumption by 3%.
What actions has Brussels taken to address vehicle pollution?
Banned polluting vehicles, including diesel cars registered over 20 years old, from the city streets starting January 2018.
This initiative aims to create a low emissions zone across the Brussels-Capital region.
What impact did the financial crisis of 2007-9 have on climate change concerns?
People became less concerned about climate change due to unemployment and economic austerity; their focus shifted to immediate financial needs.
Countries like Ireland, Spain, and Greece saw significant increases in unemployment.
What corporate strategy has the Lego company implemented to combat climate change?
Established emission targets for manufacturing and distribution in partnership with the WWF to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This aligns with their commitment to sustainability.
What is the goal of Apple’s carbon neutral supply chain initiative by 2030?
To achieve a carbon neutral supply chain by investing in renewable energy and reducing emissions from production processes.
They have invested $300 million in China’s Green Energy Fund.
Who is Greta Thunberg and what is her significance in climate activism?
A Swedish activist known for her school strike for climate, inspiring global youth participation in climate action.
She became a prominent ambassador for young people at various global conferences.
What are the three key aims of Extinction Rebellion (XR)?
- Declare a climate and ecological emergency
- Act to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2025
- Create a citizens’ assembly on climate and ecological justice
What innovative agricultural adaptation strategies have been implemented in Goalbari, Bangladesh?
Raising houses above floodwaters and using floating beds of hyacinths for vegetable cultivation.
These strategies help mitigate the impact of annual floods in the region.
What role do NGOs play in supporting women’s resilience to climate change in Bangladesh?
They provide training, grants, and loans to women for sustainable employment and economic diversification.
For example, BRAC has successfully supported over 19,000 women in various communities.
What environmental services do mangroves provide to coastal communities?
They act as buffers against storm surges associated with tropical storms and provide vital ecosystem services.
Mangrove forests are crucial for protecting coastal areas from extreme weather.
What educational initiatives has the Mangrove Action Project implemented in Bangladesh?
Established Mangrove Science Clubs in schools and organized knowledge-exchange workshops to promote sustainable living practices.
This program enhances awareness of mangrove management among students and teachers.
Fill in the blank: The _______ aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through various corporate strategies.
[Lego company]
True or False: The financial crisis increased public concern for climate change.
False
positive and negative feedback loops
Negative feedback is when a system acts by lessening the effect of the original change and ultimately reversing it. Positive feedback occurs within a system where a change causes a further, or snowball, effect, continuing or even accelerating the original change.
Agriculture & Climate Change
🌍 1/3 of people rely on farming for income, 2/3 for food. Climate change threatens both small and large-scale farming.
Negative impacts on agriculture
⚠️ Desertification in Tanzania & Kenya, soil erosion from heavy rain, rising sea levels, and stronger hurricanes could harm agriculture.
Positive impacts on agriculture
✅ Warmer temperatures help some regions—Greenland can now grow more food, and English vineyards are thriving.
Increased Rainfall in Western Africa (agriculture)
🌧️ More reliable rainfall → Higher crop yields → Better food security & exports.
South Africa’s Agricultural Growth
🌱 More crops & diversity at higher altitudes → Increased cultivation & food security.
Atlantic Fish Migration
🐟 Warming oceans → More cod & mackerel → Profits for UK, Norway & Iceland.
Water Scarcity & Soil Erosion
💧 Unreliable rainfall in regions like the Sahel causes soil erosion and crop failures. Example: Egypt could see a 15% drop in wheat yields with a 2°C temperature rise.
Desertification & Population Pressure
🏜️ Soil degradation in dry regions like the Sahel worsens with climate change and growing populations, threatening millions of small-scale farmers.
Sea Level Rise & Saline Intrusion
🌊 Low-lying islands (e.g., Kiribati) face saline intrusion into water tables, reducing crop yields and forcing potential migration.
Glacier Retreat in Mountain Communities
🏔️ Himalayan & Andes regions face shrinking glaciers, risking vital irrigation water supplies for rural farmers. 90% of Himalayan glaciers are retreating.
Hurricanes & Agricultural Impact
🌪️ Increased hurricane frequency (e.g., Hurricane Katrina caused $1bn in losses) devastates crops and livestock.
Heatwaves & Livestock
🔥 Heat stress reduces livestock productivity, increases disease vulnerability, and lowers milk production.
Heatwaves & Mortality in Europe
🌡️ More heatwaves → Increased heat stress deaths (e.g., 35,000 elderly died in Europe, 2003) but fewer cold-related deaths.
Rising Temperatures & Health Risks (UK)
☀️ Higher temperatures → Increased risk of skin cancer, heat strokes & dehydration, especially for the elderly.
Malaria & Disease Spread (Africa)
🦟 Hot, humid conditions in S & E Africa → Longer malaria season & more waterborne diseases (e.g., diarrhoea).
Climate Change & Ebola
🦇 Some scientists link CC to Ebola outbreaks due to bat migration & behavioral changes.
Food & Water Insecurity
🌾 Climate change worsens food & water shortages in vulnerable regions (e.g., Sahel, Asia).
Tick-Borne Diseases Expansion
🦠 Climate change extends tick habitats → More Lyme disease & other infections in North America & Europe.
Spread of Vector-Borne Diseases
🦟 Mosquito migration spreads malaria, Zika, & dengue fever beyond tropical regions → Risk increases globally.
Malnutrition & Health Decline
🌾 Food shortages due to extreme weather & droughts → Weakened immune systems → Higher risk of TB, HIV & maternal health issues.
Arctic Health Risks & Indigenous Communities
❄️ Warming Arctic → Nenets face isolation & reduced healthcare access. Thawing permafrost releases anthrax from buried reindeer.
Climate Change & Displacement
🌍 UN: Nearly 10 million displaced in 20 years due to environmental degradation, disasters & desertification. 150 million more may be forced to move in the next 50 years, with 22 African countries at extreme risk.
Vulnerable Regions & Rising Sea Levels
🌊 Maldives & Indian Sundarbans face regular flooding. Bangladesh: 60% of land <5m above sea level; Bhola villages forced to migrate to Dhaka’s slums.
Water Scarcity & Saline Intrusion (Bangladesh)
🚰 36 million people live <1m above high tide. Rising sea levels → saltwater contamination → severe drinking water crisis in 34 coastal towns.
Extreme Weather & Food Insecurity
🌀 More frequent tropical storms & storm surges damage freshwater supplies & agriculture. Changing rainfall patterns → droughts, floods, & riverbank erosion (Manhattan-sized land lost yearly).
Climate Migration in Bangladesh
🚶♂️ 1 in 7 Bangladeshis displaced by 2050 (EJF). 700,000 displaced annually, rising in cyclone years (e.g., Cyclone Aila, 2009: millions displaced, 200+ deaths). Total displaced by 2050: 13.3 million.
Challenges for Climate Refugees
⚠️ Legal & human rights issues → Competition for food, water & shelter → Conflict & violent clashes with locals.
New Arctic Shipping Routes
🚢 2017: Icebreaking gas carriers began sailing from Siberia to the Pacific.
🛳️ Yamal (Russia) to Japan: 14-day summer route via the Arctic coast.
❄️ Winter route closure → Future year-round navigation possible.
Shrinking Arctic Ice & Future Predictions
🌡️ Summer sea ice shrinking by 12-13% per decade → Arctic Ocean could be ice-free by 2050.
Impacts of Ocean Transport
🌍 New sea routes open as ice melts, making ice-bound ports accessible year-round.
🌊 Increased storms & storm surges → Damage infrastructure, disrupt operations.
⚠️ Icebergs & sedimentation from coastal erosion → May make existing routes unsafe.
Environmental Challenges & Risks
🛢️ Oil spill risks (e.g., Exxon Valdez 1989) → Lack of clean-up tech & rescue services.
🗺️ Navigation issues: Limited ports, charts, & search & rescue infrastructure.
Opportunities for Global Trade
📦 Faster Asia-Europe & Asia-North America trade → Bypasses Suez & Panama canals.
📆 Currently viable only in summer, but could be year-round in 10-15 years.
Patterns & Trends in Glacier Change
🗻 Not uniform → Some Antarctic glaciers gaining mass above 400m, but 4/5 are retreating overall.
📉 Furtwangler Glacier (Kilimanjaro) – Africa’s only ice cap, melting rapidly.
📸 Urumqi No.1 Glacier (China) – Lost 20% of its volume since 1962.
Permafrost & Ice Sheet Changes
🌍 Arctic permafrost thawing → Releases methane, contributing to climate change.
❄️ Antarctica losing 70bn tonnes of ice per year.
🌊 Greenland Ice Sheet melt → Could raise sea levels by 6m, Antarctica by 60m.
Arctic Sea Ice & Antarctic Ice Shelves
🔥 Arctic warming x2 faster than global average → Could be ice-free by 2050.
🌊 Antarctic ice shelves melting from below due to warmer water upwelling.
Causes of Sea-Level Rise
🌡️ Thermal expansion – Warm water expands.
❄️ Glacier & ice cap melt – Transfers water from land to ocean.
🏜️ Inland water loss – Drying rivers & increased evaporation lower land water storage.
🗻 Isostatic readjustment – Land rises post-glacier melt, reducing local sea levels.
Evidence of Rising Sea Levels
📈 3mm rise per year (since 1900, risen by 200mm).
🏝️ Ganges Delta sinking – 10mm per year.
⚠️ Disappearing islands:
🇰🇮 Kiribati – 2 islands already submerged.
🇹🇻 Tuvalu – 4,000 citizens relocated to New Zealand.
🇻🇺 Vanuatu – Tegua island abandoned in 2005.
Ocean’s Role in Carbon Storage
Oceans cover 2/3 of Earth’s surface and play a key role in the carbon cycle.
Store 40,000 gigatonnes of carbon in dissolved CO2, marine organisms, and organic matter.
Absorb 30-40% of human greenhouse gases.
How Carbon is Stored in Oceans
Photosynthesis by algae
Sedimentation (sea creatures and vegetation die)
Shell-building processes
impact of Climate Change on Oceans
Warmer ocean temperatures reduce the ability to sink and store carbon.
The carbon storage has decreased by 1.5% due to rising temperatures.
Ocean acidification from dissolved carbon harms marine life, including coral reefs.
Coral health decline reduces ocean’s ability to absorb carbon.
Carbon Stored in Ice
Permafrost in higher latitudes holds 1,600 gigatonnes of carbon in frozen organic material.
Antarctic Ice Sheet stores up to 20,000 gigatonnes of organic carbon.
Melting permafrost releases methane (a potent greenhouse gas).
Carbon Stored in the Biosphere
The biosphere stores about 3,000 gigatonnes of carbon.
Largest stores are in tropical and temperate forests.
Carbon is absorbed during photosynthesis and stored in vegetation and soil.
Climate Change & Biosphere Carbon Stores
Increasing temperatures stress vegetation and soil, reducing carbon storage capacity.
Deforestation, wildfires, and droughts further impair carbon absorption.
IPCC predicts a 35% increase in wildfires.
In 2015, a study found the Amazon rainforest’s carbon uptake reduced by 33% in 10 years.
Climate Change & Flooding
Warmer world = more evaporation = more rain.
Increased extreme winter rainfall in the UK.
Example: NW European floods 2021.
Climate Change & Hurricanes
Warmer oceans provide more energy for tropical storms, making them more intense (Category 4 & 5).
Storms are expected to cover a larger spatial area.
Uncertainty on frequency due to increased wind shear, which can break up storms.
Rising sea levels = more severe storm surges.
Climate Change & Droughts
Global drought trends are unclear, but climate change may impact drought-prone areas the most.
Example: Europe’s 2003 heatwave caused 35,000 deaths.
Drought events that were once rare are becoming more frequent (e.g., every 20-30 years).
Example: European heatwaves & forest fires in 2022.
Climate Change & Landslides
Higher tides, stormier conditions, and heavier rainfall increase landslides in coastal and tropical areas.
Boundary Shifts due to Climate Change
The tree line is moving north by up to 100m per year.
Tundra biome predicted to shrink by 20% due to tree movement and thawing permafrost.
Habitat Loss from Climate Change
Forest fires and insect-caused tree death in Arctic regions lead to habitat loss for species like lichens, mosses, and birds.
Shrinking Arctic sea ice affects ocean life, warming rivers harm marine wildlife.
Ice melt threatens polar bears, seals, and penguins.
Impact of Climate Change on Animal Migration
Reindeer migration in Russia delayed due to shorter winters, impacting food supply.
Mountain species (e.g., mountain leopards) forced to migrate higher, increasing conflict with larger species.
Atlantic mackerel moving north, now a significant fishing yield in Iceland (30 years ago, rare).
Alaskan moose expanding migration north due to plant growth.
Canada geese may no longer need to fly as far south in the future.
Threats to Biomes
Taiga forests in northern latitudes are threatened by heat, forest fires, pests, and diseases (e.g., bark beetles in Canada).
Climate change may turn taiga forests into grasslands.
Marine biomes, like coral reefs, are threatened by warming oceans, increased carbon dioxide, and ocean acidification, leading to coral bleaching and biodiversity loss.
