Climate Change 2 Flashcards
define adaptation
an alteration or adjustment in response to a change environment
list the new environmental conditions being created by climate change
- increasing temperatures
- water use
- rising sea levels
- extreme weather events
- variability in rainfall
define desalination
process that removes the excess salt and other minerals from saline water in order to obtain water suitable for animal and human consumption or irrigation
define mitigation
strategies implemented to reduce or alleviate the severity and effects of climate change
define genetic modification
process where individual genes with specific desirable traits are transferred from one organism to another
list examples of genetically modified crops
wheat, rice, canola, squash, barley, potato, cotton
how much percent do genetically modified crops cover cropland?
12%
how many of world’s population live in areas of high water stress?
2.8 billion
how many desalination plants are in the world?
20 000
how many people do desalination plants provide clean water to?
300 million
how many desalination plants does Perth have?
2
define carbon capture and storage
capturing carbon dioxide from large point sources e.g. fossil fuel power plants, which is then transported and deposited in a storage site.
define climate change
long-term change in the statistical distribution of global weather patterns over a period of time, ranging from decades to millions of years.
define land cover change
Land cover change refers to the changes taken place in natural environments due to a variety of natural and human induced causes.
define sustainability
Meeting needs of current & future generations through simultaneous environmental, social, economic adaptations & improvements.
