Climate Change Flashcards
Is climate change really a natty d?
yes and no, because it isn’t a single event
It doesn’t have a defined duration like other natty d’s
Increases probability of episodic events
Important to try and separate human induced components of climate change, and natural climate change (very hard though)
So what is climate change?
Can cause droughts and floods
Climate change isn’t just changes in temperature or changes in sea levels, it causes Natty D’s
Also increases variability of the environment
Adaptation
How do we adapt to these changing temperatures?
Ex. Wine industry in France has shifted to north and south areas like in England
How do greenhouse gases work?
The sun’s radiation passes through the clear atmosphere
Most radiation is absorbed by the earth’s surface and warms it
Some solar radiation is reflected by the earth and the atmosphere
Some of this radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases and re-emitted as heat
Without greenhouse gases, the earths average temperature would be -18c
The Primary Greenhouse gases
Water vapour
o Very important one; depends on where we are regionally
o We don’t talk about it a lot because we have little control about how much water vapour is emitted into the atmosphere
Carbon dioxide
o Bears the most discussion and debate on controlling, has increased markedly due to human activity
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
How do we assess temperature change over a long period?
We use ‘proxy’ data, such as: Tree rings Ice cores Fossil pollen Ocean sediments Corals
What is a plausible explanation for climate change prior to the industrial revolution?
When global temperatures become warmer, carbon dioxide is released from the oceans.
When changes in the Earth’s orbit trigger a warm (or interglacial) period, increased carbon dioxide concentrations may amplify the warming by enhancing the greenhouse effect.
When temperatures become cooler, CO2 enters the ocean and contributes to additional cooling.
What evidence is there of global warming?
A National Academy of Sciences study concluded that the global average temperature during the last few decades was warmer than any comparable period during the last 400 years.
Present evidence suggests that temperatures at many, but not all, individual locations were higher during the past 25 years than any period of comparable length since A.D. 900.
Is climate change an ethical issue?
Will the benefits from an expanding economy, cause suffering from the associated green house gas?
Do we try to help our future generations or do we let them fend for themselves?
How do we factor in the odds of climate change producing a catastrophe?
Countries with highest C02 emissions are at lowest risk
What is the cost of climate change?
Food:
• Rising yield in some high latitude regions
• Falling crop yields in many areas particularly developing regions
• Falling yields in many developed regions
Water:
• Small mountain glaciers will disappear- water supplies threatened in several areas
• Significant decreases in water availability in many areas, including Mediterranean and Southern Africa
• Sea level rises threatens major cities
Extreme weather events:
• Rising intensity of storms, forest fires, droughts, flooding and heat waves
Risk of abrupt and major irreversible changes:
• Increasing risk of dangerous feedbacks and abrupt, large-scale shifts in the climate system
What is the relationship between climate change and hurricanes?
While the amount of cyclones occurring has not been increasing, the intensity of individual events has
This is due to rising sea surface temperatures
