Climate Change

Question 1

What are direct atmospheric inputs?

Answer 1

Gas emissions, like Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, CFCs, water vapour

Aerosols, like sulphur, black carbon

Thermal pollution

Question 2

Land surface changes that affect climate change

Answer 2

Albedo change - changes in relfectivity. High albedo comes from snow, ice, soil, etc

Deforestation raises albedo and lowers temp/rainfall

Urbanization lowers albedo and increases temp

Dust on ice caps lowers albedo

Question 3

How do changes in roughness affect climate?

Answer 3

Wind is affected.

Deforestation increases wind, decreases temp

Urbanization reduces wind, increases temp

Question 4

How does irrigation expansion affect climate?

Answer 4

Reservoirs decrease albedo, increase evaporation and rainfall

Question 5

Greenhouse gas changes since Industrial Revolution

Answer 5

CO2: 280ppm to 396

CH4: 700ppb to 1819ppb

N2O: 285ppb to 325pp

Question 6

What increases CO2?

Answer 6

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation

Question 7

What increases CH4?

Answer 7

Natural gas production, livestock, landfills, burning forests

Question 8

What increases N2O?

Answer 8

Fertilizers, land clearing, burning fossil fuels

Question 9

Most historic CO2 contributors

Answer 9

North America, Europe, Soviet Union

Question 10

Current biggest CO2 polluters

Answer 10

China, US, EU, India

Question 11

What is sea level rise per year?

Answer 11

3.1 mm

Question 12

How far has the Illecillewaet Glacier retreated since 1887

Answer 12

2km

Question 13

Which regions are most affected by climate change and how?

Answer 13

Artic: ice sheet loss, ecosystem change

Sub-Saharan Africa: water stress, reduced crops

Small Islands: coastal erosion, inundation

Asian mega-deltas: flooding from seas and rivers

Question 14

Which ecosystems are highly vulnerable?

Answer 14

Coral reefs - marine shell organisms

Tundra, boreal forests, mountain and mediterranean regions

20-30% of plants and animals risk extinction