Climate Change

Question 1

natural causes

Answer 1

orbital geometry:

• orbit varies
• elliptical orbit result in warmer periods

volcanic eruptions:
-Mt Laki in 1793 released so much ash it blocked the sun

solar output:
-amount of energy given off the sun is increasing

Question 2

human causes

Answer 2

increased car use and demand for food, goods, energy and transport due to wealth

increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to combustion of carbon

Question 3

how is flooding caused by global warming?

Answer 3

land based ice sheets melt

sea levels rise

low-lying land becomes at risk of flooding (e.g. Bangladesh)

coastal settlements and farmland could be flooded

increase diseases, houses and crops destroyed

Question 4

how are crop yields impacted by global warming?

Answer 4

crop yields drop when temperatures are more or less than the optimum

impact USA and Canada as they export 47% of the worlds wheat

demand for food will increase, prices will rise

increase malnutrition and famine in Africa

Question 5

what are the other impacts?

Answer 5

increase in malaria

more frequent tropical storms

Question 6

how can we reduce carbon emissions?

Answer 6

reduce energy - turn heating down, get double glazed windows

buy local produce - reduce food miles

reduce, reuse, recycle

use car less

Question 7

how are governments trying to reduce carbon emissions?

Answer 7

most countries promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when they signed to the Kyoto protocol

renewable energy schemes, such as wind farms