CLIMATE CHANGE Flashcards
What evidence is there for Climate Change
ICE AND SEDIMENT CORES
1 layer formed every year
Drill in the ice sheets to Analyse the gases trapped
Remains of organisms
TEMPERATURE RECORDS
Since 1850 global temperature
Historical records- newspaper
POLLEN ANALYSIS
Pollen is preserved in sediment
Identify the date of the sediment- what species
TREE RINGS
Tree forms a new ring every year
Thick- wet conditions
Count rings age and climate
what are natural causes of climate change
ORBITAL CHANGES - the path of the orbit changes affects the solar radiation
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY- large quantities of material in atmosphere reflects sun rays also releases CO2 short term- Mount Pinatubo in 1991
SOLAR OUTPUT- it’s not constant
What are human causes of climate change
BURNING FOSSIL FUELS - CO2 released
FARMING - Cows produce Methane
CEMENT PRODUCTION- Limestone contains CO2 so CO2 is released
DEFORESTATION- Plants remove CO2 so deforestation stops taking in CO2
CO2 released by burning
What are the environmental effects of climate change
Glaciers shrink- sea levels rise eg.Greenland
- Sea ice shrinking- loss of polar habitats
- Rising sea levels- low lying costal areas submerged eg. Maldives
- Species declining- coral reef
- precipitation patterns change
- Biodiversity could decrease
What are the effect on people
Deaths have increased
- Some areas too hot/dry to inhibit causes migration and overcrowding
- struggling to supply enough water - potential tensions
- Farming eg.maize
- more extreme weather
How can you manage climate change
PLANTING TREES- increase CO2 absorbs
CARBON CAPTURE- reduce emissions from fossil fuels - capture CO2 store underground
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION- replace with nuclear and renewable power UK more wind
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS- 1997 most countries signed KYOTO PROTOCOL target UK 12.5% by 2012 met 22%
How can you adapt to climate change
CHANGING AGRICULTURE SYSTEM
Plant new groups in new areas GRAPES UK
WATER SUPPLY
Water meter and collect rainfall
SEA LEVELS
Rise by 82cm 2100- physical barriers eg. Flood barriers in THAME RIVER
Raised homes in BANGLADESH
