Climate Change Flashcards
Albedo Effect
% of the suns radiation is reflected by a surface
Greenhouse Effect (natural)
As sun rays enter the Earth’s atmosphere some bounce off of earth surface and back into space
others are trapped by Earth’s atmosphere
Anthropogenic Greenhouse Effect
Too many rays are being trapped by greenhouse gasses created by humans in our atmosphere
Positive Feedback Loop
The consequences of global warming accelerate global warming further
Methane
Agriculture byproduct through the decay of organic molecules (livestock) (CH4)
Keeling Curve
Atmospheric carbon dioxide
- generally increasing
- yearly rise and fall
IPCC
A group of worlds leading climate scientists
- they advise government
Carbon Sink
Something that stores carbon
Ice Cores
Ice sample that contains trapped gasses
Biosphere Sectors
- hydrosphere (water)
- lithosphere (rock)
- atmosphere (gas)
Fossil Fuels
Non-renewable sources of energy (coal, oil)
Weather vs Climate
- daily conditions
- conditions over a long period of time
3 Ways Heat is Transferred to Energy
- radiation
- conduction
- convection
Climate Model
A physical, conceptual or mathematical representation of a real phenomenon that is difficult to observe directly
Consequences of Climate Change
- heatwave
- drought
- wildfire
- storm
- flood
- sea-level rise
- ocean temp. rise
- threatened species
Types of Clean Energy
- wind
- geothermal
- solar
- hydro
- biofuel
- nuclear
UNFCCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Kyoto Agreement
- 1997
- 160 nations
- average 5% reduction in greenhouse emissions
Paris Agreement
- 2015
- 192 nations
- keep the rising temp. below 2C
Emission Sources
- producing + using energy
- transportation
- fugitive emissions (production of fossil fuels)
- agriculture
- industrial
- waste management
- land use + forestry
Layers of Atmosphere
EARTH - tropho (weather) - stratus (protects from UV) - mesa (meteors burn) - thermo (auroras) SPACE
Methane
Caused by agriculture - decay of organic materials (CH4)
Carbon offset
A compensation for emissions through $ to carbon sinks
Emission trading
Companies trade leftover legal emissions
