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IB GEOGRAPHY SL > Climate change and mitigation > Flashcards

Climate change and mitigation Flashcards

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1
Q

What are greenhouse gases other than CO2?

A
  • nitrous oxide (N2O)
  • CFH’s
  • Methane
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2
Q

Where does weather occur?

A

In the troposphere
- first 16-17km
Because that’s where water vapour is

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3
Q

Explain the structure of the atmosphere

A

It’s a mixture of solids, gases and liquids which are held near to earth via the gravitational pull

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4
Q

List the layers of the earths atmosphere from closest to furthest away.

A

Troposphere
-Tropopause
Stratosphere
-Stratopause
Mesosphere
-Mesopause

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5
Q

What occurs in the Troposphere?

A

Weather processes, a fall in temperature (in comparison the the other levels)

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6
Q

What occurs in the Stratosphere?

A

Increase in temperature with height as it is closer to solar radiation, it does lack dust and water vapour though

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7
Q

What is the Mesosphere like?

A

The atmosphere lacks density so it cant absorb energy and is therefore very cold

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8
Q

Where does the earth absorb most of the solar energy?

A

In tropical regions

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9
Q

Where does the earth loose most of its energy?

A

Near the poles as they reflect the radiation

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10
Q

WHat type of system is the atmosphere is relation to energy?

A

An open system as energy is lost after respiration and other processes.

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11
Q

WHat is the atmospheric energy budget?

A

The earths balance of incoming and outgoing energy. It used to be at equilibrium, but has been disrupted due to human interference.

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12
Q

WHat is radiation?

A

The emission of electromagnetic waves such as x-rays

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13
Q

What is convection?

A

The transfer of heat via the movement of gas (eg. Tea/ volcanoes)

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14
Q

What is conduction?

A

The transfer of heat by contact, eg. The albedo effect.

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15
Q

What is shortwave radiation?

A

The incoming radiation from the sun in form of UV light.

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16
Q

What is long wave radiation?

A

The earths energy output from absorbing short wave radiation.

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17
Q

When is there less or more energy loss?

A

Blue skies mean more energy loss, cloudy skies with fine particles (like pollution) absorb the heat and less energy is lost

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18
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

When greenhouse gases, such as water vapour, methane, CFS and N2Os absorb the energy output of the earth, warming the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases allow short wave radiation to pass, but not absorb great numbers of long-wave radiation

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19
Q

What does the greenhouse effect result in?

A

Warming of the atmosphere.

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20
Q

WHat is the greenhouse effect important for ?

A

all life on earth

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21
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

Enhanced numbers of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human interference (CO2 emissions etc).

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22
Q

What effects variations in solar radiation?

A
  • change in the output of energy from the sun
    The suns solar cycle changes and the earths orbit too. Changing the distance and pattern of solar radiation to the earth
  • the earths reflectivity (the albedo). When the ice melts and is replaced by darker surfaces, the earth absorbs more heat.
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23
Q

What is global dimming?

A

The earths dimming is a decrease in the amount of solar radiation reaching the earths surface as a result of pollution clouds/ volcano eruption etc.

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24
Q

Explain the temperature fluctuations happening via volcano eruptions with an example

A

El Chichon- first in half a year a spike in temperature, then a developing decrease in temperature for a decade

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25
Q

What was the temperature change that happened from 911?

A

a 1.1 C increase

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26
Q

What plays a large role in controlling the earths atmosphere?

A

Feedback loops

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27
Q

What are feedback loops?

A

Things which speed up or slow town warming trends

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28
Q

What is a positive feedback loop?

A

Something which accelerates temperature rise

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29
Q

What is a negative feedback loop?

A

Something which slows down temperature increase

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30
Q

Give an example of positive feedback loop?

A

Melting of ice caps result in revealing more land/ earths surface. This is face is not/less reflective and therefore absorbs more short wave radiation, emitting more Infrared(heat). Melting ice caps also reveal rotting vegetation which release methane, increasing greenhouse gases and warming effect.

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31
Q

Give an example of a positive feedback loop related to CO2 increase

A

A rise in CO2 as a result from biomass decomposition (trees), increases CO2 in the atmosphere(Greenhouse gas) and increases temperatures

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32
Q

Give an example of negative feedback to do with CO2.

A

An increase in CO2 in the atmosphere leads to more plant growth due to higher levels of photosynthesis. Increased biomass activity reduces concentrations of CO2.

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33
Q

Give two examples of negative feedback loops to do with burning and evaporation.

A
  • more evaporations means more energy(heat) loss, reducing temperature
  • burning results in more aerosols, therefore less solar radiation meeting the surface, cooling the atmosphere
34
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect linked to (Globalization- trading, industrialization etc)

A

It’s the increase in greenhouse gases as an effect of globalization, motorisation etc. It increases the density of the gasses, allowing a greater absorption of heat(infrared from earth).

35
Q

Why do the effects of the albedo effect vary?

A

Due to clouds, and global dimming. Its effects decrease when white surfaces /9ice caps) decrease.

36
Q

Which clouds can reduce the most effects of solar radiation?

A

Thick clouds

37
Q

Distinguish between the greenhouse effect and global warming.

A

Global warming is negative while the greenhouse effect is needed for all life on earth. The greenhouse effect maintains the earths energy budget(equilibrium of energy outputs and inputs). Global warming disrupts equilibrium.

38
Q

What are the predicted effects of global climate change?

A
  • rise in sea level
  • storm activity
  • agriculture pattern will change (good and bad for other countries)
  • less rainfall in certain countries
    Up to 40% of wildlife will become extinct
39
Q

What is the hydrosphere

A

freshwater, seawater, glaciers/ice caps)

40
Q

WHat are negative impacts for changes in the hydrosphere?

A
  • Melting of ice caps results in floods in low lying areas such as Netherlands, could displace up to 200million people
41
Q

What would happen in the UK from hydrosphere changes?

A

Saltwater would pollute fresh water, certain birds migrate, flooding, more forest fires, trees would change, temps could rise up to 4C

42
Q

What is the main effect that sea ice decline would cause?

A

Release of more methane from decomposing biomass.
Also polar bears have less time to hunt seal pups and now spend more time on land, making their meals less nutritious , decline in reproductive success.

43
Q

Where is most of the earths carbon stored?

A

In rocks

44
Q

How is carbon storage changed by industrialization

A

carbon which was stores deeply in teh soil has been extracted and released into the atmosphere via fossil fuel burning.

45
Q

How is the ocean affected by increased carbon emissions in the atmosphere?

A

Increased carbon increases the temperature in the atmosphere. This causes plants (such as algae) in the ocean to grow much more and store more carbon. THis acidifies the ocean, in the form of carbonic acid, becoming bicarbonate. Worth less carbonate available, animals such as crabs lobsters and coral have thinner exterior. Marine life is much weaker now.

46
Q

How has agriculture affected carbon stored in the biosphere?

A

In many tropical areas, the burning of soil is used to make the soil more nutrient rich.

47
Q

How does deforestation contribute to the greenhouse effect?

A

Cutting down trees releases CO2 which they stored.

48
Q

Which animals are more endangered by climate change?

A

Animals in higher latitudes as they have less ability to migrate and are very tailored to their environments

49
Q

Explain changes in agricultural patterns with more detail.

A

Canadas growing season will become longer, however the USA’s wheat growing regions will become unviable. Corn, grape and what move pole-wards. Also, drought reduced water accessibility for farmers and reduces use of irrigation. All of this depends on where.

50
Q

How is climate change affecting populations in africa?

A

If temps raise by 2C, 60 million more people will be exposed to malaria as mosquitos can breed in more places now due to increased temps, diseases can also spread easier.

51
Q

How is global warming affecting people?

A

Increased floods and sea level rise causes people to migrate away from their homes (South Pacific populations).

  • tourism will also change- summer intervals may be extended/ limited. WInter sports such as skiing will reduce
52
Q

What is a benefit of climate change?

A

Opening up of sea routes for trading possibilities( before this happens political issues need to be resolved)

53
Q

Social problems resulting from climate change

A

Hunger, housing, recourses. These are more likely to harshly affect LIC’s. LIC’s have less developed infrastructure which makes their resilience less present.

54
Q

How is climate change already affecting Bangladesh?

A

This LIC depends on agriculture for 65% of its labour force and 20% of GDP.

55
Q

Which people are most at risk of climate change?

A
  • coastal areas
  • no education
  • not wealthy
  • elderly
  • very young
  • disable
  • indigenous
  • poverty
56
Q

WHat is adaptive capacity?

A

How well a person is able to adapt to climate change

57
Q

Islands in the pacific are very vulnerable to climate change, which?

A

Maldives, Caribbean

58
Q

What issues do islands face?

A
  • coastal erosion
  • flooding
    Deterioration of coastal reefs
  • loss of income
  • out-migration
59
Q

WHat are obstacles to achieving a low-carbon world?

A

Political issues: fossil fuel bruising companies in the us, Middle East etc. have found a way to veto climate change restrictions because of oil and gas interests.

60
Q

Two international efforts/conferences which adress climate change mitigation

A
  • NAPAS
  • IPCC
61
Q

Why are HICs more able to adapt to climate change regulations

A
  • have the technology to do so
  • have contributed to great amounts of historic CO2
  • their economy can afford to loose certain net profits from deducting CO2 emissions
  • LIC’s economy still needs to develop
62
Q

What was the Kyoto protocol 1997?

A

A protocol beginning 2005 and stopping in 2015, the meeting was held in japan. Almost 200 countries signed to reduce CO2 emissions
- each country was given a certain amount of emissions they were able to emit
Countries can sell their emission availability to other countries to extend their country
- known as carbon trading in the carbon meeting
- encourages hydroelectric power, wind, solar etc.

63
Q

Incidents such as which have made the use of nuclear power less attractive?

A

Fukushima Daiichi.

64
Q

What does the sucess of climate mitigation treaties depend on?

A
  • willingness of countries to sign and limit
  • countries being preventative or reactive
65
Q

What is being “preventative” in terms of climate change effort

A

Acting before it gets out of hand

66
Q

What is being “reactive” in terms of climate change mitigation?

A

Acting only when the issue is visually present and out of hand

67
Q

Explain the Paris agreement in 2015

A

Encouraged 174 countries to prefer nuclear power. Paris creates 90% of energy from nuclear power. It encourages countries to adapt, however does not fine them or have any punishments for not meeting any goals.
GOAL: reaching zero net carbon emissions between 2050 and 2100.

68
Q

List some mitigation strategies

A
  • using biomass as fuel
  • recusing energy consumption
  • geo engineering
  • protecting specific areas of land
  • carbon capture and storage
69
Q

Mitigation against pollution

A
  • improving public transport
  • recycling programmes
  • nation limits on carbon emissions
  • renewable energy sources
70
Q

The term for reducing a very large value of CO2 from the world product.

A

Decarbonisation

71
Q

3 steps in achieving decarbonisation

A

1) energy efficiency
2) increase use of zero emission power
3) completely shift to zero emission power

72
Q

How can agriculture be altered to reduce carbon emissions

A

Less chemical fertilisers should be used and less intensive livestock farming should be induced.

73
Q

WHat emissions does a change in agriculture reduce?

A

Nitrogen and methane

74
Q

What is a specific use of geoingeneering to counteract the warming from CO2?

A

Using the sulphate aerosols from the atmosphere to dim the incoming unlight and therefore cooling the planet

Another Idea is placing giant mirrors into space to reflect some of the incoming solar radiation

75
Q

Explain two types of carbon capture.

A

1)Capturing carbon from the source(power plant) and store it in an underground deposit (oil reservoir)

2) Allow the carbon to enter the atmosphere and then use a chemical sorbet which attracts the CO2. “Direct air capture”

76
Q

How does ocean fertilisation held reduce atmospheric carbon?

A

Fertilising the ocean with nitrogen and phosphorous, increasing marine food production, storing carbon. An algae bloom could be triggered, trapping the CO2 to the floor of the ocean.

77
Q

What is it called when carbon emissions are feed and how does it help against climate change?

A

Carbon taxing: Certain amounts of carbon emission- companies/ products are taxed such as oil/ fuel (so carbon users are individually taxed

78
Q

Explain carbon trading

A

Companies are given a certain budget of allowed carbon emissions. These can be traded between companies in return for money. Usually small companies sell them to larger companies

79
Q

What are carbon offset schemes?

A

When companies buy carbon credits from other companies and sell them to companies which want to reach a zero carbon emission goal

80
Q

Say some adaption strategies to climate change.

A
  • flood defences
  • desalinising plants
  • planting crops in previously unsuitable climates
  • more vaccinations will be needed as temperatures will increase everywhere
81
Q

Why are civil and corporate strategies important for adressing climate change

A

They make people aware of own lifestyle
Pressure major economies and companies to reduce emissions

82
Q

What is WWF’s scheme

A

One in Five, which is encouraging companies to reduce the travel of their employees.
Advantages are:
- increase of time spent with family
- less financial losses of company
- more time working, less time travelling

IB GEOGRAPHY SL (4 decks)

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