Climate change (P1- SEC A)

Question 1

What does ‘climate change’ mean?

Answer 1

A long term change in the earths climate especially a change due to an increase in the acreage atmospheric temperature

Question 2

what is recent evidence for climate change ?

Answer 2

shrinking glaciers/melting ice
rising sea levels
seasonal changes

Question 3

physical causes of climate change?

VOOS or OVOS

Answer 3

volcanic eruptions - emit CO2 and SO2
ocean currents - changes in ocean current patterns lead to periods of warming/cooling
orbital change - tilt and shape of orbit around the sun affects temperatures
solar output - temps are higher when there are lots of sunspots

Question 4

human causes of climate change ?

Answer 4

fossil fuels - emit CO2/ also causes trapped air in atmosphere
agriculture - methane increased/ fossil fuels used in pesticides and fertilisers
deforestation - emits CO2, fewer trees to remove CO2

Question 5

Impacts of climate change - economical/environmental/social (6)

Answer 5

Environment : -rising sea levels
- desertification
- stronger tropical storms
- increased risk of natural hazards

Economical:- affects food production/ water supply (less trade)

• damage to infrastructure
• lower crop yields

Social: - affects food production/ water supply
- more heat related disease

Question 6

What can be done to MITIGATE climate change and how do they work ?

Answer 6

REDUCE CO2 EMMISONS

• alternative energy production (use renewable energy) - REDUCE carbon emissions/ nuclear energy productions uses uranium/ no Co2 emmission )
• carbon capture - liquify carbon /put into rocks
• plant trees - bring O2/ take Co2 out of atmosphere
• international agreements - reduce global emmission by 40%

Question 7

What can be done to ADAPT to climate change and how ?

Answer 7

REDUCE RISKS MADE FROM CLIMATE CHANGE

• change agricultural systems - use drought resistant plants ( others won’t survive dry condition)
• managing water supply (move water from surplus- deficit )
• rescue risk from rising sea levels - use SEA DEFENCES to protect land/ put houses on STILTS

Question 8

describe the process of carbon capture?

Answer 8

1) fossil fuel is burnt
2) CO2 is captured from the exhaust gases
3) CO2 is pumped through pipelines to old oil fields
4) CO2 is converted into liquid and injected into sedimentary rocks in oil fields

Question 9

physical/human causes of Somerset levels food?

Answer 9

Physical : prolonged rainfall
low-lying land
Human : lack of dredging
change in farming practises

Question 10

Social/economic/environmental impact of Somerset levels?

Answer 10

Social: over 600 houses flooded
16 farms evacuated
power supply cut off
residents put in temporary accommodation

Economic : roads cut off
more than £10 mill cost
railway line closed

Environmental: - floodwater contaminated with sewage
-a lot of debris had to be cleared

Question 11

how can we manage the floods in Somerset levels?(3)

PTD

Answer 11

• put mobile pumps where needed
• reintroduce dredging - remove silt to increase capacity to carry water
• construct tidal barrages