Climate Change - Paper 1 Flashcards
What are 3 natural factors of climate change?
-Orbital changes
-Solar output
-Volcanic activity
What are 3 human factors of climate change?
-Fossil fuels
-Agriculture
-Deforestation
What is the thick layer of greenhouse gases around our atmosphere composed of?
-77% carbon dioxide
-14% methane
-8% nitrous oxide
-1% CFCs
Burning fossil fuels accounts for what % of greenhouse gases?
50%
Agriculture accounts for what % of greenhouse gases?
20%
How does volcanic activity contribute to climate change?
Volcanic aerosols reflect sunlight away, reducing global temperatures temporarily.
How do sunspots change?
They increase from a minimum to a maximum every 11 years.
How have sunspots changed recently?
Solar output has barely changed in the past 50 years.
What has the average surface air temperature increased by over the last 100 years?
1C
We now have the warmest ocean temperatures since what year?
1850.
Name 3 natural recorders of climate change:
-Tree rings
-Ice cores
-Ocean sediments
How do ice cores show climate change?
They help estimate past temperatures by comparing oxygen, carbon dioxide and methane.
How does ocean sediment show climate change?
They show organisms in ocean sediment with present levels.
What is the quaternary period?
A period of time stretching from 2.6 million years ago to today.
How long do glacial periods last?
About 100,000 years.
How long do interglacial periods last?
About 10,000 years.
The Quaternary period has how many cycles of glacial and interglacial periods?
Over 20.
How long has the current interglacial period lasted?
15,000 years.
Give 7 social effects of climate change:
-Increased risk of diseases such as skin cancer and heat stroke as temperatures increase
-Winter-related deaths decrease with milder winters
-Crop yields affected
-Less ice in Arctic Ocean increases shipping and extraction of gas and oil
-Drought reduces food and water supplies in sub-Saharan Africa
-Flood risk increases repair and insurance costs
-Skiing industry may decline in Alps as less snow
Explain how climate change affects crop yields with maize:
Maize will decrease by up to 12% in South America, yet will increase in northern Europe and require more irrigation.
What % of Asia is at increased risk of flooding and what will this cause?
70%, causing migration and overcrowding in low-risk areas.
Give 8 environmental effects of climate change:
-Increased drought
-Lower rainfall causes food shortages for orang-utans in Borneo and Indonesia
-Sea-level rise increases flooding and coastal erosion
-Ice melts, so wildlife declines
-Warmer rivers affect marine life
-Increase in forest growth in northern Europe
-Forests may experience more pests, disease and forest fires
-Coral bleaching
What region has increased drought?
Mediterranean.
What has increased flooding and coastal erosion put strain on?
Defences.
Name 3 examples of declining wildlife due to climate change?
-Adelie penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula
-Polar bears and seals in the Arctic
Which forests will undergo change?
Forests in North America
How will warmer rivers affect marine life?
The food supply will decreases for the Ganges river dolphin.
Where will experience coral bleaching?
The Great Barrier Reef -along with a decline in biodiversity.
What is mitigation:
Strategies that deal with the causes of climate change. They try to reduce or prevent greenhouse gases and protect carbon sinks.
What are 4 mitigation strategies for climate change:
-Alternative energy production
-Carbon capture
-Planting trees
-International agreements
What is adaptation?
Strategies that respond to the impacts of climate change.
Name 6 alternative energy productions:
-Wind
-Solar
-Geothermal
-Wave
-Tidal
-Biomass
Name 2 limitations of alternative energy production:
-Expensive
-Cannot always be relied upon
What is carbon capture?
It takes carbon dioxide from emission sources and safely stores it underground.
What prevents carbon dioxide from escaping in carbon capture?
An impermeable ‘cap rock’.
How much of the world’s total carbon mitigation could carbon capturing provide until when?
It could provide 10-50% of the world’s total carbon mitigation until 2100.
What are 3 limitations of carbon capture?
-Expensive
-Unclear if CO2 would remain captured long-term
-Doesn’t promote renewable energy
Planting trees could increase forest carbon storage by how much?
28%
What are 2 limitations of planting trees?
-Land may be limited
-Biodiversity is reduced if only 1 tree species is planted
What do international agreements encourage?
Countries to take responsibility for reducing CO2 emissions.
How are targets more likely to be met and give an example:
Targets are more likely to be met if legally binding (Paris 2015 agreement).
Give 3 limitations of international agreements:
-Some countries are considered more responsible
-It is hard to agree targets that go far enough
-They may not be achieved
What are 3 adaptations to climate change?
-Changes in agricultural systems
-Managing water supplies
-Reducing risk
What are changes in agricultural systems required to deal with?
The changing rainfall and temperature patterns, weather becoming more extreme and the changing distribution of pests and disease.
What are 3 possible changes in agriculture that need to be made?
-Production may need to move location to suit climates
-Irrigation
-Changes to crops and varieties
Who are changes in agriculture most accessible to?
Farmers in HICs who are least likely to be affected.
What does managing water supply ensure?
It ensures populations can face the challenge of changing rainfall patterns.
What 2 things does managing water supply involve in London?
-Reducing demands (such as installing water-efficient devices)
-Increasing supply (such as opening a desalination plant)
Where might areas of water security be threatened?
In areas of deficit, especially where there is less political stability.
What are 3 ways to reduce the risk from rising sea levels?
-Constructing defences
-Raising properties on stilts
-Relocating people at risk
