Ecological Solutions to the climate problem

Question 1

What issues are there with voluntary carbon offsetting?

Answer 1

Normalises harmful behaviour
May encourage more carbon emissions
Land-use conflict e.g. Uganda
Misleading if emissions reductions would have happened anyway

Question 2

Describe the three generations of biofuels

Answer 2

1st Gen - Bioethanol - from maize, wheat, sugar cane etc.

2nd generation - using non food crops

3rd generation - using non-food biomass e.g. algae

Question 3

Advantagesof biofuel

Answer 3

Same price as gasoline
Easy to source
Renewable
Reduces greenhouse gases
Economic security
Reduce dependence on foreign oil
Lower levels of pollution

Question 4

Disadvantages of biofuel

Answer 4

High cost of production
Monoculture
Use of fertilizers
Shortage of food
Water use

Question 5

How can the use of biofuel increase food prices?

Answer 5

Biofuel relies on the use of agricultural land, and the breaking down of food products. More land used for biofuel is less land available for food production. This therefore means there is less food available which drives up prices.