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Geography GCSE > Environmental Threats to the Planet > Flashcards

Environmental Threats to the Planet Flashcards

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1
Q

Where was the Big Dry drought?

A

Australia - Murray Darling Basin particularly

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2
Q

What was Australia’s level of development?

A

It was a AC, with a GDP of $1.2 trillion

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3
Q

When did the Big Dry occur?

A

2002 - 2009

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4
Q

When was the Big Dry declared officially over?

A

2012

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5
Q

Why could they say the Big Dry was over?

A

Because they had two years of good rainfall

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6
Q

What was the population of the MDB?

A

2 million

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7
Q

What size is the MDB equivalent to?

A

France and Spain

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8
Q

How much of Australia’s water does the MDB have?

A

75%

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9
Q

How much of Australia’s produce does the MDB produce?

A

40% of produce on 70% of their irrigated land and cropland

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10
Q

What were the causes of the Big Dry linked to supply?

A

1) Well under average rainfall - especially in the E and SE
(Average rainfall is usually 500mm, but in 2002 it was
200mm)
2) Increased temperature - up 0.5C to 1.5C on average
against usual in MDB
3) El Nino - 2002 was El Nino year, followed by 4 events in next 9 years (above average) - reduces rainfall by 25%

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11
Q

What were the causes of the Big Dry linked to demand?

A

1) Population - High demand for water from large population
2) Managment - MDB managed over 4 states leads to conflicts of interest
3) Agriculture - 70% of Australia’s irrigated cropland is in MDB

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12
Q

Was the drought caused more by demand or supply?

A

Whilst demand issues are present, it was particular decreases in supply that triggered this drought

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13
Q

What were the social impacts of the Big Dry?

3 impacts

A

1) Migration - people left rural areas to move to the cities meaning there were unbalanced social pyramids - people left behind felt isolated and vulnerable.
2) Suicides - at the height of the drought there was 1 suicide every four days amongst farmers
3) Farmers felt forgotten - called themselves the ‘forgtten people’

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14
Q

What were the economic impacts of the Big Dry?

7 impacts

A

1) Some farmers had no income for 3 years
2) Many farmers had to work in mines to top up income
3) There was a large impact on cattle - 10,000 died a day, with many having to be shot by farmers - livestock was sold at rock bottom prices
4) Food prices rose due to dependence on imports
5) Water bills rose by 20%
6) Loss of tourism, especially on water based activities in Adelaide
7) GDP loss of 1% in 2006

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15
Q

What were the environmental impacts of the Big Dry?

7 impacts

A

1) Loss of biodiversity and long term severe ecological breakdown - the River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree requires partial flooding
2) Loss of valuable topsoil through wind erosion
3) Murray Darling river flow was lowest on 90 year record
4) HEP dams had to be shut because there wasn’t enough flow, and dirty fossil fuels had to be used instead.
5) Water quality went down - freshwater supplies were acidified as acid sulphate soils were exposed and oxidised - salinisation from salt water intrusion/ evaporation
6) Increased wildfires - “Black saturday” on 7th Feb 2009 173 people died
7) Grasslands were lost across the basin

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16
Q

What are the 4 main management strategies of the impacts of the Big Dry?

A

Aussie Helpers, Desalination plant, Murray Darling Basin Plan, Greywater

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17
Q

Who is the Aussie Helpers project led by and what do they do?

A

Brian Egan - they deliver groceries, and provide councelling and supports people who live out in the bush.

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18
Q

What scale is Aussie Helpers and how long term is it?

A

They raise $250,000 a year - They want to operate long term but this relies on the continued help of his volunteers - Brian is getting old and wont be able to lead it forever.

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19
Q

How does Aussie Helpers tackle the issues faced by drought?

A

It neither increases supply or reduces demand, it just makes people feel better.

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20
Q

How socially sustainable is Aussie Helpers?

A

1) It helped Brian when he was strugging
2) Helped people out in the bush - those who really needed it
3) It has kept farming families spirits lifted

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21
Q

How economically sustainable is Aussie Helpers?

A

1) Keeps farmers from going bust

2) Keeping farms open helps Australia’s national food security

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22
Q

How environmentally sustainable is Aussie Helpers?

A

1) There is an environmental footprint left by Brian and his team driving petrol heavy jeeps around the Bush

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23
Q

What is the name of the new desalination plant built to tackle the Big Dry, and where is it?

A

Wonthaggi Desalination Plant, Melbourne

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24
Q

How much of Melbourne’s water is the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant able to supply, and how long term is it?

A

33% - The plant should last many decades

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25
Q

How well does the desalination plant address the issues of drought?

A

It supplies more drinking water, but does not reduce demand

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26
Q

How socially sustainable is the desalination plant?

A

1) It is focused on urban areas, and excludes the people in rural areas who are most impacted by drought
2) It is a reliable and constant water supply, which makes people less worried about drought

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27
Q

How economically sustainable is the desalination plant?

A

1) It is very expensive ($6bn set up, and $600m a year running cost), and critics argue the money could be spent better as it doesn’t reduce demand
2) Australians could get complacent with the better supply, and increase demand

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28
Q

How environmentally sustainable i the desalination plant?

A

1) The waste product is brine, which is toxic
2) Large carbon footprint to building a big structure
3) Desalination plants require enormous amounts of energy, most of which comes from fossil fuels.

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29
Q

When was the Murray Darling Basin Plan made?

A

2007, under the Commonwealth Act

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30
Q

How long was the Murray Darling Basin Plan?

A

10 years

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31
Q

What was the key aim of the Murray Darling Basin Plan?

A

Remove 2750 gigalitres of water from irrigated agriculture and return to the river systems

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32
Q

How long term is the Murray Darling Basin Plan?

A

The strategy is mainly focused on the short and medium term, but was extended past 2017 and will be reviewed in 2026.

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33
Q

How well does the Murray Darling Basin Plan address the issues of drought?

A

It aims to tackle supply and demand issues

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34
Q

How socially sustainable is the Murray Darling Basin Plan?

A

1) There is profeteiring from companies who are investing in water, and they are more worried about share prices rather than water supply to the people
2) Aboriginal peoples views have been sourced which helps improve social equity

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35
Q

How economically sustainable is the Murray Darling Basin Plan?

A

1) There is a lot of debate over how these billions of dollars are best spent
2) Flows that have been directed from agriculture back into ecosystems have reduced yield, leaving farmers furious.

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36
Q

How environmentally sustainable is the Murray Darling Basin Plan?

A

1) Despite improvements, many water sources are still classified as poor.
2) Water levels are still not high enough and there is routine dredging because levels are so low
3) 450 gigalitres are being diverted back into ecosystems

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37
Q

How efficient is the Greywater scheme?

A

Can save up to 50% of water

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38
Q

How long term is the Greywater scheme?

A

The Australian government has a long term commitment to improving water efficiency in homes which will help them combat water demand and reduce carbon footprint

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39
Q

How well does the Greywater scheme tackle the issues of drought?

A

It directly reduces demand

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40
Q

How socially sustainable is Greywater?

A

1) There is a cost to installing the system which could mean it is exclusive to the wealthy
2) By encouraging these systems, it makes australians think about how elese they could be more sustainable

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41
Q

How economcally sustainable is Greywater?

A

1) Most of the cost is with the consumer which is good for the government, and they just have to advertise it.
2) The consumer has to buy it, but in an AC most can afford to

42
Q

How enviromentally sustainable is Greywater?

A

1) Reducing demand for water means less big projects to increase supply need to be built, saving habitats and ecosystems, aswell as carbon footprints.
2) There are lots of components needed which are shipped from across the world.

43
Q

What is the Greywater?

A

Water is collected under the sink, cleaned and then sent to the toilet, washing machine and outside tap.

44
Q

What scales are the following management strategies for the Big Dry: Murray Darling Basin Plan, Greywater, Desalination Plant, Aussie Helpers

A

1) National
2) Local
3) Regional
4) Local

45
Q

When did the Quaternary period start?

A

2.6 million years ago

46
Q

What are the two epochs within the Quaternary period?

A

Pleistocene and Holocene

47
Q

How long has the current inter glacial period (Holocene) lasted?

A

11,700 years

48
Q

What are the typical conditions of Glacial periods?

A

Ice sheets advanced, sea level is low, less vegetation, cold temperatures with dry weather

49
Q

What are the typical conditions of Inter glacial periods?

A

Ice sheets receded. sea level is high, more vegetation, warm temperatures with wet weather

50
Q

What are the 4 main ways of collecting evidence for climate change?

A

Temperature records, ice cores, tree rings, paintings and diaries

51
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of recent temperature records?

A
  • Accurate and precise data

- Only go back until around 1880

52
Q

How do ice cores help us understand past climates?

A

Scientists can analyse the trapped gas, and then predict what the climate was like. They can do this because there is a close correlation between the levels of greenhouse gasses and the global average temperature.

53
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using ice cores?

A
  • Go back around 800,000 years
  • Temperatures change quickest in polar regions so it shows trends clearly
  • Ice sheets are melting due to climate change
54
Q

How do tree rings help us understand past climates?

A

The nature of the rings - thick rings = wet year and thin rings = dry year

55
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using tree rings?

A
  • No precise data
  • Go back a reasonably long time (up to 14,000 years), but mainly only recent climates
  • Only show localised climate for the tree
  • Easy to do
56
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using historical sources?

A
  • Relies on artist being accurate

- Easy to understand and observe key events

57
Q

What is eccentricity?

A
  • Over a period of 100,000 years the Earths orbit of the sun changes from a circle to an ellipse and back again
  • This has the most effect when the earth is further away from the sun during northern hemisphere summers.
  • When the Earths orbit is more elliptical, the sun is further from the Northern Hemisphere during the summer, leading to a build up of ice
58
Q

What is obliquity?

A
  • Over 42,000 years the Earth changes its tilt on its axis from 21.5 degrees to 24.5 degrees
  • If it is a shallow tilt summers are cooler and winters are milder - this would allow ice to build up because it doesn’t melt in summer
59
Q

What is procession?

A
  • The Earth wobbles on its axis over a period of 26,000 years, and this changes the severity of the seasons.
60
Q

How do sunspots impact the Earths climate?

A
  • When there are more sun spots more isolation reaches the Earths surface
  • There is a solar maximum every 11 years
61
Q

How does volcanic activity impact the Earths climate?

A
  • They cause cooler temperatures as ash and gasses emitted reflect solar isolation back into space
  • Sulphur dioxide reacts with water to form a cloud of sulphuric aerosols which reflects short wave solar radiation
62
Q

What were the causes of the Medieval warm period?

A

Increased sunspots and lack of volcanic activity

63
Q

When was the Medieval warm period?

A

950-1250

64
Q

When was the Little Ice Age?

A

1300-1850

65
Q

What caused the Little Ice Age?

A

A major volcanic event in the 1200s

66
Q

When did modern warming start?

A

1850 - Present day

67
Q

What has caused modern warming?

A

Use of fossil fuels and increased levels of greenhouse gasses

68
Q

What makes up the cryosphere?

A

Permafrost, glaciers, snow, ice caps, ice sheets, lake/river ice, sea ice, icebergs, ice shelf, ice sheets

69
Q

What is the cryosphere?

A

All regions on and beneath the surface of the Earth and Ocean where water is in solid form

70
Q

How much colder would the Earth be without the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

it would be -18C instead of 15C

71
Q

Explain the enhanced greenhouse effect:

A

1) Short wave radiation emitted by the Sun is absorbed by the Earth’s surface
2) This warms the Earth surface, and the Earth emits long wave radiation
3) Greenhouse gasses then absorb the some of the long wave radiation and re-emitt it back towards earth
4) This results in the warming of the Earths surface and atmosphere

72
Q

What are the main causes of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions?

A

Heat and electricity (25%), Agriculture and land (20%), Industry (18%)

73
Q

What are some explanations form human caused climate change? (name a few)

A

Not only is there a carbon footprint to its production, but we waste emissions moving it, packing it and disposing of it. In landfill sits, it rots and produces methane, a gas 25 times more potent to the greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide.

Fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) burn to produce a lot of carbon, which adds to the enhanced greenhouse effect. Whilst energy mixes are becoming increasingly renewable as technologies get cheaper and public attitudes change, fossil fuel usage still dominates.

This industry includes domestic vehicle usage, which is increasing as the global middle classes expand; haulage and freight of goods; and the aviation industry.

Concrete is the second most used substance on the planet (behind water) and it is incredibly energy inefficient to use.

Refrigeration, for example emits a lot of hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) which are particularly potent greenhouse gases.

This is because cattle produce a lot of methane (through farting) and much of the land which they graze on is there because forests were cut down to support the cattle. This reduces an important carbon sink.

74
Q

How much of the global energy production still comes from fossil fuels?

A

80%

75
Q

What is an example of a place where there will be increased droughts?

A

Malawi - low income country in southern Africa - 90% of population reliant on rain fed agriculture - experiencing 3rd major drought in 20 years

76
Q

What is an example of a place where there will be increased tropical storm severity?

A

Philippines - Typhoon Haiyan struck in 2013 resulting in 6000 deaths and $12,9B in damage - They are in danger of more frequent and severe storms

77
Q

What is an example of a place where rising sea levels will be damaging?

A

Vietnam - 1m rise would cause 20% of Ho Chi Minh City will be flooded resulting in a loss of 10% GDP, and impacting 12% of the population

78
Q

Where is an example of a place most impacted by increased flooding?

A

Bangladesh - melting ice caps in Himalayas resulting in overflowing rivers - estimated 30-70% of the country could be flooded each year - coastline also vulnerable to rising sea levels

79
Q

What is the current rate of sea level rise?

A

3-4mm a year (19cm since 1900)

80
Q

What percentage of the worlds population live withing 50km of the coasts?

A

50%

81
Q

How will a 7m sea rise by 2050 impact Tuvalu?

A

It would be completely submereged

82
Q

Where was an example of a tropical storm hitting much further north than previously?

A

North Scotia - Storm Desmond

83
Q

How many people are effected by droughts every year?

A

55m

84
Q

How many people could be displaced by droughts by 2030?

A

700m

85
Q

How easy is drought to manage?

A

Short term aid can be supplied, and investment can be made into irrigation systems and reducing demand, and increasing supply

86
Q

How is sea level rise impacting Tuvalu?

A
  • Salinity of the soil is increasing
  • Land is slowly being lost to the sea
  • First country with climate change migrants
87
Q

What are the 3 cells (from north to south)

A

Polar cell, Farell cell, Hadley cell

88
Q

What would you find at 30, 60 and 90 north or south of the equator?

A

30 - Hot and dry
60 - wet
90 - cold and dry

89
Q

How do Kobatic winds work?

A

High pressure descending at the south pole (because of the polar cell) forces air down over the gradient of Antarctica

90
Q

Where are Tropical storms known as Typhoons, Hurricanes and Cyclones?

A

Typhoons - Western North Pacific
Hurricanes - Western Atlantic and East Pacific
Cyclones - South Indian Ocean and Pacific

91
Q

What are the wind speeds of Tropical Storms?

A

63-118 km/h (119 and above is a Tropical Cyclone)

92
Q

What are the conditions required for the formation of a tropical storm?

A

26C sea temperature, 60m depth of warm water, 8-20 degrees north or south of the equator

93
Q

What is the process for the formation of a Tropical storm?

A

1) Rapidly rising air in low pressure draws up the warm water from the oceans surface
2) As the air rises and condenses, it produces latent hear which intensifies the storm
3) As more moisture is evaporated, a series of smaller storms join to form a larger storm which starts to turn as a result of the Coriolis force
4) As the storm grows, winds get stronger, and when it reaches mph the storm classes as a hurricane
5) The eye forms in the centre of the storm, where cooler denser air sinks to bring calm conditions
6) The eye wall has the most intense conditions

94
Q

Which direction does the Coriolis force travel in the northern hemisphere?

A

Anti-clockwise

95
Q

How will frequency, intensity and distribution of tropical storms change with climate change?

A

Frequency - unsure

Intensity and distribution - increase

96
Q

Where did typhoon Haiyan form and travel over?

A

Formed in west pacific and travelled over Micronesia, the Philippines, South China, Vietnam and Taiwan

97
Q

What is the definition of drought?

A

It differs depending on the normal conditions for a region

98
Q

What are human and physical causes of drought?

A 
H - population growth
H - Over farming
H/P - global warming
H/P - Deforestation
H/P - Building Dams
P - El Nino
P - Shifts in ITCZ
99
Q

How will global warming impact the frequency of drought?

A
  • It will increase the frequency
  • Water will evapourate more easily
  • El Nino more common
  • Atmospheric circulation changes
100
Q

How does deforestation cause drought?

A
  • Less transpiration
101
Q

How does shifts in the ITCZ cause drought?

A
  • ITCZ moves north and south because of tilt of the Earth, leaving some areas with less than usual rainfall
102
Q

Explain what happens in an El Nino year, compared to a normal year?

A
  • Weaker trade winds means warm water travels less far across the Pacific.
  • Means warm water builds up in the middle of the Pacific instead of near Australia
  • Results in an area of low pressure over middle of the pacific instead of off the coast of Australia.
  • Atmospheric circulation causes air to sink over Australia and South America, and australia experiences colder and dryer conditions, while South America experiences much warmer and dryer conditions.

Geography GCSE (3 decks)

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