FInal Study Guide 15

Question 1

What is mitigation?

Answer 1

• the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something
• Actions taken to reduce harm human activities inflict upon our earth, such as electric cars, biking to work to reduce pollution

Question 2

What is adaptation?

Answer 2

• A trait with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection. Contributes to the fitness and survival of individuals-
• Proactive adaptation: Taking proactive steps to reduce the risks associated with climate change for individuals, communities , and ecosystems
• Reactive adaptation: Dealing with climate impacts after-the-fact (More risky)

Question 3

Alternative energy

Answer 3

Alternative energy is any energy source that is an alternative to fossil fuel. These alternatives are intended to address concerns about such fossil fuels.

Question 4

Efficiency

Answer 4

the extent to which time, effort or cost is well used for the intended task or purpose. To produce specific outcome with minimum amount or quantity of waste

Question 5

Weathering

Answer 5

breaking down of rocks, soils, and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth’s atmosphere, biota, and waters. Weathering occurs in situ, or “with no movement”, and thus should not be confused with erosion

Question 6

Albedo

Answer 6

the proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon. Like the snow that reflects the sunlight to prevent the surface of the earth from overheating.

Question 7

Fertilization

Answer 7

• CO2 fertilization, argument that earth’s biosphere (in large part, the terrestrial biosphere) may have the capacity to sequester much of the increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere associated with human fossil fuel burning
• higher ambient CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere literally “fertilize” plant growth. Because plants in turn, in the process of photosynthesis, convert CO2 into oxygen, it is thus sometimes argued that such “co2 fertilization” could potentially provide a strong negative feedback on changing CO2 concentrations

Question 8

Carbon Dioxide Removal

Answer 8

technologies which reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, biochar, direct air capture, ocean fertilization, and enhanced weathering

Question 9

Solar radiation management

Answer 9

theoretical type of geoengineering projects which seek to reflect sunlight and thus reduce global warming

Question 10

Metastability

Answer 10

describes the behavior of certain physical systems that can exist in long lived states that are less stable than the system’s most stable state

Question 11

tipping point

Answer 11

• point when global climate changes from one stable state to another stable state, in a similar manner to a wine glass tipping over. after the tipping point has been passed, a transition to a new state occurs
• When the temperature gets high enough to cause forests to give up their CO2 rather than sequest it, then every tonne of gas given up to the air increases the temperature and causes even more gas to be given up. This is a tipping point - an irreversible moment when the dreaded feedback loop begins

Question 12

Thermo-haline circulation (Ocean converyor belt)

Answer 12

part of the large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes. Sometimes called the ocean conveyor belt, include deep-water currents and surface currents

Question 13

Permafrost Methane

Answer 13

• Release of Methane from seas and soils in permafrost regions of the Artic
• Natural process being sped-up by global warming
• Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas (positive feedback loop)

Question 14

Stabilization Levels

Answer 14

stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide at 450 ppm or lower

Question 15

Geoengineering

Answer 15

deals with the discovery, development, and production and use of subsurface earth resources as well as the design and construction of earth works

Question 16

CCS

Answer 16

• carbon capture and storage - idea: pump CO2 into the ground instead of the atmosphere
• Assessing the realistic potential for using CCS: The important questions
  > (1) Is the whole system mature enough to proceed forward? YES, AT LEAST FOR SOME TECHNOLOGIES
  > (2) Are subsurface volumes adequate to sequester the volumes needed to impact atmospheric concentrations? PERHAPS, BECAUSE WE GET VOLUME SAVING BY COMPRESSION AT DEPTH
  > (3) Is storage security adequate to avoid inducing hazards and to benefit atmospheric concentrations? THIS REMAINS PROBLEMATIC AND WILL REQUIRE CAREFUL SITE SELECTION & MONITORING
• problems with CCS:
  > 1. Sources of CO2 emissions that are difficult to capture. We can capture this at power plants, at least in theory- But the rest of these are widely distributed sources!
  > 2. It’s doesn’t deal with emissions that have already happened