geography unit 1: challenges

Question 0

Human causes of climate change?

Answer 0

Industrial–> GHG given off mean the sunlight is reflected within earth

CO2 emissions–> fossil fuels/deforestation, deindustrialisation of BRICS, 75% China’s energy comes from coal, in 1970 there were 1/2 million cars used in India, 2008: 5 million

Methane–> high life expectancy and increased population = demand
Waterlogged and moist conditions in rice paddies + cattle farming

Question 1

Physical causes of climate change?

Answer 1

orbit–> every 100,000 years it goes from circular to eliptical

tilt–> varies between horizontal and vertical. More sunlight is received when horizontal.

sunspots–> irregular cycles that last 11 years. The black spots mean the energy is being fired at the earth.

volcanic–> ash+ sulphuric acid if high enough it spreads around stratosphere. The sunlight is reflected BACK INTO SPACE

Question 2

Negative effects of sea levels rising?

5

Answer 2

• areas of low lying coastal land
• e.g New York, London, Tokyo
• people are leaving areas
• the Kiribati Islands in Pacific Ocean are covered in water
• Between 1993 and 2006, 3.3mm sea level rise a year, and predicted to rise 88cm by the end of the century

Question 3

Negative effects of climate change?
Food production (2)

Answer 3

• 1/3 of all crops lost in Mozambique and Tanzania leading to famine and hunger
• in India, 50% decrease of land suitable to grow wheat on

Question 4

Negative effects of climate change? 
Glacial retreat (2)

Answer 4

-90% of glaciers in Antarctica e.g Sheldon Glacier are retreating

-melted ice in the Arctic could cause the Gulf Stream to be diverted south leading to colder temperatures in Europe
below 0 deg in winter, 8-10 deg summer av 10 deg less than av uk temperature

Question 5

Responses to climate change?

global- agreements between nations?

Answer 5

agreements between nations UN held earth summit in 1992

By 1997 the Kyoto protocol had cut global emissions by 5.2% compared to global levels in 1990

Question 6

global responses to climate change?

Green peace

Answer 6

Transport accounts for 22% of UK’s carbon emissions

2/3 lost in cooking towers, if captured less fuel would have to be used

Question 7

Local responses to climate change?

Local council

Answer 7

Local council given £4 mil to think of ideas to cut as 15% UK carbon emissions from HOUSES (domestic)

Question 8

Local responses to climate change?

Live simply

Answer 8

25 wind turbine projects in England Wales and Northern island due to clear skies scheme

Question 9

Local responses to climate change?

‘Manchester is my planet’

Answer 9

Use incentives when you pledge e.g those who use low carbon emission cars are entitled to the green badge parking permit which gives discounted parking in the city

Question 10

1980 Brundtland report stated which areas in UK were sustainable?

Answer 10

1. Climate change and energy CC
   (Red GHG emissions)
2. Natural resources NR
   (Limits of water, air, soil)
3. Sustainable communities SC
   (Places people live+work to be looked after)
4. Sustainable production and consumption SP

Question 11

Sustainable business

Case study: Asda

Answer 11

Asda has distribution centre where they wrap products in polythene and shrink wrap in Didcot, Oxfordshire which fills 4 skips a week and distributes via lorry
MIL TEK turns plastic to 10% it’s original size and gets money from recycling+ no waste!

P

Question 12

Sustainable business?

Case study: Nokia

Answer 12

50% mobile users change every year
44% mobiles left in drawers
If every mobile phone user recycled one phone 240,000 tonnes of raw material would be saved

Question 13

Sustainable transport?

Park and ride

Answer 13

Cambridge has 5 park and ride sites close to major routes into Cambridge e.g. Madingley road just off M11 with 4500 parking spaces in total with the double decker bus with 70 passenger seats which comes and goes every 10 minutes mon-sat

• costs just £2.20 to use
• park on outskirts of city and take bus into city with designated routes to prevent traffic and congestion

Question 14

Sustainable transport?

Congestion charges

Answer 14

London begin 2003-£5 now 2011 £10 7-6 mon-fri
By 2008 :
- traffic levels reduced by 21%
-21% red in nitrous oxide and particulate emissions and inc in cycles
65000 fewer car journeys
In London where congestion

TRAFFIC POLLUTION KILLS 5000 A YEAR SAYS BBC STUDY

Question 15

Sustainable transport?

Boris bikes

Answer 15

Sponsored by Barclays borrow bikes at minimal cost+ bike lanes created to make it cheaper and workspaces encouraged to install showers to encourage bikers

Question 16

Tropical rainforest management?

4

Answer 16

1. Ecotourism ( Costa Rica)
2. Afforestation
3. Refusing developments
4. Bioprospecting (useful medicine)

Question 17

Tropical rainforest management? Cr

Answer 17

Costa Rica ecotourism famous cloud forest area developed tourist facilities eg zip wiring and trails

Question 18

Rainforest management? Ec

Answer 18

Ecuador
Oil has been extracted since 1960s with little to manage the effects. Local people taken oil companies to court because of environmental destruction.

Texaco agreed to pay $40 mil to cleanup with 160 out of 600 waste pits created

Chief of local secoya tribe believes $ 6 billion needed

Question 19

Rainforest management? Ven

Answer 19

Venezuela
Since 2008 not issued permits because does not need to exploit minerals for economic reasons (due to oil reserves) therefore can afford to conserve forest area

Question 20

Effects? Ec (4)

Answer 20

Ecuador

• hydrocarbons 200-300 x more concentrated in water that permissible for drinking
• 5x likely stomach cancer for huarani people
• periwinkle now endangered childhood leukaemia

Question 21

Effects? Logging (4)

Answer 21

Logging in cameroon

• wider roads built
• hunters more access to rainforest hunt elephants and chimpanzees and sell to restaurants at high price
• local Baka people work in sawmill with inappropriate clothing
• breath in toxic products against parasites and fungus