Glacier and Ice Sheet Melting

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

A body of ice formed on land and in motion, contributed by the terrain most commonly valleys. Melting of glaciers is due to climate change

Question 2

Glacier change

Answer 2

21000 and 18000 years ago, approximately 30% of the earths surface was covered by ice. The temperature was 7 degrees cooler, and the sea levels were up to 100 meters lower because water was frozen

Question 3

How this process lead to changing of land

Answer 3

It has lead to changing of land cover by increasing sea levels, impacting upon islands

Question 4

Natural causes of climate change

Answer 4

Volcanic eruptions
Variations ins solar energy
Plate tectonics
Regularly changing water currents

Question 5

Human causes of climate change

Answer 5

Burning fossil fuels
Transportation
Heating and cooling
Clearance of forests

Question 6

What are the impacts if land cover change on the environment

Answer 6

Rising sea levels, creates erosion on shore lines

• salinity affects biodiversity
• chemicals are mixed with the ocean creating a disease prone environment
• plant and animal species heavily impacted

Question 7

Impact on economic

Answer 7

Agriculture outputs, impacts food supplies and food security. Water becomes unreliable and crop failures increase
- in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuab

Question 8

Responses

LOCAL

Answer 8

Addressing water security issues

• government action groups, towns people
• fining solution for decreasing water supplies caused by reduced water flows
• example, farmers in South America and Himalayan countries are being assisted by various NGOs to grow crops that require less water such as grapes p, cottons and nuts

Question 9

Responses

Regional

Answer 9

Emission trading schemes
European Union
An economic solution to out a price on carbon so that companies have to offset carbon to pay for their emissions
The Eu green house gas emission trading schemes is a binging agreement across all EU countries so that Kyoto target can be met

Question 10

Global response Kyoto Protocol

Answer 10

The Kyoto protocol

• United Nations, interest, groups countries
• open discussions leading to action policies about carbon emissions
• the Kyoto protocol was created after the United Nations
• setting carbon emission goals, signed by 184 countries

Question 11

WGMS (World Glacier monitoring service)

Answer 11

Collects glacier data through its scientific collaboration network

• is active in more then 30 countries
• standardise deviations on changes in mass volume, area, and length of glacier at the time
• Collects fluctuation p of glaciers (FOG) every 5 years
• publishes internationally collected, standardised data on changes in glaciers throughout the world
• it is shared globally