Global Issues

Question 1

Define sustainable development.

Answer 1

Sustainable development is meeting people’s needs today, such as employment, money, food and housing without damaging the environment for future generations. Take for example Bedzed in Wallington, Surrey.

Question 2

What is meant by the term grey water?

Answer 2

Grey water is non-industrial waste water generated by domestic use from things like washing machines.

Question 3

State facts and figures for Bedzed in Wallington, Surrey and explain how it is a sustainable development. (6)

Answer 3

(must include a summary sentence)
58% reduction in the amount of water by using rainwater recovery. This is a sustainable development because water is recycled into the system therefore water is saved and this reduces the expense.
Willow trees grow 3m in 2 years and these are burnt to keep the house warm. This is sustainable as this method is carbon neutral and reduces the use of electricity by 45% which is generated by burning fossil fuels.
Bedzed use photo voltaic to charge cars. They have a car share booking system which removes 5 cars which contributes to the 11% reduction in C02. This is sustainable because the cars don’t use non-renewable fossil fuels for power, therefore don’t produce any C02 emissions. Also the cars are shared so this means that there is no tax to pay so people living in Bedzed also benefit from these cars.

Question 4

Describe how a local housing area is sustainable? (4)

Answer 4

Craven Arms has a housing area constructed by timber from sustainable sources. This means that every tree cut down another tree is replanted. The local company Kingspan has insulated the houses with 150mm thick insulation with a seal to prevent gas exchange. This has reduced heating costs as the hot air cannot escape. For an average 2 bedroomed house energy costs have been reduced by £30 per month due to the insulation. This is sustainable as less fossil fuels are burned contributing to global warming.

Question 5

What is congestion charging?

Answer 5

Congestion charging is used in areas of London where there are congestion charging zones. This involves motorists paying a fee to travel along the highway. The aim is to reduce the amount of traffic and raise investment funds for the London transport system.

Question 6

Is congestion charging necessary? (6)

Answer 6

Congestion charges are necessary across London because over 1/3 of transport used is a car. This means that because the carry less passengers there will be more congestion on the roads. During the peak 1700 thousand journeys are made at 8am. Majority of jobs don’t begin until 9am, suggesting that people leave earlier to wait in the traffic jams to prevent arriving to work late. Finally the graphs show that over time the speed of vehicles have decreased. For example between 1972-1982, the traffic speed was 17mph. Whereas in central London in 2002 the speed was only 8.5mph. In summary it is necessary to have congestion charging as traffic is very slow during rush hour periods. But if charges are reinforced then roads will have less traffic, increasing the average traffic speed.

Question 7

When was congestion charging introduced into London?

Answer 7

2003

Question 8

How much is the congestion charging fee to drive through London?

Answer 8

£10

Question 9

What are the advantages of congestion charging?

5 points

Answer 9

2010 - reduced traffic volume by 21%
2010 - 12% increase in cycling
2010 - more than 29,000 bus passengers
2010 - 20% reduction in greenhouse emissions
2010 - mayor has improved the underground

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of congestion charging?

4 points

Answer 10

Trade suppliers are not prepared to pay the fee so numbers have declined.
People bypass the charged areas creating more C02.
The average speed has not increased.
There is more congestion on the trains.

Question 11

Using a local example explain how an industry is a sustainable development. (6)

Answer 11

Hobsons Brewery, Cleobury Mortimer
(points that should be included with a summary)

Heating & Cooling -
A ground water source pump, supplies water to 4 bore holes. This means the water stays a constant temperature of 11°c.
Raw Materials -
Hobsons buy ingredients such as hops and barley within a 10 mile boundary to save fuel.
Recycling -
Hobsons use thinner, lighter bottles for beer to reduce the packaging by 20%
Distribution -
Cask beer pubs within 50 miles of the Brewery sell Hobsons beer. This reduces C02 emissions from the transportation.
Energy -
The company has a 11 kilowatt wind turbine on site. This provides 1/3 of the electricity needed to run the Brewery. This also reduces C02 emissions.
Water Use -
Rainwater is collected from the roof and is used to wash the vehiles and flush the toliets.
Heat is extracted by a heat exchanger before bottling and water is reused in the brewing process for heating.

Question 12

How has climate changed since the last ice age?

Answer 12

During the Roman era, in northern England grapes were grown to produce wine. This suggests that during this period it was warm and sunny to allow the grapes to ripen. Nowadays the temperature is warmer in southern England rather than nothern England.
In the medeval period the River Thames froze over, implying that it was very cold.

Question 13

What is global warming?

Answer 13

Global warming is the rise in the Earth’s temperature caused by the greenhouse effect.

Question 14

What is climate change?

Answer 14

Climate change is the alterations in rainfall and temperature patterns as a result of global warming.

Question 15

Explain how greenhouse gases are contributing to a rise in the Earth’s temperature?

Answer 15

The Sun radiates short wave radiation.
Land absorbs and reradiates long wave radiation.
Greenhouse gases absorb the radiation preventing it from be emmited back into space.
Greenhouse gas particles reemmit the radiation and other particles of reabsorb it.
The cycle continues.

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of a park & ride system?

Answer 16

Park and ride system in Cambridge

Question 17

Why has temperature changed?

Answer 17

(recognise human & physical factors)

Changes to the tilt of the Earth’s axis -
Every 23,000 years the Earth “wobbles.”
A rotation happens every 24 hours.
The Earth is tilting 22.5° away from the Sun.

Changes to the gases in the atmosphere -
C02 traps heat in the atmosphere.
Without greenhouse gases than Earth would be -18°c rather than 15°c.
0.1% short wave radiation passes through the atmosphere

Amount of volcanic activity -
Releases ash which blocks out Sun –> Earth cools
Mount Tambora in 1815 erupted. Europe had snow and frost in summer 1816.

Changes to Earth’s orbit -
When Earth is closer to the Sun it’s hotter.
Every 41,000 years, Earth’s axis moves by 24.5° closer to the Sun.

Changes to the Sun’s output -
The Sun’s energy varies.
1% change in sloar output could cause a temperature rise of 0.5°c - 1°c.

Amount of surface reflection -
Ice reflects the sunlight away.
The temperature will drop due to snow and ice reflecting sunlight back into space. If the planet warms up, snow and ice will melt causing skrinking, making the Earth’s temperature to increase.

Question 18

What does “Very Often Students Revise Their Geography “ stand for?

Answer 18

Very = volcanicity
Often = orbit
Students = sun
Revise = reflection
Their = tilt
Geography = gases

Question 19

Is there any evidence of global warming. Use a fact and figure.

Answer 19

Valley glaciers in Alps have retreated several 100m in 30 years
Glaciers are retreating because summer melting exceeds snow accumulation.

Question 20

What are the effects of global warming on people?

Answer 20

Global warming has a negative impact on our lives for example in the Maldives the highest point of land is 2.4m above sea levels. This therefore means that because the ice caps are melting meaning less sunlight is reflected is increasing the rate of the melting, This consequently is causing sea levels too rise. The Maldives main source of income is through tourism, during 2006, 467,154 people visited the Island. But due the coral reefs dying from the increase in sea temperature. Therefore the reefs don’t protect the coastline and destructive waves damage the area and less tourists will visit bringing in money.
A second example is the West Nile Virus in the USA caused by the increasing temperature. This is effecting people because there are more fatalities. To resolve this problem more vaccines are being given to the population and as a consequent health care taxes are rising. People therefore have to pay more in taxes.
World wide famine is caused by the increasing temperature and failing of crops due to the lack of rainfall in particular areas. During the 1980’s Band Aid raised money for Ethiopia, to prevent people starving. This money bought enough food for the country saving many lives. Therefore this problem was resolved but in many other countries they are still suffering.
In summary, global warming causes wide spread problems across the world in both HIC’s and LIC’s.

Question 21

What are the positive impacts of global warming?

Answer 21

Northern England has longer growing periods therfore can grow a wider variety of crops, producing more food.
During the winter of 2013-2014, less than 10 nights were below 0°c meaning that heating costs were reduced.
This also means that the summer lasts longer and the country makes a larger profit from tourism in the UK.

Question 22

On a global scale how are we minimising the impacts of global warming?

Answer 22

1997 - World responds - The Kyoto Protocol including 170 countries & USA signed up accounting for 60% of carbon emmisions
2001 - George Bush removed the USA from the protocol
2005 - HIC’s reduce their collective income emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels
The Kyoto Protocol was made an international law
If countries reduce their carbon emission further than the boundary of 5.2% then using a carbon credit trading system can trade with other countries who yet haven’t.

Question 23

What are doing about climate change globally?

Answer 23

2008 - 180 countries met in Indonesia to discuss: Whether they had met previous pledges to cut carbon emissions from the Kyoto Protocol project.
New ways to reduce C02 emissions
Ways to reduce deforestation
How to help LIC’s to adapt the idea