Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geography > Greenland > Flashcards

Greenland Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Geography flashcards World Geography flashcards
1
Q

Greenland Location

A
  • Located between the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans + between 60- and 83-degrees latitude north of the equator. Neighbours Canada, Denmark, and Norway
  • Geologically part of North America, Denmark has sovereignty over the island
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Greenland Ice Sheet

A
  • Highest elevation= 3000m above sea level, size= 1.7 million km sq
  • Contains 11% of Earth’s freshwater supply
  • 25% of global sea rise is from Greenland
  • Between 1992 and 2018 3.8 trillion tons of ice were lost
    • 1990s= 33 billion tons p/year lost → current= 270 billion tons
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Impacts of MGIS in Greenland: Economic

A

+ve:
* Discovery of minerals (e.g. zinc + gold) > mining industries
* Opportunities for ^ agriculture as ice melts + temps warm
* ^ economic independence from Denmark
* 90% of G.land economy = fishing
* Tourism (267,000 in 2017)
* Introduction of heavy industry
* Hydropower being harnessed

-ve:
* Move from hunting to fishing + creation of new infrastructure + training new workers = expensive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Impacts of MGIS in Greenland: Social

A

+ve:
* ^ tourism + ecotourism
* ^ international connection

-ve:
* V traditional ways of life + hunting
* V opportunities for hunting on sea ice
* People need training in new jobs
* Melting permafrost + ^ sea levels > damage to communities
* Exposure to western society > physical + mental health issues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Impacts of MGIS in Greenland: Environ

A

+ve:
* Fish species migrating north
* ^ availability of farmland
* ^ growing season
* Mineral resources exposed
* Nutrients from melting ice washing into lakes
* Hydroelectricity = renewable

-ve:
* ^ droughts + bushfires
* Sea ice X thick enough > X travel
* Sea ice forming + melting later
* Unpredictable weather
* ^ storm surges
* ^ sea levels > inundation of coasts
* Native animals = risk of extinction
* Melting ice > V albedo
* Melting permafrost > damage to infrastructure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Local Response to MGIS in Greenland

A

Ilulissat Hydropower Plant - located on the west coast of Greenland in Disco Bay (45km out of Ilulissat)
implemented 2013 to replace diesel powerplants with hydropower (renewable, green form of energy)
Organised by Tucon (tunneling)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Ilulissat Strengths

A
  • No emissions
  • low cost once built
  • using current resources of glacial meltwater to reduce the country’s fuel imports and GHG emissions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Ilulissat weaknesses

A
  • Remote location & remote operation required
  • Construction= challenging due to climate + location
  • Located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site (strict rules for regulations + management)
  • Built on permafrost (could melt)
  • Difficult to access if a fault occurs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Ilulssat oppurtunities

A
  • Expand renewable energy to other locations in Greenland (currently 70% of Greenland’s energy is renewable)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

lulssat threats

A
  • Susceptible to climate variation, significant melting could compromise the site and significant freeze could limit water available for hydropower
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

National response to MIS in Greenland

A

Increasing agricultural production and the variety of food produced in Greenland
Implemented in the early 2010s to utilise the extra land for farming that had been uncovered by the melting of ice with the aim to become 50% self reliant in foodf

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Increasing agriculture strengths

A
  • A greater variety of food will be available for the local people
  • More local food means cheaper food for Greenland people and less reliance on food from Denmark
  • ↓ in GHGs emissions from the need to transport less food by sea and plane from Denmark
  • Decreasing reliance on Denmark for food is part of an overall strategy to become more self-reliant and have greater economic independence from Denmark
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Increasing agriculture weaknesses

A
  • Summer droughts are becoming more frequent, and this means irrigation systems may need to be developed for vegetables
  • ↑ droughts + Rain= end of the season → pasture growth X able to make hay to feed the sheep over winter
  • ↑ winter rainfall → water freezes + kills plants
  • Difficult to transport produce due to ↓ sea ice
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

increasing agriculture oppurtunities

A
  • Expanding variety of crops + breeds of livestock
  • ↑ tolerance of crops in the harsh environment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Increasing agriculture threats

A
  • Climate change > Further melting + warming + ↑ extreme weather (Droughts + fires already occurring)
  • Unpredictable climatic conditions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Global response to MGIS in Greenland

A

Paris Climate Agreement
Signed in 2016 by 194 states + EU members of the UNFCCC to reduce gloval GHG emissions to hold global temperature increase to well below 2 C above pre-industrial levels

17
Q

Strengths of Paris Agreement

A
  • Agreement has international consensus and provides a durable framework for guiding a global effort against CC
  • Encouraged countries to set net 0 targets
  • Gained support from private entities
  • ↓ GHG → environment = (:
18
Q

Weaknesses of Paris Agreement

A
  • Relies on voluntary compliance as targets are not legally binding + have no penalties for countries that don’t meet their NDCs
  • X protect countries in most vulnerable areas (e.g. Deserts / coastal islands)
  • Lack standardisation for tracking + monitoring GHG emissions
  • Goals X ambitious or rigorous enough
19
Q

Oppurtunities of Paris Agreement

A
  • Targets could become more ambitious + penalties could be imposed
  • ↑ renewable technology → ↓ emissions
  • Countries can innovate quickly + develop patents for new energy applications
  • New tech → ↑ profit made
20
Q

Threats to Paris Agreement

A
  • Agreements not ambitious enough
  • Requires international coordination + cooperation
  • Political leaders have significant influence on policies + decisions
  • Costs of new technology + reliance on fossil fuels = very high
  • LEDCs will continue to require ongoing funding + support
21
Q

geospatial technology

A

Cryosat 2:
* Aim: To measure changes in ice thickness to an accuracy of 10% of the expected interannual variation and help explain the connection between the melting of the polar ice and the rise in sea levels and how this is contributing to climate change. Measure ice thickness and t/fore volume.
* Can be affected by cloud coverage + unable to be used between May and September due to pools of melt water which the satellite cannot distinguish from open water

Geography (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions