Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Question 1

Describe what are thought to be the principal causes of these temperature increases.

Answer 1

• Industry: Human activity have caused CO2 concentrations to increase by 40% since pre-industrial times, carbon dioxide has increased by burning of solid waste, fossil fuels and wood
• Fossil fuels: nitrous oxide has increased by agriculture and industry activities
• Fires: forest and peat fires
• volcanoes: volcanic eruptions release CO2, water vapour and sulphur dioxide
• ocean: surface warming can release dissolved CO2

Question 2

Briefly discuss the predicted impacts of climate change over the next 50 years.

Answer 2

• Temperature will rise between 1.5 and 4 degrees
• sea levels will rise by 0.5 to 1m
• Artic summer sea ice is likely to disappear
• Increases number of heat waves and increased intensity of tropical storms
• Higher number of deaths linked to air pollution

Question 3

Briefly outline (or discuss) the type of measures that have been proposed to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Answer 3

• Planetary engineering: Artificial trees that suck CO2 from air and store underground; reflective crops, space mirrors, ocean fertilisation; cloud seeding – atomising seawater creates clouds to reflect sun’s rays
• Renewable/sustainable energy
• Use less energy/resources
• Energy efficiency
• Carbon capture & storage

Question 4

Describe what are thought to be the main principal causes of anthropogonic climate change

Answer 4

• Industry: Human activity have caused CO2 concentrations to increase by 40% since pre-industrial times, carbon dioxide has increased by burning of solid waste, fossil fuels and wood
• Fossil fuels: nitrous oxide has increased by agriculture and industry activities
• Fires: forest and peat fires

Question 5

Why do we need sustainable energy?

Answer 5

• climate change
• depletion of energy resources
• Geopolitical segregation of energy resources
• poor air quality