Key Info Flashcards
how are marine sediments used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show
chemical composition and physical properties of sediment
shows the temperature, sea level and GHG concentration
how are ice cores used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show
glaciers and ice sheets - ice contains small bubbles which show the GHG concentration and the time the ice formed, clarity of ice shows whether it was winter or summer
how are fossils used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show
remains of plants and animals preserved in sedimentary rock
shows past climate conditions: temperature, precipitation and different types of vegetation
how is dendrochronology used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show
growth ring count = age
width between = temperature and precipitations
what do volcanoes release into the atmosphere
sulphur dioxide
whats an example of a volcano and its impacts
Mount Pinatubo erupting in 1991 led to a fall in temp by 1 degree and released 20 million tonnes of SO2
what are the functions of the Milankovitch cycles
- eccentricity (shape of orbit) - 100,000 years
- obliquity (tilt) - 46,000 years
- precession (girate) - 28,000 years
how is solar output measured and how often do they change
sun spots
change every 11 years
what are some natural GHG
water vapour, CO2, methane
regulate earths temperature
whats is a good and bad example of a big business contributing to climate change
ExxonMobil and Tesla
what is the worst case scenario for climate change in 100 years RCP 8.5
4.5 degree increase in global average temperatures
1 meter increase in sea levels
what is the best case scenario for climate change in 100 years RCP 2.6
1.5 degree increase in global average temperatures
0.2 meter increase in sea levels
what are some mitigation strategies for climate change
- energy efficiency
- fuel shifts and low-carbon sources
- carbon capture and storage
- forestry strategies
- geo-engineering
what is an example of energy efficiency and conservation
BEDZED - 82 homes, cost £24 mill
what is an example of fuel shifts and low-carbon sources
wind, solar, hydro and nuclear power
e.g. Hinkley Point which costs £35bn and takes over 10 years - only lasts for 60!!!
what is an example of geo-engineering
reflecting sunlight back into space using mirrors
artificially enhancing carbon sequestration
what is greenwashing
firms making products seem more environmentally friendly than they actually are
what is systems theory regarding climate change
the interconnectedness of different factors that contribute to climate change
what are some adaptation strategies for climate change
- retreat
- accommodate
- protect
what is an example of accommodation as an adaptation to climate change
Miami beach using raised buildings
Saline plants
Shrimp farming
what is an example of protection as an adaptation to climate change
- Minehead and the curved sea wall
- embankments in Bangladesh
- Thames Barrier (£1.6bn) - needs an outer barrier at £22 billion (annual council allowance)
what % of scientists believe in climate change
97%
what are the main methods used to reconstruct past climate
- sea floor sediment
- lake sediment
- ice cores
- tree rings
- fossils
- spacial extent of glaciers
- old records e.g. book
how is lake sediment used to reconstruct past climate
pollen deposited in sediments indicates vegetation type
shells of diatoms —> dark layers of fine sediment = winter months
lighter layers are coarse sediment (presence of meltwater) = spring/summer months
how is the Tundra vulnerable to the impacts of climate change
^ temp = permafrost melts —> disrupts ecosystem
- creating large thaw lakes and wetlands = increase in mass movement
- tree line moves to higher latitudes
how is the Rainforest vulnerable to the impacts of climate change
warmer and drier = disruption of carbon + water cycles = positive feedback of further forest loss = changing ecosystem = higher temperatures
what was the goal from the Paris agreement and when was it held
2015 agreed 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial
what was the result from the Kyoto agreement and when was it held
1997 reduced emissions by 7% on average
USA and China didn’t ratify
explain how rising sea-levels can show how the climate has warmed since the pre-industrial period
- thermal expansion
- melting land ice
variety of agendas influencing the debate
government:
- for EDCs e.g. India economic growth is more important to them
- easier for UK to cut emissions - deindustrialised
international organisations/bodies:
- raise awareness
- Kyoto 1997 targets - US and China didn’t ratify
- Paris Agreement 2015 targets
media and pressure groups:
- raise awareness
- false bias to the 3% of scientists
- Greta
MNCs:
- greenwashing
- Exxonmobil
whats the name of the current inter-glacial period that we are in
the Holocene
what are past climates that reveal periods of greenhouse and icehouse Earth
- long term -> 100 million year transition to colder global climate conditions - 8 degree difference
- glaciation of Antartica 35 million years ago
- present interglacial - Holocene
when did the climate change debate start
roughly 1940
what is the tipping point for climate change
2 degrees above pre-industrial
when was the IPCC set up
it is a UN body set up in 1988
how many countries were involved in the Koyoto Protocol and how many ended up ratifying - what was the success
192 countries involved
37 ratified ( not including China or US)
of ratifying - 7% reduction in emissions
what role has the EU played in reducing emissions
legally binding targets to a 20 per cent cut in GHG emissions and use of an ETS
what is evidence of increased surface, atmosphere and ocean temperatures
10 of the warmest years since 1800 have occured since 2000
S.s.t have been the hottest the last 3 decades than since records began
evidence of shrinking glaciers and ice sheets
- 2000-2019 glaciers lost 250 GT of ice per year
- more than 110 glaciers lost from Montana National Park
evidence of rising sea levels
increasing by average of 3 mm/year - was 1mm/year in 1990
10cm increase from 1993
evidence of increasing atmospheric water vapour
- water vapour accounts for 75% of GHG
- ^ 3% a year
- 1 degree rise from CO2 -> further 1 degree rise from water vapour
evidence of decreasing snow cover and sea ice
Arctic sea ice decreasing by 13% a decade
evidence of land use change
- 1/3 of GHG emissions from land use change
- 25% of forrest’s lost since 1700
evidence of population growth
1800 - 1 billion
2022 - 8 billion
evidence of increased demand for energy
planes emissions 27x train emissions
evidence of increased wealth
global wealth tripled 2000-2020
what is the difference between temperature in London and surrounding areas
6 degrees higher in London
what came from the COP Paris Agreement in 2015
- UN REDD Scheme
- Greenfund
Exon Mobil facts
730 million tonnes emitted (2019)
spent 0.2% of its capital expenditure on sources of low-carbon energy
Tesla facts
New electric car is as efficient for the first 13,000 miles as a new petrol car
30.7 million tonnes/year
16 tonnes per car - lithium battery
