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Climate Change Geography > Key Info > Flashcards

Key Info Flashcards

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1
Q

how are marine sediments used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show

A

chemical composition and physical properties of sediment
shows the temperature, sea level and GHG concentration

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2
Q

how are ice cores used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show

A

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

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3
Q

how are fossils used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show

A

remains of plants and animals preserved in sedimentary rock
shows past climate conditions: temperature, precipitation and different types of vegetation

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4
Q

how is dendrochronology used to reconstruct earths past climate and what conditions do they show

A

growth ring count = age

width between = temperature and precipitations

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5
Q

what do volcanoes release into the atmosphere

A

sulphur dioxide

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6
Q

whats an example of a volcano and its impacts

A

Mount Pinatubo erupting in 1991 led to a fall in temp by 1 degree and released 20 million tonnes of SO2

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7
Q

what are the functions of the Milankovitch cycles

A
  • eccentricity (shape of orbit) - 100,000 years
  • obliquity (tilt) - 46,000 years
  • precession (girate) - 28,000 years
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8
Q

how is solar output measured and how often do they change

A

sun spots
change every 11 years

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9
Q

what are some natural GHG

A

water vapour, CO2, methane
regulate earths temperature

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10
Q

whats is a good and bad example of a big business contributing to climate change

A

ExxonMobil and Tesla

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11
Q

what is the worst case scenario for climate change in 100 years RCP 8.5

A

4.5 degree increase in global average temperatures
1 meter increase in sea levels

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12
Q

what is the best case scenario for climate change in 100 years RCP 2.6

A

1.5 degree increase in global average temperatures
0.2 meter increase in sea levels

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13
Q

what are some mitigation strategies for climate change

A
  • energy efficiency
  • fuel shifts and low-carbon sources
  • carbon capture and storage
  • forestry strategies
  • geo-engineering
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14
Q

what is an example of energy efficiency and conservation

A

BEDZED - 82 homes, cost £24 mill

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15
Q

what is an example of fuel shifts and low-carbon sources

A

wind, solar, hydro and nuclear power
e.g. Hinkley Point which costs £35bn and takes over 10 years - only lasts for 60!!!

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16
Q

what is an example of geo-engineering

A

reflecting sunlight back into space using mirrors
artificially enhancing carbon sequestration

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17
Q

what is greenwashing

A

firms making products seem more environmentally friendly than they actually are

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18
Q

what is systems theory regarding climate change

A

the interconnectedness of different factors that contribute to climate change

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19
Q

what are some adaptation strategies for climate change

A
  • retreat
  • accommodate
  • protect
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20
Q

what is an example of accommodation as an adaptation to climate change

A

Miami beach using raised buildings
Saline plants
Shrimp farming

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21
Q

what is an example of protection as an adaptation to climate change

A
  • Minehead and the curved sea wall
  • embankments in Bangladesh
  • Thames Barrier (£1.6bn) - needs an outer barrier at £22 billion (annual council allowance)
22
Q

what % of scientists believe in climate change

A

97%

23
Q

what are the main methods used to reconstruct past climate

A
  • sea floor sediment
  • lake sediment
  • ice cores
  • tree rings
  • fossils
  • spacial extent of glaciers
  • old records e.g. book
24
Q

how is lake sediment used to reconstruct past climate

A

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

25
Q

how is the Tundra vulnerable to the impacts of climate change

A

^ temp = permafrost melts —> disrupts ecosystem

  • creating large thaw lakes and wetlands = increase in mass movement
  • tree line moves to higher latitudes
26
Q

how is the Rainforest vulnerable to the impacts of climate change

A

warmer and drier = disruption of carbon + water cycles = positive feedback of further forest loss = changing ecosystem = higher temperatures

27
Q

what was the goal from the Paris agreement and when was it held

A

2015 agreed 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial

28
Q

what was the result from the Kyoto agreement and when was it held

A

1997 reduced emissions by 7% on average
USA and China didn’t ratify

29
Q

explain how rising sea-levels can show how the climate has warmed since the pre-industrial period

A
  • thermal expansion
  • melting land ice
30
Q

variety of agendas influencing the debate

A

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

31
Q

whats the name of the current inter-glacial period that we are in

A

the Holocene

32
Q

what are past climates that reveal periods of greenhouse and icehouse Earth

A
  • long term -> 100 million year transition to colder global climate conditions - 8 degree difference
  • glaciation of Antartica 35 million years ago
  • present interglacial - Holocene
33
Q

when did the climate change debate start

A

roughly 1940

34
Q

what is the tipping point for climate change

A

2 degrees above pre-industrial

35
Q

when was the IPCC set up

A

it is a UN body set up in 1988

36
Q

how many countries were involved in the Koyoto Protocol and how many ended up ratifying - what was the success

A

192 countries involved
37 ratified ( not including China or US)
of ratifying - 7% reduction in emissions

37
Q

what role has the EU played in reducing emissions

A

legally binding targets to a 20 per cent cut in GHG emissions and use of an ETS

38
Q

what is evidence of increased surface, atmosphere and ocean temperatures

A

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

39
Q

evidence of shrinking glaciers and ice sheets

A
  • 2000-2019 glaciers lost 250 GT of ice per year
  • more than 110 glaciers lost from Montana National Park
40
Q

evidence of rising sea levels

A

increasing by average of 3 mm/year - was 1mm/year in 1990
10cm increase from 1993

41
Q

evidence of increasing atmospheric water vapour

A
  • water vapour accounts for 75% of GHG
  • ^ 3% a year
  • 1 degree rise from CO2 -> further 1 degree rise from water vapour
42
Q

evidence of decreasing snow cover and sea ice

A

Arctic sea ice decreasing by 13% a decade

43
Q

evidence of land use change

A
  • 1/3 of GHG emissions from land use change
  • 25% of forrest’s lost since 1700
44
Q

evidence of population growth

A

1800 - 1 billion
2022 - 8 billion

45
Q

evidence of increased demand for energy

A

planes emissions 27x train emissions

46
Q

evidence of increased wealth

A

global wealth tripled 2000-2020

47
Q

what is the difference between temperature in London and surrounding areas

A

6 degrees higher in London

48
Q

what came from the COP Paris Agreement in 2015

A
  • UN REDD Scheme
  • Greenfund
49
Q

Exon Mobil facts

A

730 million tonnes emitted (2019)

spent 0.2% of its capital expenditure on sources of low-carbon energy

50
Q

Tesla facts

A

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

Climate Change Geography (10 decks)

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