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BIOC58 > LECTURE 12 > Flashcards

LECTURE 12 Flashcards

1
Q

Mapping species threatened by climate change

A

Physical habitat space & suitable climate (population no longer viable)

Can include species already declining due to habitat loss

Can also include species that were healthy before climate change

Map = risk of extinction (interaction of land use & climate change)

  • Land use transformation trends
  • Current distribution Red Line spp.
  • Expected distribution of additional species threatened by land use changes in 2020
  • Expected distribution of additional species threatened by land use and climate change by 2020
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2
Q

Managing Threatened Species

Name two means of managing threatened species.

A

Removing other stressors

In situ management

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3
Q

Managing Threatened Species

Name two means of managing threatened species.

Removing other stressors

A

Removing other stressors
- Move / reduce existing stressors to allow populations to recover (e.g. fires, human overpopulation)

  • Special focus on resistant / resilient areas
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4
Q

Managing Threatened Species

Name two means of managing threatened species.

In situ management

A

In situ management
- Done when removing stressors is insufficient

Ex) phenological mismatches
- Use natural selection to improve fitness of population

  • Artificially manipulate population to maintain secure core, allow other populations to vary in response to selection
  • Once evolving population large enough, discontinue manipulation
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5
Q

When is assisted migration done?

A

Assisted Migration
- Done when all other in situ options are exhausted
Ex) extreme range shifts, poor dispersers

Translocation of populations into new areas of suitable habitat

Difficulty – determining when appropriate to do (e.g. dangers of creating invasives)

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6
Q

When is species rescue done?

A

Species rescue
- Done as a very last resort

Ex) Ex situ conservation (captive breeding, zoos)

Goal whenever possible return species to wild (can work with in situ management to that end)

Most expensive option! :(
Better option is mitigate climate change before this becomes necessary

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7
Q

International Climate Policy

What does the UNFCCC stand for?

A

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

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8
Q

What is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?

A

Outlines international climate policy on climate change

Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 global recognition that action needed to

By December 2005, 197 countries have ratified agreement

UNFCCC –> response to increased understanding of human forcings on climate systems (data from Mauna Loa & GCM models)

Action needed –> set no conditions on what actions were

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9
Q

When the UNFCCC was first outlined, it stated that action was needed but set no conditions on what these actions were.

What were the two key treaties that helped change this?

A

Two key treaties helped change this

Kyoto Protocol – 1997

Paris Agreement – 2015

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10
Q

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

A

The Kyoto Protocol:
- supplemented the UNFCCC and set targets for GG emissions

  • commitment to reduce GG gas emissions in 2 time blocks
    (2008-2012 and 2013-2020)
  • Emissions reductions set by country – no developing countries were included (it would ‘harm’ their economic growth)

Ratified by 195 countries

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11
Q

In the Kyoto Protocol, why were no developing countries included in the emissions reductions?

A

(it would ‘harm’ their economic growth)

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12
Q

The Kyoto Protocol was ratified by how many countries?

A

Ratified by 195 countries

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13
Q

Why did the USA refuse to ratify the Kyoto Protocol treaty?

A

President Bush deemed that it would cause economic set-backs.

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14
Q

Canada pulled out in 2012 under the Harper Administration (Former PM Stephen Harper felt it was ‘not a priority’)

A

The Kyoto Protocol

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15
Q

When did Japan, New Zealand & Russia join the Kyoto Protocol?

A

Japan, New Zealand & Russia joined for the 2013-2020 time block

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16
Q

What is the Paris Agreement?

A

Paris Agreement amended this to attempt to hold climate change increase to 1.5 degrees C

Commitment to reduce greenhouse gases to meet this target starting in 2020

Agreed on by 197 countries, ratified by 113 countries as of November 2016

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17
Q

Earlier agreements (Copenhagen Accord) set target of keeping climate change BELOW 2 degrees C increase

How about the Paris Agreement?

A

Paris Agreement amended this to attempt to hold it to 1.5 degrees C

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18
Q

The Paris Agreement

Agreed on by 197 countries, ratified by 113 countries as of November 2016

A

Canada signed under PM Trudeau in April, 2016

China and USA signed after China’s climate policy adviser, Li Shuo, met with USA’s President Obama in Sep, 2016

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19
Q

The Paris Agreement

China & USA account for how much total global GG emissions?

A

about 40%

20
Q

At the time of the Kyoto Protocol, why was China exempt from the emissions reductions?

A

China was NOT a big contributor at time of Kyoto Protocol, and was a developing country so was exempt from emissions reductions

21
Q

What are the goals of UNFCCC?

A

Ultimate: “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere… at a level that would avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.”

Need to meet this goal in a time frame that allows ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change

To meet this goal, GHG pollution needs to END

Other goals: nature conservation, food security, poverty reduction

22
Q

Who are the members of the UNFCCC?

Conference of Parties (COPs)

A

Conference of Parties (COPs)
- Annual meetings of country representatives

  • Kyoto was COP-1, Paris was COP-21

-Has many advisory bodies
E.g.) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) with many subgroups

Makes all binding decisions but these take YEARS

Developed and developing countries have different roles (most GHG pollution from developed countries, and now China)

23
Q

Who are the members of the UNFCCC?

RINGO

A

RINGO
Research and Independent Non-Government Organization

Scientists cannot participate directly in COP, but can discuss science with country delegates

Led to formation of RINGO
Researchers collaborating to coordinate research activities and promote science to delegates

Led to development of programs like REDD and Adaptation Fund ($ for developing countries to adapt to / mitigate climate change)

24
Q

What is the purpose of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?

A

Falls under UN Environmental Program (UNEP)

Independent of UNFCCC, also focuses on climate change science

Purpose: provide updated scientific summaries for public & global policy makers

Started in 1990, produces reports every 6 years

25
Q

What are the four volumes of each IPCC report?

A

Each report = 4 volumes (3 from working groups)

Working Group 1 – The Scientific Basis (review of climate science)

Working Group 2 – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (impacts of climate changes, assess possible adaptation options and vulnerable groups)

Working Group 3 – Mitigation (reviews mitigation options)

4th volume – Executive summary

26
Q

Name the IPCC findings.

Assessment Report finding

A

Assessment Reports

AR1 - human pollution is the cause of increases in atmospheric CO2, and this will likely result in climate change

AR2 - a discernable change in global climate has already occurred, caused by GHG emissions

AR3 - climate change is occurring more rapidly than any time in the past 10,000 years

AR4 - the planet is unequivocally warming, and it will continue to warm for centuries even if we take rapid action to reduce GHG pollution

AR5 - it is urgent that we act now to avoid high costs later (mitigation and adaptation costs)

27
Q

What are carbon markets?

A

Provisions for trading carbon reduction (Kyoto Protocol)

Cap-and-trade pollution strategy to limit the amount of pollution allowed and reducing costs overall

  • Countries can purchase the right to pollute from ones that will likely be lower than target emissions
  • Factories can pair up with ones in other countries (based on whether cheaper to update technology or buy Carbon credits from an already updated factory)
28
Q

Carbon markets in the EU are used to

A

EU –> carbon market to achieve reductions in most cost-effective way possible

29
Q

Which market is the largest carbon market?

A

The EU market is the largest.

30
Q

What is REDD?

A

Reduced emissions from deforestation & degradation

Deforestation = ~ 1/6 of global CO2 emissions

Cease / offset deforestation to meet UNFCCC objectives

Most of current deforestation is in the Tropics (temperate forests are increasing)

Tropical countries excluded from Carbon markets (developing countries exempt from emissions reductions)

COP-11 (Montreal, 2005) –> Tropical forest countries pushed for deforestation to be included in emissions framework

REDD guidelines –> allows reductions in deforestation to be quantified, rewarded and traded on Carbon market

31
Q

What are the two critical challenges of REDD?

A

Leakage

Equitable distribution of revenues

32
Q

What are the two critical challenges of REDD?

  1. Leakage
A

Leakage

  • Risk that deforestation from one country will move into neighbouring ones (no ↓ net in emissions)
  • National and regional deforestation reduction plans need to account for leakage
33
Q

What are the two critical challenges of REDD?

  1. Equitable distribution of revenues
A

Equitable distribution of revenues
- Nations participate in UNFCCC and REDD

  • Local people are the ones impacted by emissions reduction strategies
  • Local people should receive most of rewards of carbon payments, but national governments are ones getting $
34
Q

International Climate Policy

Why doesn’t it work?

A

Science behind climate change more complex than behind ozone hole so it is easier for climate deniers to denounce

UNFCCC and IPCC –> sound science, but we may not be able to overcome obstacles in time to effect real change

35
Q

T or F: Reducing GHG emissions is enough to stop climate change.

A

False - Reducing GHG emissions is NOT enough to stop climate change.

You need to stabilize atmospheric GHG concentrations (GHG emissions = 0)

36
Q

In the Pari Agreement, carbon dioxide < 450 ppm to keep temp increase under 2 degrees

A

CO2 >400 ppm for first time in 2015

37
Q

Targets focus on CO2, but also include GHGs as CO2 equivalents (remember these are more potent GHGs)

A

Targets difficult to achieve = led to overshoot strategies (allow GHG to surpass target level, then bring them down later on)

Problem with overshoots = natural systems may undergo two climate transitions instead of one (more damage?)

38
Q

Stabilizing GHG

In the next 50 years, some practical steps

First step

A

Early shift to more energy-efficient and renewable technologies

Energy efficiency

  • 2 billion cars to hybrids
  • high efficiency light bulbs, better insulated buildings, increased fuel efficiency in cars

Renewable E sources

  • existing wind energy
  • photovoltaic solar energy
  • photovoltaic solar E with H fuel cells
  • biofuel from crops

With above technology, we have two efficiency and four renewable E wedges –> one less than needed to meet demands of ‘triangle’

There are 15 technologies in existence –> can fill 12 wedges

39
Q

Renewable E sources

What are the two major categories of solar energy?

A

Solar thermal - solar E carrier fluid used to drive another process

Solar voltaic (or photovoltaic cells) - electrons excited by photons and solar E captured

40
Q

Photovoltaic (PV) cells

A

Solar E reaches PV array and releases electrons

Electrons are captured and channeled by silicon of PV cells

Rooftop PV could meet ~ 50% of world’s E demands with no land use demands

41
Q

Renewable E sources

Wind Energy

A

Global-installed wind energy currently >60 gigawatts

Increased 12X between 1995 and 2005

Almost all = electricity-generating turbines

Global-installed capacity  1 terawatts by 2020 (total E demands ~ 2-3 terawatts at that time)

Could provide ~ 50% of world’s E by 2050

Limited by # of high-wind potential areas

42
Q

Renewable E sources

Solar and Wind co-location

A

Can use same land for photovoltaic panels and other land uses (e.g. on residential roofs or in open spaces), reducing the impact on natural habitats

43
Q

Renewable E sources

Biofuels

A

Conversion of solar energy into plant materials for liquid fuels (e.g. ethanol – gas substitute in newer cars)

Ex) Brazil
Most advanced biofuel program in world

~ 40% of gasoline use replaced with ethanol

Ethanol (mostly sugar cane waste)

Other countries limited because biofuel competes with agriculture for food (both require same spaces)

44
Q

Renewable E sources

Hydropower

A

Generate electricity by running a turbine with water held back by a dam

Currently ~ 20% of world’s power and >50% of Canada’s power

China –> greatest potential for hydro growth

Limitation = most of potential sites for high dam hydropower already in use

Greater potential for expansion of small to medium sized hydropower projects

45
Q

Inexhaustible energy source

Nuclear Power

A

Nuclear Power

Non-renewable, but does not produce GHG pollution

TWO TYPES
Nuclear Fission – well tested, widely used, produces weapons grade bi-products and radioactive waste

Nuclear Fusion – untested commercially, but major projects under construction will likely change this, no weapons grade biproducts and waste is far less radioactive

~450 in world, with another 60 under construction

~78% of power in France nuclear

Current global capacity ~ 350 GW (more than all renewables combined)

BIOC58 (6 decks)

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