Midterm 1 403

Question 1

Provide two motivations for Australia to agree to the Singapore solar project.

Answer 1

1. Provide job
2. Green energy

Question 2

Why does China say that it needs to continue using coal, despite its rampant build out of alternative energy sources like solar and wind?

Answer 2

Solar and wind energy are not reliable.

Question 3

In a favoured phrasing, the IPCC report states that the last report in 2014 heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and other extreme events have all increased in intensity and frequency “f_____ b_______ n________ v_________”.

Answer 3

Far beyond natural variability.

Question 4

Which of the following does the lecture list as consequences for human if the world warms 2 degree Celsius instead of 1.5 degree?

People facing water supply risk is 50% higher
65 million more people exposed to severe heat events every five years
Substantial increases in global poverty level
Significant increases in annual deaths from climate related illnesses

Answer 4

People facing water supply risk is 50% higher
65 million more people exposed to severe heat events every five years
Substantial increases in global poverty level
Significant increases in annual deaths from climate related illnesses

Question 5

Briefly, defines ‘net-zero’.

Answer 5

Emissions equal capture.

Question 6

Contributing to their lacking of funding for spending on climate projects, many poor developing countries have what other significant international payments they must take, which reduces their spending power?

Answer 6

International debt pay.

Question 7

According to IPCC, which sector is the most important to decarbonize as fast as possible?

Answer 7

Power sector.

Question 8

In terms of the IPCC’s goals for green buildings, while there have been an increasing number of zero-carbon buildings constructed around the world, what are two primary goals that still need considerable focus and investment.

Answer 8

1. Renovate the old buildings
2. The standard of any new build must be green

Question 9

What are the three key policies for cities to pursue reductions in their transport sector emissions levels?

Answer 9

1. Non-car travel
2. Electrified transport
3. Higher density

Question 10

List two of the reasons discussed in lecture for why it is a problem that much of the potential for carbon emission reductions from environmental protection, restoration, and sustainable management exists in developing countries.

Answer 10

1. Lack of science expertise
2. Lack of funding

Question 11

The IPCC’s fourth scenario, in which global temperatures rises to 2]3.t degrees C by 2100, is defined by collapse of what?

Answer 11

Collapse of international corporation

Question 12

What is the ‘elegant solution’ that Saul Griffith suggest for the U.S. economy to enhance the effect of shifting its electricity grid to renewable energies.

Answer 12

Shifting everything possible to electricity

Question 13

In the video, the graph that breaks down the carbon emissions in the U.S. by sector has what percentages for the following?

Electricity ___%
Industrial ___%
Residential ___%
Transportation ___%
Commercial ___%

Answer 13

Electricity 28%
Transportation 28%
Industrial 21%
Residential 14%
Commercial 12%

Question 14

Provide a sufficient definition of ‘tipping point’ as it relates to climate change.

Answer 14

Threshold passed

Question 15

What crop boomed in the 1990s and drove higher rates of deforestation? And how was it connected to cattle ranching?

Answer 15

Soy, high protein feed for cattle.

Question 16

Which of the following is cited as a cause of the resurgence in deforestation in the Amazon during the Bolsonaro presidency?

Weakened Forest Code
Slashed IBAMA budget
Ruralista political power decreasing
Wave of fire set by agriculture interests

Answer 16

Weakened Forest Code
Slashed IBAMA budget
Wave of fire set by agriculture interests

Question 17

Which of the following does the lecture list as probable impacts of sea level rise due to climate change?

Large scale damage and destruction of a wide variety of infrastructures —— roads, bridges, subways, energy systems, and sewage
Significant losses in the tourism and recreation sectors of many countries
Saltwater contamination of freshwater sources and agricultural areas
Massive dislocations and migrations of peoples to other regions and countries

Answer 17

Large scale damage and destruction of a wide variety of infrastructures —— roads, bridges, subways, energy systems, and sewage
Significant losses in the tourism and recreation sectors of many countries
Saltwater contamination of freshwater sources and agricultural areas
Massive dislocations and migrations of peoples to other regions and countries

Question 18

In addition to the obvious loss of land due to sea level rise, what two other worries do island nations and dependencies worry about related to sea level rise?

Answer 18

1. Water resources
2. Tourism

Question 19

Which of the following factors did the lecture list as contributing to rising intensities of hurricanes?

Warmer ocean temperatures from increased energy absorption create conditions fir hurricane development
Warm air holds less water vapour than cold air
Less cold, subsurface ocean water that normally acts as natural breaking mechanisms
Destruction of coral reefs that normally act as break on storms surges along coasts.

Answer 19

Warmer ocean temperatures from increased energy absorption create conditions fir hurricane development
Less cold, subsurface ocean water that normally acts as natural breaking mechanisms
Destruction of coral reefs that normally act as break on storms surges along coasts.

Question 20

Briefly explain why vulnerable communities have most to fear from polluting industries during bad storms.

Answer 20

Class and race bias in where people live.

Question 21

Extreme floods can be triggered by which of the following?

Intense precipitation
Shorter duration of storms
Close repetition of precipitation events
Increased atmospheric water vapour

Answer 21

Intense precipitation
Close repetition of precipitation events
Increased atmospheric water vapour

Question 22

Besides death, name two other ways flooding causes health problems.

Answer 22

1. Mental health
2. Bacteria infection

Question 23

Give three causes of more droughts due to climate change.

Answer 23

1. More heatwave
2. Higher temperature

Question 24

What are two of the ways that droughts affect public health?

Answer 24

1. Food insecurity
2. Smoke

Question 25

Which of the following were listed in lecture as key causes of increase fires due to climate change?

Rising temperatures dry soils and make vegetation more flammable
Smaller and earlier melting winter snowpacks lead to drier conditions acting as kindling for fires
Insect outbreaks weaken trees and make them more vulnerable to fire
Shifting rain patterns moving away from fire prone regions

Answer 25

Rising temperatures dry soils and make vegetation more flammable
Smaller and earlier melting winter snowpacks lead to drier conditions acting as kindling for fires
Insect outbreaks weaken trees and make them more vulnerable to fire
Shifting rain patterns moving away from fire prone regions

Question 26

List three of the negative impacts of fires discussed in lecture.

Answer 26

1. Smoke inhalation
2. Losing carbon sink
3. Dispatched animal

Question 27

List three covered in lecture that climate change negatively impacts agricultural production.

Answer 27

1. Rainfall patterns
2. Heatwave
3. Droughts

Question 28

What two factors are expected to cause a 50% increase in the food needed to feed earth’s people between 2010 and 2050.

Answer 28

1. Growing world population
2. More middle class diets

Question 29

What two features of Africa’s agricultural production make it especially vulnerable to climate change’s effects on food production?

Answer 29

1. Rain-fed agriculture
2. Small plots

Question 30

What is the difference between direct and indirect economies costs of a country’s disease burden?

Answer 30

Direct cost: medical cost
Indirect cost: labor productivity cost

Question 31

Briefly explain how deforestation and wildfires are causing more disease problems in human populations.

Answer 31

Drive close contact between wild animal and human

Question 32

What are three key threats to trees due to climate change?

Answer 32

1. Pests and diseases
2. Droughts
3. Heatwave

Question 33

What two principles are ‘balanced’ in the Principle 21.

Answer 33

1. Right to exploit natural resources
2. Do not harm environment of another state

Question 34

What features of the Montreal Protocol does the lecture list as significant achievements?

First international treaty to address a global environmental regulatory challenge
First agreement to have experts from key fields such as economics, chemicals, and the environment reported directly to the committee without edit or censorship
First agreement to recognized and allow for national differences in responsibility and financial capacity to respond
First treaty with a board that included democratic composition, that is, equal representation between countries from both the developed and developing regions of the world
First agreement to successfully institute a cap and trade program on carbon emissions

Answer 34

First international treaty to address a global environmental regulatory challenge
First agreement to have experts from key fields such as economics, chemicals, and the environment reported directly to the committee without edit or censorship
First agreement to recognized and allow for national differences in responsibility and financial capacity to respond
First treaty with a board that included democratic composition, that is, equal representation between countries from both the developed and developing regions of the world

Question 35

(a) Briefly explain why HFC production suddenly boomed after passage of the Montreal Protocols? (b) Explain their impact on the ozone layer. (c) And what key problem do they cause?

Answer 35

Chemical substitute of CFC, no impact, greenhouse gasses

Question 36

What are two of the criticisms made of the UNFCC?

Answer 36

1. Inefficient environmental policy
2. Insufficient decision making

Question 37

Which of the following are among the most significant criticisms of the Kyoto Protocols?

Included too many countries in the initial negotiations, and should have focused on ambitious agreements among top emitters first
Divided the world between developed and developing, which created antagonisms between the two groups
Significant skepticism about the authenticity of the accounting of carbon offset programs
Lacked any meaningful sanctions or penalties for noncompliance

Answer 37

Included too many countries in the initial negotiations, and should have focused on ambitious agreements among top emitters first
Divided the world between developed and developing, which created antagonisms between the two groups
Significant skepticism about the authenticity of the accounting of carbon offset programs
Lacked any meaningful sanctions or penalties for noncompliance

Question 38

Within the WTO agreements, countries are allowed to have environmental negotiations of trade so long as they satisfy what two conditions?

Answer 38

1. Backed by science
2. Non-discriminatory bans