Mod 1 Climate Change

Question 1

What is climate change?

Answer 1

long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come
to define the Earth’s local, regional, and global climates. Climate includes temperature,
wind patterns and precipitation.

Question 2

What is Global Warming?

Answer 2

an increase in the Earth’s average atmospheric temperature near
the surface of the earth. Global warming can also cause changes in the climate.

Question 3

What are two possible causes of Global Warming and Climate Change?

Answer 3

Natural Ice Age Cycles (Natural variability) earth has experienced cold periods and warm periods on approx. 100000-year cycles.
There is evidence of 7 cycles of glacial advance and retreat in last 650000 years - (ice cores, tree rings & fossils)
Contributing factors are
- Natural changes in the greenhouse gases – natural greenhouse effect
- External forcings - Volcanic activity/eruptions; Changes in the earth’s orbit &
the sun’s energy output (Milankovitch cycles)
2. Human Induced Greenhouse effect – caused by the buildup of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere which traps excess heat from solar radiation.
This buildup of greenhouse gases is mainly caused by human activities such as
burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and use of aerosols.
It has resulted in Global warming – an increase of the earth’s temperature
(heat trapping)

Question 4

List the Greenhouse Gases

Answer 4

Carbon Dioxide- CO2
Nitrous Oxide- N2O
Methane- CH4
Water Vapour- H20
Chloroflurocarbons- cfcs

Question 5

Explain the Greenhouse effect

Answer 5

Human activities contribute to global warming by increasing the greenhouse effect. The
greenhouse effect happens when certain gases—known as greenhouse gases—collect in
Earth’s atmosphere. These gases, which occur naturally in the atmosphere, include carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, water vapor and fluorinated gases sometimes known as
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Greenhouse gases let the sun’s light shine onto Earth’s surface, but they trap the heat that
reflects up into the atmosphere. In this way, they act like the insulating glass walls of a
greenhouse. The greenhouse effect keeps Earth’s climate comfortable. Without it, surface
temperatures would be cooler by about 33 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit), and
many life forms would freeze.

Question 6

How is most of the C02 put into the atmosphere by humans generated?

Answer 6

Burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas
Cars, trucks, trains and planes
Electric power plants
Cutting down trees-Decaying plant material, including trees, releases tons of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Living trees absorb carbon dioxide.
By diminishing the number of trees to absorb carbon dioxide, the gas remains in the atmosphere

Question 7

Where does most of the CH4 in the atmosphere come from?

Answer 7

Livestock farming- anaerobic decay of organic matter
Landfills
fossil fuel
production such as coal mining and natural gas processing.

Question 8

Where N2O in the atmosphere come from?

Answer 8

Artificial fertilisers
Fossil fuels burning
Agricultural tech

Question 9

Where H20 in the atmosphere come from?

Answer 9

Evaporation from seas and lakes

Question 10

Where does cfcs in the atmosphere come from?

Answer 10

Fluorinated gases include chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and
hydrofluorocarbons

Gases used in aerosol cans
Refrigeration

Question 11

What sectors contribute to climate change? (Most to least)

Answer 11

1.Energy supply
2. Industries
3. Forestry
4. Agriculture
5. Transportation (air, land & sea)
6. Residential and commercial buildings
7. Water and Wastewater

Question 13

Where does most of the N20 in the atmosphere come from?

Answer 13

Nitrous oxide comes
from agricultural technology (artificial fertilisers) and fossil fuel burning- cars

Question 14

Where do CFCs come from?

Answer 14

Fluorinated gases include chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and
hydrofluorocarbons. These greenhouse gases are used in aerosol cans and refrigerants and solvents.

Question 15

What industries contribute the most to climate change? In order from most to least

Answer 15

1. Energy supply
2. Industries
3. Forestry
4. Agriculture
5. Transportation (air, land & sea)
6. Residential and commercial buildings
7. Water and Wastewater

Question 16

Effects of Global Warming and Climate Change?

Answer 16

• global land and ocean temperature increases.- Mean surface temperatures in the Caribbean have increased by 1.0 0 C.
• rising sea levels.
• ice loss at Earth’s poles and in mountain glaciers.
• frequency and severity changes in extreme weather such as hurricanes,
• heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, floods, and precipitation- More intense rainfall events Category 5 hurricanes (Caribbean)
• cloud and vegetation cover changes

Other effects of CC and GW specific to the Caribbean
*The Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean are now more acidic.
* Coral Bleaching
*Migration and changing breeding habits of vectors. (Aedes aegypti mosquitoes thrive in warmer temperatures)

Question 17

Impacts of GW and CC

Answer 17

*Health – weather related mortality infectious diseases & Air – quality respiratory
illnesses
*Species & natural areas – loss of habitat and species
*Cryosphere – diminishing glaciers.
*Water resources – water supply; water quality; competition for water
*Agriculture – crop yields and irrigation demand.
*Forests – forest composition; geographic range; forest health and productivity;
wildfires
*Coastal Areas – erosion of beaches; inundation of coastal lands; additional costs to
protect coastal communities.

Question 18

Individual Mitigation measures

Answer 18

Replace red meat with chicken.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains & beans
- Buy organic & buy local produce when possible.
- Don’t waste food and grow your own.
- Avoid fast fashion & cheap trend clothing.
- Green your commute.
- Reduce, recycle, reuse.

Question 19

Community mitigation measures

Answer 19

Education & awareness on Climate change.
- Become energy smart – conserve.
- Reforestation

Question 20

International mitigation measures

Answer 20

Protocols, Laws, Rules, Agreements
Stockholm (1972); Rio (1992);
Montreal (2005);
Copenhagen (2009);
Kyoto Protocol (1997)- To reduce ghgs back to 1990 levels by 2012. Did not involve some of the largest contributions to ghgs such as China and India
Paris Climate Agreement (2015 - 2021)- Agreement that binds all countries to reduce GHGS. The goal is to hold the avg. Increase of global temp well below 2C° to around 1.5°
Aims for climate neutrality by 2050
Clean technologies
Rich countries will donate at least 100 billion to developing countries to help reduce emissions

Question 21

Where does most H20 in the atmosphere come from?

Answer 21

Evaporation from oceans and lakes