Modern climate change Flashcards
What is the Keeling curve?
a graph which shows the rapid increase of CO2 in the Ears atmosphere since 1958
keeps a daily record of global atmospheric CO2 concentration
When was the greenhouse effect discovered?
1842
When was the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) set up?
1988
What does the IPCC do?
Measure and research climate change, create assessment reports and provide their findings to the 195 governments across the world which are a part of the IPCC
this allows the governments to create policies which can help mitigation or adaptation towards climate change
Kyoto protocol
Aim - limit GHG emissions with individual targets
set binding emission reduction for 37 industrialised countries. avg 5% emission reduction compared to 1990 levels
Doha amendment - new commitments - 18% below 1990 levels from 2013 - 2020
started an adaptation fund which helps assists countries in adapting to climate change
established carbon credit system which saw companies have to stick to a specific limit or be fined. they could by permits to increase their emission limit or sell off permits for money
Why did the Kyoto Protocol fail?
Carbon credits failed to limit companies emissions
1990 - 2009 had a 40% jump in GHG emissions
China and India failed to ratify - 2 huge carbon emitters - and the US backed out under Bush due to economic implications
What are the 4 scenarios modelled out by the IPCC?
A1 - Rapid economic growth, population growth to reach 9 billion by 2050 then gradually decline, quick spread of new technologies, extensive social and cultural interactions between nations - 1.4 to 6.4 degrees increase
A2 - a world of independently operating and self reliant nations, continuously increasing population, regionally oriented economic development - 2.0 to 5.4 degrees increase
B1 - rapid economic growth towards service and info economy, population rising to 9 billion then declining, reductions in material intensity and intro of clean and resource efficient technology, focus on global solutions towards economic, social and environmental stability - 1.1 to 2.9 degrees increase
B2 - continuously increasing population but at a slower rate than A2, emphasis on local rather than global solutions to economic, social and environmental stability, intermediate levels of economic development, less rapid and more fragmented technological change than in A1/B1 - 1.4 to 3.8 degrees increase
Define Geoengineering
manipulating an environmental process in order to combat the effects of climate change
An example of geoengineering
Space Orbital Mirrors - Mirrors are sent to space and orbit the Earth. Sunlight is then intercepted by the mirrors and reflected down to Earth. The sunlight is reflected down to solar farms which increases the efficiency of the farms
