NEW SS: Section 4 Flashcards
Scientist facts do not develop in a ______________.
vacuum
What happened in the late 1950s regarding CO2?
Scientists started paying close attention to the increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere
Why are scientists understanding climate change like climbing a ladder they were building along the way?
Because scientists would discover facts and information, then build off that information for future discoveries; as this happened, the scientists learned more about climate change
What does the UN stand for?
United Nations
When was the UN founded?
1946, in the immediate aftermath of WWII
What is the UN charter?
an international treaty, where members are bound by its terms
What is the main goal of the UN?
to prevent the use of force in international relations
When was the Cold War?
1946 to 1991 CE
During the Cold War, who were the main competing powers?
The USSR and US, as well as their respective allies
How did the USSR and US compete on the science front during the Cold War?
through the space race
What 2 countries were involved in the space race?
The US and USSR
Who launched the first artificial Earth satellite?
the USSR
What was the name of the first artificial satellite?
Sputnik
When was Sputnik launched?
1957
How did the US counter the launching of Sputnik by the USSR?
by launching their own space program and investing lots of money into it
Who landed the first humans on the moon?
the US
When did the first humans land on the moon?
1969
What does NASA stand for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
When was NASA founded?
1958
What do those involved in a research program agree to do?
contribute their time and resources to pursue a research agenda together
What does WCRP stand for?
World Climate Research Programme
When was the WCRP established?
1979
What does IGBP stand for?
Internation Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
When was the IGBP established?
1987
What does ICS stand for?
Internation Council for Science
What was the ICS formerly known as?
the ICSU
What does ICSU stand for?
International Council for Scientific Union
When was the ISCU established?
1931
Who was Lloyd Berkner?
an American physicist and engineer whose suggestion to the ISCU helped start the IGY
What did Lloyd Berkner suggest to the ISCU in 1952?
That they begin a systematic and comprehensive study of geophysical activities over a set period
What did Lloyd Berkner’s suggestion in 1952 to the ISCU lead to?
the creation of the IGY
What does IGY stand for?
International GeoPhysical Year
When was the IGY?
July 1957 to December 1958
What was the IGY supposed to correspond with?
a high point in the 11-year cycle of sunspot activity
The IGY was foundational for the launch of which program?
NASA
As part of the IGY, what did Charles David Keeling start doing?
He started to regularly check the CO2 levels in the air from Hawaii
Where did Keeling track CO2 levels in the air from?
Mauna Loa, Hawaii
Why did Bert Bolin travel to Washington D.C. in 1959?
To alert the National Academy of Sciences that increasing CO2 levels could have serious consequences
When did Bert Bolin travel to Washington D.C. to alert the National Academy of Sciences?
1959
When did Keeling release his data on CO2 levels in the atmosphere?
1961
What did Keeling call his data on CO2 levels in the atmosphere?
the Keeling Curve
What does the Keeling Curve reveal?
It shows that CO2 levels have been rising
Who was the first chair of the ISCU’s new committee on atmospheric sciences?
Bert Bolin
When did Bert Bolin become the first chair of the ISCU’s new committee on atmospheric sciences?
1964
Data about rising CO2 levels and awareness of its ability to warm temperatures resulted in what?
interest in this topic, and new communities of scientists and formal organizations dedicated to climate change
What does WMO stand for?
World Meteorological Organization
When was WMO established?
1950
What other organization is WMO a part of?
the UN
In 1967, the ISCU and WMO came together to form what?
GARP
What does GARP stand for?
Global Atmospheric Research Program
When was GARP formed?
1967
What 2 groups formed GARP?
the ISCU and WMO
What was GARP at the center of?
helping people understand more about weather and climate during the 70s and 80s
When was GARP at the center of helping people?
the 1970s and 1980s
What does UNEP stand for?
United Nations Environmental Programme
What was hosted in 1978 in Austria by the ISCU, WMO, and UNEP?
an International Workshop on Climate Issues
Where was the International Workshop on Climate Issues hosted in 1978?
Austria
What organizations hosted the International Workshop on Climate Issues in 1978 located in Austria?
the ISCU, WMO, and UNEP
What did the International Workshop on Climate Issues in Austria in 1978 identify a need for?
an organization that could do more than GARP
What organization came as a result of the International Workshop on Climate Issues in 1978?
the WCRP
What organization succeeded GARP?
the WCRP
What did the WCRP do?
it led research that increased the knowledge of how the oceans and atmosphere interact to create weather, and it raised awareness for climate change among the general public
What led to the creation of the IGBP?
a push from scientists for a new program that would comprehensively study global change, to provide context for climate change and its causes
Who was the center of the push for the creation of the IGBP?
Bert Bolin and other scientists
Did the IGBP take over the WCRP?
No, the 2 worked as a team
What was the topic of the conference in 1985 in Villach, Austria, hosted by the ISCU, WMO, and UNEP?
“Assessment of the Role of Carbon Dioxide and of Other Greenhouse Gases in Climate Variations and Associated Impacts”
Who hosted the major conference in Villach, Austria in 1985?
the ISCU, WMO, and UNEP
When was the conference hosted by the ISCU, WMO, and UNEP?
1985
What did the participants in the 1985 conference in Villach, Austria agree on?
that GHG emissions can raise global temperatures and the consequences of this will be serious
What group was formed in the conference in 1985 hosted by the ISCU, WMO, and UNEP in Villach, Austria?
the AGGG
What does AGGG stand for?
Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases
When was the conference hosted by the WMO in Toronto, Canada?
1988
Who hosted the 1988 conference in Toronto, Canada?
WMO
What was the name of the 1988 conference in Toronto hosted by the WMO?
“The Changing Atmosphere: Implications for Global Security”
What organization was James E. Hansen part of?
NASA
What did James E. Hansen do in 1988?
He testified before the US Senate that human-induced greenhouse gases were the cause of climate change
When did James E. Hansen testify before the US Senate?
1988
What does IPCC stand for?
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
When was the IPCC created?
the late 80s, specifically 1988
Why was the IPCC established?
To spread information and research on climate change among scientists and the general public
Who was the IPCC’s first chair?
Bert Bolin
When did Bert Bolin serve as the IPCC’s first chair?
1988 to 1998
Who made “Merchants of Doubt”?
Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
When was “Merchants of Doubt” published?
2010
What does “Merchants of Doubt” explain?
How a small group of influential people influenced and prevented action for climate change, as well as why many people don’t believe in climate change
What position did William Nierenberg retire from in 1984?
the Director of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography
When did Nierenberg retire from his position as the Director of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography?
1984
What was the Scripps Institute of Oceanography?
a well-respected scientific institution at the forefront of the study of climate
What did Nierenberg join after he retired?
the Board of Directors of the Marshall Institute
Where was the Marshall Institute located?
Washington D.C.
How was the Marshall Institute different from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography?
The Marshall Institute had a political agenda it had to achieve
What does SDI stand for?
Strategic Defense Initiative
The SDI was an agenda for which war?
the Cold War
What signalled the end of the Cold War?
the fall of the Berlin Wall
When did the Berlin Wall come down?
1989
Under which US President was the Marshall Institute founded?
President Ronald Reagen
Near the end of the Cold War, what did the Marshall Institute start attacking?
climate science
Who was the successor of Ronald Reagan as president?
President George H. W. Bush
Did Bush consider taking action on mitigating climate change?
Yes, though he didn’t go through with it
What did the paper published by the Marshall Institute in 1989 say about climate change?
It said climate change was caused by variability in solar energy, not greenhouse gases
Did the paper published by the Marshall Institute in 1989 have the support of the scientific community?
No
Who published a report saying the paper made by the Marshall Institute was incorrect in 1990?
the IPCC
Rejecting the Kyoto Protocol was __________.
bipartisan
When did the US Senate first vote on whether to accept the Kyoto Protocol?
July 25, 1997
What was the outcome of the US Senate voting on whether to accept the Kyoto Protocol in 1997?
the vote was 95-0
What 2 ideas did the US Senate state after rejecting the Kyoto Protocol?
Other countries need to commit before the US and taking action will slow the US economy
Which US president agreed to sign the Kyoto Protocol in 1998?
President Bill Clinton
When did President Bill Clinton sign the Kyoto Protocol?
1998
In the 2000 election, who were the candidates?
George W. Bush vs Al Gore
Whose son is George W. Bush?
he is the son of George H. W. Bush
Who received the popular vote in the 2000 election?
Al Gore
What was the legal battle surrounding the 2000 election about?
it was regarding the vote counts in the state of Florida
Who did the Supreme Court declare the winner of the 2000 election?
George W. Bush
A New York Times Article from Nov. 3, 2000, said what about the candidates for the 2000 election?
That Gore supporting climate action and Bush being against it was a key distinguisher of the 2 candidates
How did ExxonMobil react to potential governmental regulations of fossil fuels?
They started funding organizations that opposed climate change and created skepticism about it, especially during the 70s and 80s
Did ExxonMobil research climate change?
Yes, during the 1970s and 1980s, they participated in the scientific study of climate change
What was the most profitable year for Western oil companies?
2022
The top 6 energy companies earned how much in 2022?
$219 billion
How much did the top 6 energy companies give/payout to investors?
$110 billion
What were the top 6 energy companies in 2022?
Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Chevron, Exxon, and Equinor
What does BP stand for? (the energy company)
British Petroleum
What oil company produced the carbon footprint concept?
British Petroleum
What well-known concept regarding climate change did BP produce?
the carbon footprint concept
What is a carbon footprint?
The amount of carbon a person uses/produces
What is the flaw with the carbon footprint concept?
It is that only a few people trying to reduce their carbon footprint doesn’t make much of a difference, and it leads focus away from collective action of companies and governments to only a handful of people
What part of the US government is the US Chamber of Commerce?
the US Chamber of Commerce is not part of the government
What is the US Chamber of Commerce?
a powerful lobbying group that advocates on behalf of businesses
When did the US Chamber of Commerce acknowledge that humans contribute to climate change?
2019
What did the US Chamber of Commerce do in 2019?
They acknowledged humans contribute to climate change, and they explored the relationship between business and climate change
In 2022, out of 39 climate policies, how many did the US Chamber of Commerce advocate against?
25
In 2022, out of 39 climate policies, how many did the US Chamber of Commerce advocate for?
9
What are the 2 main political parties in the US?
the Democratic Party and the Republican Party
What has the Republican Party branded itself as?
pro-business and anti-government regulation
What idea does the Republican Party generally have on climate change?
They have skepticism on climate change and tend to believe climate action will hurt the US economy
How is the Democratic Party different from the Republican Party on climate action and government regulation?
The Democratic Party is more supportive of climate action and environmental protection and also favors government regulation, while the Republican Party is typically not supportive of these things
In a 2023 poll on whether to promote economic growth or climate action, what responses were received from the Republican Party?
72% supported prioritizing economic growth, while the other 23% supported climate action and 5% were unsure
In a 2023 poll on whether to promote economic growth or climate action, what responses were received from the Democratic Party?
80% supported climate action, while 18% were for economic growth and 2% were neutral
According to a 2023 study, people of what party are significantly more likely to think that the area they live in has been affected by extreme climate events, like droughts?
the Democratic Party
What percent of Democrats believe human activity is causing climate change?
93%
What percent of Republicans believe human activity is causing climate changes?
55%
What is the primary reason for political opposition to climate action?
economic concerns
Who was the president from 2017 to 2021?
Donald Trump
What US president withdrew from the Paris Agreement?
President Donald Trump
When did President Donald Trump withdraw from the Paris Agreement?
2017
When was the Paris Agreement created?
2015
Why did President Donald Trump withdraw from the Paris Agreement?
because it put the US at a “very big economic disadvantage”
Jair Bolsonaro was the president of which country?
Brazil
Vladamir Putin is the president of which country?
Russia
What major act against climate change occurred under President Jair Bolsonaro’s term?
massive deforestation of the Amazon rainforest
A 2022 study in the UK found what about British broadcasters and climate science?
Roughly a third of them cast doubt on climate science
The new channel Fox News reports from the perspective of what political party?
the Republican Party
What did Fox News host Laura Ingraham do when covering smoke from Canadian fires pouring into the US?
She gave airtime to supporters of the oil industry who denied the dangers of smoke
What does the UNFCCC stand for?
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
At what conference was the UNFCCC established?
the Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro
Where was the UNFCCC established?
Rio de Janeiro
When was the UNFCCC established?
1992
The UNFCCC was a catalyst for which environmental policy?
the Kyoto Protocol
What organization established the UNFCCC?
the UN
When was the Kyoto Protocol drafted?
1997
How many nations drafted the Kyoto Protocol in 1997?
37
When did the Kyoto Protocol go into effect?
2005
What did the Kyoto Protocol do?
It set a target for how much countries should aim to reduce their emissions
Collectively, participators of the Kyoto Protocol need to reduce their emissions by how much?
5% from 2008 to 2012, compared to levels in the 1990
How many nations agreed upon the Paris Agreement in 2015?
196
What is the IPCC’s main goal?
To reduce warming by more than 2ºC above pre-industrial levels, and no more than 1.5ºC by 2100
The IPCC wants to limit warming to no more than 1.5ºC by the year ________.
2100
According to the IPCC, what is needed to achieve their main goal?
cutting emissions by 43% by the year 2030
How much does the IPCC want to cut emissions by 2030?
43%
When does the IPCC want to hit a peak in emissions?
2025 or before
How close is the world to being on track to meet the 1.5ºC target by 2100?
very far, as of a late 2022 report
What 2 lawmakers championed the Green New Deal in 2019?
Ocasio-Cortez from NY and Markey from Massachusetts
What was needed to adopt the Green New Deal?
the support of the president, who was at the time Donald Trump
What was the significance of the Green New Deal?
It cast a vision for investment in clean energy and green infrastructure while boosting the economy
What does the name Green New Deal reference?
the New Deal signed in the 1930s
What is the New Deal credited with doing?
Revitalizing the US. economy during the Great Depression
Why does the Green New Deal reference the New Deal?
To emphasize that it can boost industries and the economy as a whole
Did President Biden adopt the Green New Deal?
No, though he did create a similar plan called the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
What does IRA stand for?
Inflation Reduction Act
What US president signed the IRA?
President Joe Biden
When was the IRA signed into law?
August 16, 2022
The IRA provided the largest source of government funding for what?
climate-related issues
How much money does the IRA put into climate funding?
$369 billion
What is geoengineering?
Manipulating the Earth’s environment to counteract climate change
What is another term for carbon sequestration?
carbon capture
What type of engineering is carbon sequestration?
geoengineering
What type of engineering is solar radiation management?
geoengineering
What is carbon sequestration?
the capture of carbon from the atmosphere and storing it
What are the 2 main challenges in carbon sequestration?
capturing the carbon and finding safe storage locations to put it
What is solar radiation management?
creating sources that reflect solar energy away from the Earth’s surface and oceans
What is the main precaution that should be taken with geoengineering?
Manipulating the Earth’s environment too much on too large of a scale can be detrimental
When did solar and wind produce a record amount of energy?
2022
What needs to replace our fossil fuel energy sources to reduce GHG emissions?
renewable energy
What percent of global energy did wind and solar produce in 2022?
12%
What state in particular used the IRA to build carbon capture facilities?
Louisiana
According to Philosopher Olufemi O. Taiwo, what would the Green New Deal support if enacted?
“climate colonialism”
What is climate colonialism?
the process of extracting resources or producing clean energy in less-powerful nations and using those benefits in wealthier nations
What does Taiwo say climate justice should involve?
the understanding of the historical legacies that have led to today’s global wealth and power disparities
Through what policy does the Biden administration attempt to incorporate climate justice?
the Justice40 Initiative
The Justice40 Initiative was made under which administration?
the Biden administration
What is the Justice40 Initiative?
A policy that sets a goal of 40% of overall benefits from Federal investment in certain areas to be given to underserved communities
What categories of investment are covered in the Justice40 Initiative?
climate change, clean energy, energy efficiency, affordable/sustainable housing, clean transit, pollution reduction, and water/wastewater infrastructure
How does climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe make a difference in her community?
By communicating the science of climate change to her faith community, Evangelical Christians
What is the name of Katherine Hayhoe’s faith community?
the Evangelical Christians
What does Katherine Hayhoe explain in her TED Talk?
That we can fight climate change by simply talking about it, rather than putting pressure on a few officials
When did the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota lead protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline?
2016-2017
What group led protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016-17?
the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
The Dakota Access Pipeline is part of which large pipeline system?
the Keystone Pipeline System
The Keystone Pipeline System starts and ends where?
Alberta, Canada to Texas
Why did people support the Dakota Access Pipeline?
because of its economic benefits
What was the main area of the Dakota Access Pipeline that people protested over?
the area that went under the Missouri River
What river is crucial for the drinking water of the Standing Rock Sioux?
the Missouri River
Why were people worried about the area of the Dakota Access Pipeline that went under the Missouri River?
because it could contaminate the Standing Rock’s drinking water, as well as nearby ecosystems, through spills
Were the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline successful?
Yes
Why did people protest against building a pipeline that transported fossil fuels from Canada to Texas?
Because it releases GHGs and causes environmental harm
Who had to get involved with protests against building a pipeline from Texas to Canada?
law enforcement and government representatives
Protesters who protested, vandalized, trespassed, and more committed acts of what?
civil disobedience
How did the government and law enforcement get people to stop protesting against building a pipeline from Texas to Canada?
by using force
Who ordered the construction of a pipeline from Texas to Canada, despite protests?
President Donald Trump
When did President Donald Trump order the construction of a pipeline from Texas to Canada?
early 2017
Who led Indigenous communities to protest against the expansion of mining operations in the Munduruku regions of the Amazon by British company Anglo American?
Alessandra Korap Munduruku
Where is the company Anglo American from?
Britain
What did Anglo American say when Alessandra Munduruku led protests?
They said they weren’t going to mine in the area, though it was obvious that they were going to
When did Anglo American notify the Brazillian government of their plans to withdraw from the Amazon?
May 2021
Alessandra Munduruku’s victory against Anglo American in 2021 helped protect what?
400,000 acres of rainforest in the Sawre Muybu Indigenous Territory
How many participants are in the Fridays for Future movement?
14 million
People from how many cities are in the Fridays for Future movement?
7,500 cities
When did the Fridays for Future begin?
2018
Who started the Fridays for Future movement?
Greta Thunberg
How old was Thunberg when she started Fridays for Future?
15
How did Fridays for Future start?
When Greta Thunberg sat outside the Swedish Parliament, and skipped school, for weeks, protesting how the government wasn’t doing anything to combat climate change. She eventually gained international attention and started this movement.
Thunberg’s protest outside the Swedish Parliament is known as what?
a school strike
Who is Luisa Neubauer?
a young German climate activist
How did Luisa Neubauer help spread awareness of climate change?
She preached a sermon in the Berlin Cathedral and drew on a teaching stating one should not store up Earth’s treasures, and gave climate messages as well
Where did Luisa Neubauer preach her sermon?
Berlin, Germany, specifically the Berlin Cathedral
Where is Luisa Neubauer from?
Germany
Where is Vanessa Nakate from?
Uganda
How is Vanessa Nakate taking local action within her home country?
With a message that Africans are impacted by climate change and should be engaged in finding solutions
