P1: Climate Change

Question 1

Climate drivers and consequences

Answer 1

climate change has driven increased rainfall and winds, excessive droughts and rising temperatures which has resulted in the movement, fragmentation and global contamination of land.

Question 2

Rainfall

Answer 2

in shoreline regions, increased rainfall can cause the flushing of plastic into adjacent water. flooding can also cause increased water runoff carrying MP from soils to nearby waterbodies; contaminating the marine environment.

Question 3

Wind

Answer 3

redistribute microplastics from the source through increasing airborne MP

Question 4

Droughts

Answer 4

accumulation of microplastics in soils

Question 5

Rising Temperatures

Answer 5

release of plastic from ice meltage (glaciers) which has a negative multiplier effect on increased flooding.

Question 6

Graph

Answer 6

Future accumulation of plastic in surface ocean under three climate scenarios; Emission growth to 1950 at the historical rates of production, emissions stagnate to 2020 levels, and emissions stop in 2020. 2.5 Mt Max (Lebraton et al., 2019).

Question 7

Reference

Answer 7

Hack and Fan, 2023